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Diesel mechanic salary
Average diesel mechanic salary
$49,842
Average Diesel Mechanic Salary
The average salary for a diesel mechanic in the United States is approximately $49,842 per year, translating to around $24 per hour. Factors such as geographic location and years of experience play a significant role in salary determination. For example, diesel mechanics in states like Alaska and California tend to earn higher wages due to demand and cost of living.
Salary by Experience Level
Entry-level diesel mechanics can expect to earn less, with starting salaries around $30,000 annually. As one gains experience, salaries can increase substantially, with seasoned professionals earning upwards of $60,000.
Job Opportunities
There is a growing demand for qualified diesel mechanics, especially in industries such as transportation and agriculture. Many companies offer competitive salaries and benefits, making this an attractive career choice. For those looking to maximize earning potential, pursuing certifications and specialized training can lead to higher-paying positions.
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Where can a Diesel Mechanic earn more?
Diesel mechanic salaries by experience level
Diesel mechanic salary estimates from across the web
Average diesel mechanic salary by state
The highest-paying states for diesel mechanics are Hawaii, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts. The lowest average diesel mechanic salary states are New Mexico, Alabama, and Oklahoma.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for diesel mechanics
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alaska | $61,033 | $29.34 |
| 2 | Washington | $60,343 | $29.01 |
| 3 | Connecticut | $61,110 | $29.38 |
| 4 | Nevada | $53,453 | $25.70 |
| 5 | Rhode Island | $61,259 | $29.45 |
| 6 | New Hampshire | $56,882 | $27.35 |
| 7 | Maine | $53,641 | $25.79 |
| 8 | Wyoming | $50,929 | $24.49 |
| 9 | New York | $58,928 | $28.33 |
| 10 | Vermont | $53,594 | $25.77 |
| 11 | Massachusetts | $61,191 | $29.42 |
| 12 | North Dakota | $49,715 | $23.90 |
| 13 | Pennsylvania | $51,539 | $24.78 |
| 14 | Louisiana | $49,251 | $23.68 |
| 15 | Hawaii | $62,268 | $29.94 |
| 16 | New Jersey | $57,517 | $27.65 |
| 17 | Ohio | $48,964 | $23.54 |
| 18 | Montana | $49,223 | $23.66 |
| 19 | Delaware | $52,041 | $25.02 |
| 20 | California | $58,809 | $28.27 |
| 21 | Maryland | $55,525 | $26.69 |
| 22 | Indiana | $46,830 | $22.51 |
| 23 | Oregon | $50,122 | $24.10 |
| 24 | Texas | $47,890 | $23.02 |
| 25 | Michigan | $48,971 | $23.54 |
| 26 | Wisconsin | $47,671 | $22.92 |
| 27 | Tennessee | $46,302 | $22.26 |
| 28 | Minnesota | $50,273 | $24.17 |
| 29 | Iowa | $45,051 | $21.66 |
| 30 | District of Columbia | $56,492 | $27.16 |
| 31 | Virginia | $51,588 | $24.80 |
| 32 | Georgia | $46,865 | $22.53 |
| 33 | Illinois | $49,941 | $24.01 |
| 34 | Colorado | $49,810 | $23.95 |
| 35 | North Carolina | $46,867 | $22.53 |
| 36 | Arizona | $48,157 | $23.15 |
| 37 | Florida | $45,744 | $21.99 |
| 38 | Utah | $46,364 | $22.29 |
| 39 | South Dakota | $46,922 | $22.56 |
| 40 | Kentucky | $43,202 | $20.77 |
| 41 | South Carolina | $43,007 | $20.68 |
| 42 | Alabama | $41,636 | $20.02 |
| 43 | Missouri | $46,454 | $22.33 |
| 44 | West Virginia | $44,072 | $21.19 |
| 45 | Mississippi | $38,614 | $18.56 |
| 46 | Oklahoma | $41,049 | $19.74 |
| 47 | Nebraska | $40,344 | $19.40 |
| 48 | New Mexico | $42,255 | $20.31 |
| 49 | Arkansas | $40,481 | $19.46 |
| 50 | Kansas | $43,780 | $21.05 |
| 51 | Idaho | $43,316 | $20.82 |
Highest paying cities for diesel mechanics
The highest-paying cities for diesel mechanics are Richmond, CA, Seattle, WA, and New York, NY.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Richmond, CA | $60,835 | $29.25 |
| 2 | Seattle, WA | $60,749 | $29.21 |
| 3 | New York, NY | $59,033 | $28.38 |
| 4 | Portland, ME | $53,930 | $25.93 |
| 5 | Las Vegas, NV | $53,325 | $25.64 |
| 6 | Philadelphia, PA | $51,951 | $24.98 |
| 7 | Richmond, VA | $51,408 | $24.72 |
| 8 | Minneapolis, MN | $50,304 | $24.18 |
| 9 | Cleveland, OH | $50,292 | $24.18 |
| 10 | Chicago, IL | $50,144 | $24.11 |
| 11 | Portland, OR | $50,107 | $24.09 |
| 12 | Fort Collins, CO | $49,964 | $24.02 |
| 13 | Shreveport, LA | $49,252 | $23.68 |
| 14 | Phoenix, AZ | $48,283 | $23.21 |
| 15 | Austin, TX | $47,989 | $23.07 |
| 16 | Milwaukee, WI | $47,798 | $22.98 |
| 17 | Jacksonville, NC | $47,426 | $22.80 |
| 18 | Atlanta, GA | $46,867 | $22.53 |
| 19 | Sioux Falls, SD | $46,847 | $22.52 |
| 20 | Knoxville, TN | $46,660 | $22.43 |
Diesel Mechanics are the most in-demand in these five cities:
Diesel mechanic salary details
A diesel mechanic's salary ranges from $37,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $67,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a diesel mechanic's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $67,000 | $5,583 | $32 |
| 75th Percentile | $58,000 | $4,833 | $28 |
| Average | $49,842 | $4,154 | $24 |
| 25th Percentile | $42,000 | $3,500 | $20 |
| 10th Percentile | $37,000 | $3,083 | $18 |
Highest paying diesel mechanic jobs
The highest paying types of diesel mechanics are mobile equipment mechanic, lead mechanic, and industrial mechanic.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Automotive Service Technician | $43,077 | $3,590 | $20.71 | 177,784 |
| Auto Technician | $41,435 | $3,453 | $19.92 | 131,515 |
| Mechanic Helper | $31,892 | $2,658 | $15.33 | 48,546 |
| Heavy Equipment Mechanic | $49,018 | $4,085 | $23.57 | 98,464 |
| Mobile Equipment Mechanic | $72,190 | $6,016 | $34.71 | 105,687 |
| Truck Mechanic | $50,169 | $4,181 | $24.12 | 80,942 |
Top companies hiring diesel mechanics now:
Which companies pay diesel mechanics the most?
Diesel mechanic salaries at Hensel Phelps and Sierra Pacific Industries are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average diesel mechanic salary at companies like Crown Equipment and Covanta are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hensel Phelps | $68,937 | $33.14 |
| 2 | Sierra Pacific Industries | $66,586 | $32.01 |
| 3 | Crown Equipment | $65,935 | $31.70 |
| 4 | Covanta | $63,715 | $30.63 |
| 5 | Adams Construction | $62,672 | $30.13 |
| 6 | Blythe Construction | $62,223 | $29.91 |
| 7 | HTH Companies | $61,527 | $29.58 |
| 8 | US Foods | $61,146 | $29.40 |
| 9 | Flippo Construction | $61,025 | $29.34 |
| 10 | BJ Energy Solutions | $60,801 | $29.23 |
| 11 | American Asphalt | $60,784 | $29.22 |
| 12 | Canadian Pacific Railway | $60,567 | $29.12 |
| 13 | Performance Contracting | $59,913 | $28.80 |
| 14 | National Radio Astronomy Observatory | $59,913 | $28.80 |
| 15 | Keurig Dr Pepper | $59,735 | $28.72 |
| 16 | Southeast Connections | $59,511 | $28.61 |
| 17 | Baker Hughes | $59,209 | $28.47 |
| 18 | Structural Group | $59,183 | $28.45 |
| 19 | Airgas | $58,859 | $28.30 |
| 20 | CSX | $58,484 | $28.12 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Diesel Mechanic salary by industry
The average diesel mechanic salary varies across industries:
- The average diesel mechanic salary in the energy industry is $54,273, the highest of any industry.
- The average diesel mechanic salary in the finance industry is $53,886.
- Diesel mechanics in the automotive industry earn an average salary of $44,891, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for diesel mechanics
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Energy | $54,273 | $26.09 |
| 2 | Construction | $53,886 | $25.91 |
| 3 | Utilities | $52,305 | $25.15 |
| 4 | Manufacturing | $51,636 | $24.82 |
| 5 | Transportation | $51,154 | $24.59 |
| 6 | Retail | $45,244 | $21.75 |
| 7 | Automotive | $44,891 | $21.58 |
High paying diesel mechanic jobs
Diesel mechanic salary trends
The average diesel mechanic salary has risen by $8,499 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average diesel mechanic earned $41,343 annually, but today, they earn $49,842 a year. That works out to a 11% change in pay for diesel mechanics over the last decade.
Compare diesel mechanic salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average diesel mechanic salary over time
Compare diesel mechanic salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Diesel mechanic salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $49,800 | $23.96 | +3.4% |
| 2024 | $48,200 | $23.15 | +2.4% |
| 2023 | $47,000 | $22.60 | +2.1% |
| 2022 | $46,000 | $22.13 | +2.6% |
| 2021 | $44,800 | $21.56 | +1.4% |
Recently added diesel mechanic salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saia | Diesel Mechanic | Saint Paul, MN | 06/30/2025 | $67,828 |
| Saia | Diesel Mechanic | Kansas City, MO | 06/30/2025 | $62,610 |
| Saia | Lead Diesel Mechanic | Nashville, TN | 06/30/2025 | $64,697 |
| Adecco Us, Inc. | Diesel Mechanic | Philadelphia, PA | 06/30/2025 | $52,175 |
| SCS Engineers | Lead Diesel Mechanic | Philadelphia, PA | 06/30/2025 | $89,741 |
| Kenan Advantage Group | Diesel Mechanic | Weatherford, TX | 06/30/2025 | $43,827 |
| Kenan Advantage Group | Diesel Mechanic | Cleveland, OH | 06/30/2025 | $43,827 |
| Kenan Advantage Group | Diesel Mechanic | Warren, PA | 06/30/2025 | $43,827 |
| Waste Connections | Diesel Mechanic | Miami, FL | 06/30/2025 | $62,610 |
| Waste Connections | Diesel Mechanic-2Nd Shift | Saint Louis, MO | 06/30/2025 | $43,827 |
Diesel mechanic salary FAQs
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