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Automotive detailer salary
Average automotive detailer salary
$13.63
Understanding Automotive Detailer Salaries
As of October 2025, the average salary for an Automotive Detailer in the United States is around $28,357 annually or $14 per hour. This figure reflects a range of factors including geographic location, experience, and the specific employer. For instance, automotive detailers in states like California and New York may earn higher salaries due to a higher cost of living and demand for services.
Salaries by Experience Level
Entry-level detailers typically start at lower salaries, while those with several years of experience can command significantly higher wages. For example, experienced detailers can earn up to $40,000 per year, depending on their skills and the complexity of their work.
Where to Find Higher Salaries
Major metropolitan areas often provide better pay opportunities for automotive detailers. It's advisable to research local job listings to find competitive salaries. Websites like Zippia offer comprehensive salary estimates and job postings to aid in your search.
Conclusion
With an expanding automotive market, becoming an automotive detailer can be a fulfilling career path. By understanding salary trends and job opportunities, you can make informed decisions about your career in this field.
Let Zippia find your next automotive detailer job
Let Zippia find your next automotive detailer job
Where can an Automotive Detailer earn more?
Automotive detailer salaries by experience level
Automotive detailer salary estimates from across the web
Average automotive detailer salary by state
The average automotive detailer salary in Washington, Oregon, and Alaska are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average automotive detailer salary states are Texas, Georgia, and Alabama.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for automotive detailers
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York | $33,098 | $15.91 |
| 2 | New Hampshire | $32,068 | $15.42 |
| 3 | Washington | $38,841 | $18.67 |
| 4 | Montana | $32,780 | $15.76 |
| 5 | Wyoming | $33,529 | $16.12 |
| 6 | Oregon | $36,868 | $17.73 |
| 7 | Colorado | $32,347 | $15.55 |
| 8 | North Dakota | $33,402 | $16.06 |
| 9 | Massachusetts | $32,514 | $15.63 |
| 10 | Alaska | $35,278 | $16.96 |
| 11 | Wisconsin | $29,302 | $14.09 |
| 12 | Connecticut | $31,324 | $15.06 |
| 13 | Rhode Island | $29,990 | $14.42 |
| 14 | Idaho | $31,924 | $15.35 |
| 15 | New Jersey | $30,021 | $14.43 |
| 16 | Maine | $31,173 | $14.99 |
| 17 | Minnesota | $31,704 | $15.24 |
| 18 | Delaware | $30,444 | $14.64 |
| 19 | California | $34,175 | $16.43 |
| 20 | Iowa | $28,135 | $13.53 |
| 21 | Pennsylvania | $27,924 | $13.43 |
| 22 | Hawaii | $31,677 | $15.23 |
| 23 | Arizona | $28,753 | $13.82 |
| 24 | Utah | $30,293 | $14.56 |
| 25 | Illinois | $28,579 | $13.74 |
| 26 | Vermont | $29,872 | $14.36 |
| 27 | South Dakota | $29,813 | $14.33 |
| 28 | Ohio | $27,842 | $13.39 |
| 29 | Nebraska | $28,469 | $13.69 |
| 30 | District of Columbia | $32,576 | $15.66 |
| 31 | Michigan | $27,815 | $13.37 |
| 32 | Indiana | $26,886 | $12.93 |
| 33 | Kentucky | $25,588 | $12.30 |
| 34 | Kansas | $26,801 | $12.89 |
| 35 | Maryland | $27,506 | $13.22 |
| 36 | Tennessee | $25,535 | $12.28 |
| 37 | Florida | $25,023 | $12.03 |
| 38 | Arkansas | $25,469 | $12.24 |
| 39 | Alabama | $23,942 | $11.51 |
| 40 | Oklahoma | $26,044 | $12.52 |
| 41 | Georgia | $24,099 | $11.59 |
| 42 | Nevada | $26,550 | $12.76 |
| 43 | West Virginia | $25,416 | $12.22 |
| 44 | Missouri | $26,209 | $12.60 |
| 45 | Louisiana | $23,442 | $11.27 |
| 46 | South Carolina | $24,700 | $11.88 |
| 47 | Virginia | $25,750 | $12.38 |
| 48 | New Mexico | $25,544 | $12.28 |
| 49 | Texas | $24,438 | $11.75 |
| 50 | Mississippi | $22,858 | $10.99 |
| 51 | North Carolina | $23,542 | $11.32 |
Highest paying cities for automotive detailers
The highest-paying cities for automotive detailers are Seattle, WA, Portland, OR, and Rochester, NY.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Seattle, WA | $38,945 | $18.72 |
| 2 | Portland, OR | $36,972 | $17.77 |
| 3 | Rochester, NY | $34,103 | $16.40 |
| 4 | Los Angeles, CA | $33,352 | $16.03 |
| 5 | Fargo, ND | $33,255 | $15.99 |
| 6 | Boston, MA | $32,516 | $15.63 |
| 7 | Billings, MT | $32,336 | $15.55 |
| 8 | Denver, CO | $32,327 | $15.54 |
| 9 | Manchester, NH | $32,103 | $15.43 |
| 10 | Minneapolis, MN | $31,770 | $15.27 |
| 11 | Portland, ME | $31,209 | $15.00 |
| 12 | Salt Lake City, UT | $30,410 | $14.62 |
| 13 | Milwaukee, WI | $29,158 | $14.02 |
| 14 | Phoenix, AZ | $28,836 | $13.86 |
| 15 | Chicago, IL | $28,652 | $13.78 |
| 16 | Omaha, NE | $28,527 | $13.71 |
| 17 | Reno, NV | $28,404 | $13.66 |
| 18 | Des Moines, IA | $28,056 | $13.49 |
| 19 | Philadelphia, PA | $27,879 | $13.40 |
| 20 | Detroit, MI | $27,749 | $13.34 |
Automotive detailer salary details
An automotive detailer's salary ranges from $22,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $35,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is an automotive detailer's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $35,000 | $2,917 | $17 |
| 75th Percentile | $31,000 | $2,583 | $15 |
| Average | $28,357 | $2,363 | $14 |
| 25th Percentile | $25,000 | $2,083 | $12 |
| 10th Percentile | $22,000 | $1,833 | $11 |
Highest paying automotive detailer jobs
The highest paying types of automotive detailers are hydroblaster, truck washer, and cooker cleaner.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Car Cleaner | $29,423 | $2,452 | $14.15 | 41,909 |
| Car Wash Attendant | $30,843 | $2,570 | $14.83 | 49,512 |
| Car Washer | $28,701 | $2,392 | $13.80 | 41,702 |
| Aircraft Cleaner | $31,199 | $2,600 | $15.00 | 39,138 |
| Service Porter | $28,469 | $2,372 | $13.69 | 10,027 |
| Car Detailer | $29,125 | $2,427 | $14.00 | 11,302 |
Top companies hiring automotive detailers now:
Which companies pay automotive detailers the most?
Automotive detailer salaries at Mars and CarMax are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average automotive detailer salary at companies like Lyft and Valet Park of America are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mars | $40,162 | $19.31 |
| 2 | CarMax | $36,611 | $17.60 |
| 3 | Lyft | $33,289 | $16.00 |
| 4 | Valet Park of America | $32,205 | $15.48 |
| 5 | O'Brien Steel Service | $31,778 | $15.28 |
| 6 | Asbury Automotive Group | $30,490 | $14.66 |
| 7 | Carvana | $30,123 | $14.48 |
| 8 | Sonic Automotive | $30,058 | $14.45 |
| 9 | Serpentini Chevrolet | $29,759 | $14.31 |
| 10 | Mayse Automotive Group | $29,657 | $14.26 |
| 11 | Penske Automotive Group | $29,598 | $14.23 |
| 12 | Inver Grove Ford | $29,515 | $14.19 |
| 13 | Oshkosh | $29,503 | $14.18 |
| 14 | Jim Glover Chevy | $29,273 | $14.07 |
| 15 | Johnson Brothers | $29,260 | $14.07 |
| 16 | Lucid Motors | $29,209 | $14.04 |
| 17 | Morrie's Auto Group | $29,186 | $14.03 |
| 18 | Lithia Motors | $29,156 | $14.02 |
| 19 | Audi Dallas | $29,136 | $14.01 |
| 20 | Performance Automotive Network | $29,113 | $14.00 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Automotive detailer salary trends
The average automotive detailer salary has risen by $7,992 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average automotive detailer earned $20,365 annually, but today, they earn $28,357 a year. That works out to a 24% change in pay for automotive detailers over the last decade.
Compare automotive detailer salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average automotive detailer salary over time
Compare automotive detailer salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Automotive detailer salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $28,400 | $13.63 | +6.7% |
| 2025 | $26,500 | $12.73 | +4.9% |
| 2024 | $25,200 | $12.10 | +4.8% |
| 2023 | $24,000 | $11.52 | +4.9% |
| 2022 | $22,800 | $10.96 | +4.1% |
Recently added automotive detailer salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Serpentini Chevrolet | Automotive Detailer | Strongsville, OH | 06/29/2025 | $35,479 |
| Napleton Automotive Group | Automotive Detailer | Downers Grove, IL | 06/29/2025 | $50,000 |
| Inver Grove Ford | Automotive Detailer | Inver Grove Heights, MN | 06/29/2025 | $41,740 |
| Rydell Cars | Lincoln Automotive Detailer & | Apple Valley, MN | 06/29/2025 | $33,392 |
| Labadie Auto Company | Automotive Detailer | Bay City, MI | 06/29/2025 | $27,131 |
| Carvana | Automotive Detailer/Lot Attendant | Tacoma, WA | 06/28/2025 | $39,653 |
| Aerotek | Automotive Detailer | Clifton, NJ | 06/28/2025 | $52,175 |
| Enterprise Rent-A-Car | Automotive Detailer-Car Washer-Tucson Auto Mall | Tucson, AZ | 06/28/2025 | $33,392 |
| Enterprise Rent-A-Car | Automotive Detailer-Car Washer | Kansas City, MO | 06/28/2025 | $33,392 |
| Enterprise Rent-A-Car | Automotive Detailer-Car Washer-OKC Will Rogers Airport | Oklahoma City, OK | 06/28/2025 | $30,262 |
Automotive detailer salary FAQs
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