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Job outlook for lead mechanics in the United States
Lead mechanic job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected lead mechanic job growth rate is 4% from 2018-2028.
About 12,600 new jobs for lead mechanics are projected over the next decade.
Lead mechanic salaries have increased 11% for lead mechanics in the last 5 years.
There are over 178,496 lead mechanics currently employed in the United States.
There are 86,668 active lead mechanic job openings in the US.
The average lead mechanic salary is $54,471.
Are lead mechanic jobs in demand?
Yes, lead mechanic jobs are in demand. Lead mechanic demand is projected to grow 4% from 2018 to 2028.
Lead mechanic job and salary trends over time
Compare the number of lead mechanic jobs and the average lead mechanic salary over time.
Lead mechanic jobs over time
Lead mechanic job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 178,496 | 0.05% |
| 2020 | 170,253 | 0.05% |
| 2019 | 178,168 | 0.05% |
| 2018 | 176,343 | 0.05% |
| 2017 | 173,113 | 0.05% |
Average lead mechanic salary over time
Lead mechanic salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $54,471 | $26.19 | +4.1% |
| 2025 | $52,315 | $25.15 | +2.0% |
| 2024 | $51,292 | $24.66 | +2.1% |
| 2023 | $50,237 | $24.15 | +2.0% |
| 2022 | $49,275 | $23.69 | +0.8% |
Lead mechanic jobs by state
The map below shows you the number of lead mechanic job openings in each state. The darker areas on the map show where lead mechanics earn the highest salaries across all 50 states.
Average salary: Job openings:
Most common states for lead mechanics
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 364 | 35% |
| 2 | Alaska | 739,795 | 223 | 30% |
| 3 | Nebraska | 1,920,076 | 502 | 26% |
| 4 | South Dakota | 869,666 | 205 | 24% |
| 5 | Idaho | 1,716,943 | 397 | 23% |
| 6 | Iowa | 3,145,711 | 684 | 22% |
| 7 | New Mexico | 2,088,070 | 442 | 21% |
| 8 | Nevada | 2,998,039 | 590 | 20% |
| 9 | Arkansas | 3,004,279 | 587 | 20% |
| 10 | Kansas | 2,913,123 | 575 | 20% |
| 11 | Michigan | 9,962,311 | 1,780 | 18% |
| 12 | Oklahoma | 3,930,864 | 712 | 18% |
| 13 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 139 | 18% |
| 14 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 195 | 15% |
| 15 | Delaware | 961,939 | 146 | 15% |
| 16 | Vermont | 623,657 | 95 | 15% |
| 17 | Wyoming | 579,315 | 85 | 15% |
| 18 | Alabama | 4,874,747 | 633 | 13% |
| 19 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 527 | 13% |
| 20 | Maine | 1,335,907 | 168 | 13% |
Most common cities for lead mechanics
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Benicia | 2 | 7% | $65,783 |
| 2 | Little Rock | 3 | 2% | $49,892 |
| 3 | Columbia | 2 | 1% | $40,817 |
| 4 | Richmond | 2 | 1% | $51,725 |
| 5 | Waco | 2 | 1% | $50,579 |
| 6 | Los Angeles | 3 | 0% | $61,619 |
| 7 | New York | 3 | 0% | $58,033 |
| 8 | Austin | 2 | 0% | $50,436 |
| 9 | Dallas | 2 | 0% | $50,752 |
| 10 | Houston | 2 | 0% | $49,702 |
| 11 | San Antonio | 2 | 0% | $50,530 |
| 12 | Albuquerque | 1 | 0% | $51,683 |
| 13 | Aurora | 1 | 0% | $52,420 |
| 14 | Baltimore | 1 | 0% | $45,985 |
| 15 | Baton Rouge | 1 | 0% | $53,165 |