These Are The 10 States With The Highest Auto Body Technician Salaries For 2026

Top 10 States for Auto Body Technician Salaries in 2026

When considering a career as an auto body technician, one of the most critical factors for many individuals is salary. It’s essential to know how much auto body technicians earn in various states across the U.S. as you plan your career path.

While specific earnings can vary based on factors like experience, certifications, and location, a comprehensive analysis of average salaries for auto body technicians by state provides valuable insights. These averages can help set realistic salary expectations for your career.

To offer a clearer understanding of how salaries differ across the country, we analyzed the latest data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics regarding average pay for auto body technicians by state. Additionally, we adjusted these salaries according to the cost of living in each state, acknowledging that a salary in North Carolina stretches further than one in California.

So, which state offers the best salary for auto body technicians after accounting for living costs? The data reflects that the best-adjusted salary goes to Automotive Body And Related Repairers.

Here’s a snapshot of the top ten states for auto body technician salaries:

Let’s delve deeper into how we arrived at these figures and see a complete ranking of all states.

If you’re interested in further exploring the job landscape, check out these articles:

How We Determined Pay by State

For this analysis, we utilized the most recent average annual salary data for auto body technicians from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, specifically their ‘Occupational Employment Statistics.’

To ensure a fair comparison of salaries across states, we factored in the cost of living in each location. We developed an index by dividing the average wage for each state by its cost of living relative to the national average. For example, if the average pay in California is $47,150 and the cost of living index is 135.9, the adjusted salary calculation would be:

$47,150 * (100 / 135.9) = $34,694

States were then ranked based on this adjusted salary index, with the highest value indicating the best average salary for auto body technicians.

Here’s a complete ranking of all states based on this analysis.

For more insights, explore:

Detailed List of Auto Body Technician Salaries by State

Rank	State	Adjusted Salary	Average Wage	Cost Of Living
1	Michigan	$58,101	$51,710	89.0
2	Georgia	$55,547	$50,770	91.4
3	North Carolina	$54,046	$50,750	93.9
4	Wyoming	$53,235	$48,870	91.8
5	Illinois	$50,856	$48,110	94.6
6	North Dakota	$50,020	$49,720	99.4
7	Indiana	$49,597	$44,390	89.5
8	Washington	$48,754	$51,290	105.2
9	Texas	$48,599	$44,080	90.7
10	Arizona	$48,255	$47,290	98.0
11	Virginia	$48,214	$48,600	100.8
12	Idaho	$47,828	$44,050	92.1
13	Kansas	$47,719	$42,900	89.9
14	Minnesota	$47,579	$47,960	100.8
15	Missouri	$47,411	$42,860	90.4
16	Utah	$47,290	$43,980	93.0
17	Kentucky	$47,082	$42,610	90.5
18	Nebraska	$46,823	$42,890	91.6
19	Colorado	$46,801	$48,580	103.8
20	Maryland	$46,470	$58,320	125.5
21	Alabama	$45,361	$41,370	91.2
22	Ohio	$44,989	$42,200	93.8
23	Delaware	$44,940	$45,570	101.4
24	New Mexico	$44,870	$43,300	96.5
25	Oklahoma	$44,293	$39,510	89.2
26	Louisiana	$44,008	$41,720	94.8
27	Arkansas	$43,892	$38,230	87.1
28	Iowa	$43,648	$39,720	91.0
29	Mississippi	$43,550	$37,410	85.9
30	Tennessee	$43,344	$38,750	89.4
31	Nevada	$43,252	$44,680	103.3
32	Pennsylvania	$42,061	$42,650	101.4
33	Florida	$41,881	$41,170	98.3
34	Montana	$41,746	$42,080	100.8
35	Wisconsin	$40,909	$39,600	96.8
36	Alaska	$40,839	$53,540	131.1
37	West Virginia	$40,695	$38,010	93.4
38	New Jersey	$40,574	$49,460	121.9
39	South Carolina	$39,173	$38,860	99.2
40	Rhode Island	$38,342	$46,280	120.7
41	Connecticut	$38,167	$48,740	127.7
42	South Dakota	$37,897	$39,300	103.7
43	Oregon	$36,591	$42,300	115.6
44	Maine	$36,110	$40,010	110.8
45	New Hampshire	$35,957	$42,070	117.0
46	Vermont	$35,367	$42,830	121.1
47	Massachusetts	$35,344	$47,150	133.4
48	California	$34,694	$47,150	135.9
49	New York	$32,450	$42,510	131.0
50	Hawaii	$30,208	$50,720	167.9

Never miss an opportunity that’s right for you.

Author

Chris Kolmar

Chris Kolmar is a co-founder of Zippia and the editor-in-chief of the Zippia career advice blog. He has hired over 50 people in his career, been hired five times, and wants to help you land your next job. His research has been featured on the New York Times, Thrillist, VOX, The Atlantic, and a host of local news. More recently, he's been quoted on USA Today, BusinessInsider, and CNBC.

Create Resume