Diesel mechanic salary in West Virginia
Updated September 27, 2026 with BLS data from May 2025
Diesel mechanics in West Virginia earn a median of $46,610 a year, or $22.41 an hour, according to May 2025 BLS data. One in ten earns more than $78,460. Nationally the median is $61,770, so West Virginia pays 25% less than the U.S. overall and ranks 51st of 51.
- Entry-level starting pay (estimate)
- $17.00/hr
- Jobs in West Virginia
- 1,040
- After cost of living
- $52,080
- Median hourly pay
- $22.41/hr
- vs U.S. median
- −25%
- Rank among states
- 51st of 51
Entry-level to master diesel mechanic pay
| Stage | Yearly pay | Hourly pay |
|---|---|---|
| Entry level | $35,350–$37,670$17.00–$18.11/hr | |
| Experienced mechanic | $46,610$22.41/hr | |
| Master / top earners | $62,430–$78,460$30.02–$37.72/hr |
Estimated from BLS percentiles (10th–25th, median, 75th–90th); BLS does not report pay by license level.
Pay over time
The median diesel mechanic wage in West Virginia rose 20.6%, from $38,640 in May 2021 to $46,610 in May 2025. Prices rose 19.4% over the same period, so after inflation it rose 1%.
| Year | Median a year | Median an hour |
|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $38,640 | $18.58/hr |
| May 2022 | $44,620 | $21.45/hr |
| May 2023 | $46,520 | $22.37/hr |
| May 2024 | $49,230 | $23.67/hr |
| May 2025 | $46,610 | $22.41/hr |
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, each May release; inflation from the BLS Consumer Price Index (CPI-U, May of each year). BLS cautions against reading much into year-to-year changes, so we compare the first and last years. How we compare years
How West Virginia compares
- Diesel mechanics are less concentrated in West Virginia than nationally: 1.5 of every 1,000 jobs, 0.80 times the U.S. share.
- The 90th-percentile wage, $78,460, is 2.2 times the 10th-percentile wage, $35,350: a measure of how much pay rises with experience and specialty.
Pay by metro area
Rural West Virginia
- Northern West Virginia$45,440
- Southern West Virginia$45,000
Other trades in West Virginia
Questions
- How much do diesel mechanics make in West Virginia?
- Diesel mechanics in West Virginia earn a median of $46,610 a year, or $22.41 an hour, according to May 2025 BLS data. One in ten earns more than $78,460.
- How much do diesel mechanics make an hour in West Virginia?
- The median hourly wage is $22.41. The middle half earn between $18.11 and $30.02 an hour. (BLS, May 2025.)
- What do entry-level diesel mechanics make in West Virginia?
- BLS doesn't report pay by license level. The 10th-percentile wage, $17.00 an hour ($35,350 a year), is a reasonable estimate of starting pay; the 25th percentile is $18.11.
- Has diesel mechanic pay gone up in West Virginia?
- The median diesel mechanic wage in West Virginia rose 20.6%, from $38,640 in May 2021 to $46,610 in May 2025. Prices rose 19.4% over the same period, so after inflation it rose 1%. (BLS wage data and Consumer Price Index.)
- Where in West Virginia do diesel mechanics earn the most?
- Among West Virginia metro areas, Washington–Arlington–Alexandria has the highest median at $72,580 a year, and Parkersburg–Vienna the lowest at $43,680.
- Do diesel mechanics in West Virginia earn more than the national average?
- The West Virginia median of $46,610 is 25% less than the U.S. median of $61,770. Prices in West Virginia run 11% below the national average (BEA), so the median buys about what $52,080 would nationally.
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 54. 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 (89.5, where the U.S. average is 100). Page updated September 27, 2026. How we calculate these figures