TradeSalary

Diesel mechanic salary in Killeen, TX

Updated September 27, 2026 with BLS data from May 2025

Diesel mechanics in the Killeen–Temple, TX area earn a median of $54,400 a year, or $26.15 an hour, according to May 2025 BLS data. The highest-paid 10% make over $69,530 a year. Across all of Texas, the median is $58,810, so Killeen pays 7% less than the state as a whole.

Median yearly pay$54,400
Bottom 10% under$41,840Top 10% over$69,530
Entry-level starting pay (estimate)
$20.12/hr
Jobs in this area
360
After cost of living
$59,690
Median hourly pay
$26.15/hr
vs U.S. median
−12%
vs Texas median
−7%
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (area 28660, Killeen-Temple, TX). Excludes self-employed diesel mechanics. Cost of living: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024. *Starting pay is estimated from the 10th percentile; BLS does not report pay by license level.

Entry-level to master diesel mechanic pay

StageYearly payHourly pay
Entry level$41,840–$50,080$20.12–$24.08/hr
Experienced mechanic$54,400$26.15/hr
Master / top earners$60,680–$69,530$29.18–$33.43/hr

Estimated from BLS percentiles (10th–25th, median, 75th–90th); BLS does not report pay by license level.

How Killeen, TX compares

  • Killeen ranks 15th of 25 Texas metro areas for diesel mechanic pay.
  • Diesel mechanics are more concentrated in the Killeen area than nationally: 2.4 of every 1,000 jobs, 1.3 times the U.S. share.
  • The 90th-percentile wage, $69,530, is 1.7 times the 10th-percentile wage, $41,840: a measure of how much pay rises with experience and specialty.

Other Texas metro areas

Other trades in Killeen, TX

Questions

How much do diesel mechanics make in Killeen, TX?
Diesel mechanics in the Killeen–Temple, TX area earn a median of $54,400 a year, or $26.15 an hour, according to May 2025 BLS data. The highest-paid 10% make over $69,530 a year.
How much do diesel mechanics make an hour in Killeen, TX?
The median hourly wage is $26.15. The middle half earn between $24.08 and $29.18 an hour. (BLS, May 2025.)
What do entry-level diesel mechanics make in Killeen, TX?
BLS doesn't report pay by license level. The 10th-percentile wage, $20.12 an hour ($41,840 a year), is a reasonable estimate of starting pay; the 25th percentile is $24.08.
Do diesel mechanics make more in Killeen or Austin?
Austin pays more: the median is $54,400 in Killeen and $61,070 in Austin, a 11% difference.
How does Killeen pay compare with the rest of Texas?
The Killeen median of $54,400 is 7% less than the Texas median of $58,810.

About this data

Wages are from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for May 2025, occupation 49-3031 (Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists), area code 28660 (Killeen-Temple, TX). BLS counts wage and salary workers only, so self-employed diesel mechanics and business owners aren't included. The cost-of-living figure divides the median by the Bureau of Economic Analysis Regional Price Parity for 2024 (91.1, where the U.S. average is 100). Page updated September 27, 2026. How we calculate these figures