TradeSalary

Diesel mechanic salary in Olympia, WA

Updated September 27, 2026 with BLS data from May 2025

Diesel mechanics in the Olympia–Lacey–Tumwater, WA area earn a median of $78,960 a year, or $37.96 an hour, according to May 2025 BLS data. The highest-paid 10% make over $94,980 a year. Statewide, diesel mechanics earn a median of $77,900; Olympia is 1% above it.

Median yearly pay$78,960
Bottom 10% under$58,370Top 10% over$94,980
Entry-level starting pay (estimate)
$28.06/hr
Jobs in this area
260
After cost of living
$76,160
Median hourly pay
$37.96/hr
vs U.S. median
+28%
vs Washington median
+1%
Mean (average) pay
$78,130 a year · $37.56 an hour
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (area 36500, Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA). 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.

Pay by percentile

What diesel mechanics in Olympia, WA earn at each point of the pay range, May 2025: 10% earn less than the 10th percentile, half earn less than the median, and 10% earn more than the 90th.

PercentileHourlyYearly
10th percentile$28.06$58,370
25th percentile$33.24$69,140
Median (50th)$37.96$78,960
75th percentile$41.94$87,220
90th percentile$45.66$94,980

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. BLS yearly figures are the hourly wage times 2,080 hours.

How Olympia, WA compares

  • Olympia ranks 3rd of 13 Washington metro areas for diesel mechanic pay.
  • Diesel mechanics hold about the same share of jobs in the Olympia area as nationally: 2.0 of every 1,000 jobs.

Other Washington metro areas

Other trades in Olympia, WA

Questions

Do diesel mechanics make more in Olympia or Seattle?
Seattle pays more: the median is $78,960 in Olympia and $82,330 in Seattle, a 4% difference.

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 36500 (Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA). 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 (103.7, where the U.S. average is 100). Page updated September 27, 2026. How we calculate these figures