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Lead mechanic salary
Average lead mechanic salary
$54,471
Lead Mechanic Salary Overview
As of October 2025, a Lead Mechanic earns an average salary of $54,471 annually in the United States. This figure represents the midpoint within the salary range for this role, which can vary significantly based on factors such as geographical location and level of experience.
Salary by Experience
Entry-level Lead Mechanics can expect to start at a lower salary, while those with substantial experience can earn considerably more. For example, Lead Mechanics with over ten years in the field may see salaries increase to approximately $65,000 or more, depending on the specific industry and responsibilities.
Top Paying States
Lead Mechanics in states like California and New York typically command higher salaries compared to those in regions with lower living costs. For instance, in California, the average salary can be around $60,000 annually.
Job Opportunities
With the growing demand for skilled mechanics in various industries, opportunities continue to expand. Consider exploring job listings on Zippia to find positions that match your skills and salary expectations.
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Where can a Lead Mechanic earn more?
Lead mechanic salaries by experience level
Lead mechanic salary estimates from across the web
Average lead mechanic salary by state
The highest-paying states for lead mechanics are Alaska, Massachusetts, and New Jersey. The lowest average lead mechanic salary states are Oklahoma, Florida, and North Carolina.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for lead mechanics
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alaska | $70,270 | $33.78 |
| 2 | Michigan | $58,035 | $27.90 |
| 3 | Wyoming | $60,859 | $29.26 |
| 4 | Idaho | $55,888 | $26.87 |
| 5 | Iowa | $56,352 | $27.09 |
| 6 | North Dakota | $56,860 | $27.34 |
| 7 | New Hampshire | $62,079 | $29.85 |
| 8 | Minnesota | $65,617 | $31.55 |
| 9 | New Jersey | $66,161 | $31.81 |
| 10 | Oregon | $59,978 | $28.84 |
| 11 | Washington | $61,560 | $29.60 |
| 12 | Massachusetts | $66,184 | $31.82 |
| 13 | Pennsylvania | $56,452 | $27.14 |
| 14 | Nevada | $53,294 | $25.62 |
| 15 | Ohio | $56,248 | $27.04 |
| 16 | Maine | $55,827 | $26.84 |
| 17 | Rhode Island | $56,708 | $27.26 |
| 18 | Louisiana | $53,329 | $25.64 |
| 19 | West Virginia | $55,543 | $26.70 |
| 20 | New York | $58,051 | $27.91 |
| 21 | Missouri | $56,484 | $27.16 |
| 22 | California | $62,573 | $30.08 |
| 23 | New Mexico | $51,479 | $24.75 |
| 24 | Arkansas | $50,177 | $24.12 |
| 25 | Delaware | $54,371 | $26.14 |
| 26 | Nebraska | $49,739 | $23.91 |
| 27 | Illinois | $55,012 | $26.45 |
| 28 | Hawaii | $59,693 | $28.70 |
| 29 | Kentucky | $50,081 | $24.08 |
| 30 | Kansas | $49,735 | $23.91 |
| 31 | Montana | $49,181 | $23.64 |
| 32 | Wisconsin | $50,448 | $24.25 |
| 33 | Alabama | $49,647 | $23.87 |
| 34 | Mississippi | $49,518 | $23.81 |
| 35 | Vermont | $52,040 | $25.02 |
| 36 | Texas | $50,703 | $24.38 |
| 37 | Colorado | $52,472 | $25.23 |
| 38 | Oklahoma | $45,444 | $21.85 |
| 39 | Connecticut | $51,723 | $24.87 |
| 40 | South Dakota | $45,799 | $22.02 |
| 41 | Utah | $49,054 | $23.58 |
| 42 | Virginia | $51,871 | $24.94 |
| 43 | District of Columbia | $52,977 | $25.47 |
| 44 | Georgia | $46,995 | $22.59 |
| 45 | Arizona | $49,375 | $23.74 |
| 46 | South Carolina | $40,686 | $19.56 |
| 47 | Florida | $42,945 | $20.65 |
| 48 | Tennessee | $40,895 | $19.66 |
| 49 | Indiana | $40,587 | $19.51 |
| 50 | North Carolina | $42,629 | $20.49 |
| 51 | Maryland | $45,781 | $22.01 |
Highest paying cities for lead mechanics
The highest-paying cities for lead mechanics are Anchorage, AK, Campbell, CA, and Seattle, WA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Anchorage, AK | $70,114 | $33.71 |
| 2 | Campbell, CA | $65,716 | $31.59 |
| 3 | Seattle, WA | $61,744 | $29.68 |
| 4 | Tualatin, OR | $59,988 | $28.84 |
| 5 | New York, NY | $58,033 | $27.90 |
| 6 | Grand Rapids, MI | $57,620 | $27.70 |
| 7 | Kansas City, MO | $56,847 | $27.33 |
| 8 | Des Moines, IA | $56,181 | $27.01 |
| 9 | Columbus, OH | $55,769 | $26.81 |
| 10 | Reno, NV | $55,585 | $26.72 |
| 11 | Reston, VA | $53,447 | $25.70 |
| 12 | Washington, DC | $53,024 | $25.49 |
| 13 | Boulder, CO | $52,646 | $25.31 |
| 14 | Santa Fe, NM | $51,435 | $24.73 |
| 15 | Dallas, TX | $50,752 | $24.40 |
| 16 | Kansas City, KS | $49,840 | $23.96 |
| 17 | Phoenix, AZ | $49,487 | $23.79 |
| 18 | Baltimore, MD | $45,985 | $22.11 |
| 19 | Burlington, NC | $43,299 | $20.82 |
| 20 | Tampa, FL | $43,098 | $20.72 |
Lead mechanic salary details
A lead mechanic's salary ranges from $40,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $73,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a lead mechanic's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $73,000 | $6,083 | $35 |
| 75th Percentile | $63,000 | $5,250 | $30 |
| Average | $54,471 | $4,539 | $26 |
| 25th Percentile | $46,000 | $3,833 | $22 |
| 10th Percentile | $40,000 | $3,333 | $19 |
Highest paying lead mechanic jobs
The highest paying types of lead mechanics are aircraft mechanic, electrician/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 |
| Diesel Technician | $46,868 | $3,906 | $22.53 | 128,944 |
| Mechanic Helper | $31,892 | $2,658 | $15.33 | 48,546 |
| Heavy Equipment Mechanic | $49,018 | $4,085 | $23.57 | 98,464 |
| Electrician/Mechanic | $60,355 | $5,030 | $29.02 | 48,369 |
| Automotive Mechanic | $42,864 | $3,572 | $20.61 | 95,703 |
Top companies hiring lead mechanics now:
Which companies pay lead mechanics the most?
Lead mechanic salaries at California Resources and Blue Origin are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average lead mechanic salary at companies like Textron and Mortenson are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California Resources | $80,742 | $38.82 |
| 2 | Blue Origin | $69,672 | $33.50 |
| 3 | Textron | $69,259 | $33.30 |
| 4 | Mortenson | $68,568 | $32.97 |
| 5 | Trek Bicycle | $68,001 | $32.69 |
| 6 | The Marcus Corporation | $67,888 | $32.64 |
| 7 | Cardinal Health | $67,790 | $32.59 |
| 8 | Lyft | $67,199 | $32.31 |
| 9 | FlatironConstruction | $66,802 | $32.12 |
| 10 | Jacobs Engineering Group | $66,626 | $32.03 |
| 11 | Bell Flight | $66,621 | $32.03 |
| 12 | Sharp HealthCare | $66,456 | $31.95 |
| 13 | Bonita Unified School District | $66,378 | $31.91 |
| 14 | Airborne Maintenance & Engineering Services | $66,050 | $31.75 |
| 15 | College of Mount Saint Vincent | $65,860 | $31.66 |
| 16 | Northrop Grumman | $65,600 | $31.54 |
| 17 | Reyes Holdings | $65,500 | $31.49 |
| 18 | Barry-Wehmiller | $65,396 | $31.44 |
| 19 | Mesa Airlines | $65,283 | $31.39 |
| 20 | XPO Logistics | $64,956 | $31.23 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Lead Mechanic salary by industry
The average lead mechanic salary varies across industries:
- The average lead mechanic salary in the manufacturing industry is $60,789, the highest of any industry.
- The average lead mechanic salary in the finance industry is $59,955.
- Lead mechanics in the professional industry earn an average salary of $55,905, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for lead mechanics
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Manufacturing | $60,789 | $29.23 |
| 2 | Transportation | $59,955 | $28.82 |
| 3 | Technology | $59,759 | $28.73 |
| 4 | Energy | $59,735 | $28.72 |
| 5 | Construction | $59,659 | $28.68 |
| 6 | Professional | $55,905 | $26.88 |
High paying lead mechanic jobs
Lead mechanic salary trends
The average lead mechanic salary has risen by $8,057 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average lead mechanic earned $46,414 annually, but today, they earn $54,471 a year. That works out to a 11% change in pay for lead mechanics over the last decade.
Compare lead mechanic salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average lead mechanic salary over time
Compare lead mechanic salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Lead mechanic salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $54,500 | $26.19 | +4.0% |
| 2025 | $52,300 | $25.15 | +2.0% |
| 2024 | $51,300 | $24.66 | +2.1% |
| 2023 | $50,200 | $24.15 | +1.9% |
| 2022 | $49,300 | $23.69 | +0.8% |
Recently added lead mechanic salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southern Air, Inc. | Sheetmetal Foreman/Lead Mechanic | Lynchburg, VA | 06/30/2025 | $33,392 |
| ABM Industries | Lead Mechanic | Farmingville, NY | 06/29/2025 | $79,306 |
| First Transit | Lead Mechanic | Anza, CA | 06/29/2025 | $80,245 |
| Cessna Aircraft Company | Lead A&P Mechanic-Night Shift | Newburgh, NY | 06/29/2025 | $58,436 |
| First Student Inc. | Lead Mechanic | Santa Ana, CA | 06/28/2025 | $80,245 |
| Sunbelt Rentals, Inc. | Mechanic Lead | Orlando, FL | 06/28/2025 | $49,211 |
| Home Depot u | Lead Mechanic | California City, CA | 06/27/2025 | $52,175 |
| Global Medical Response | Lead Mechanic | Santa Clarita, CA | 06/27/2025 | $75,132 |
| Textron | Lead A&P Mechanic-Night Shift | Newburgh, NY | 06/26/2025 | $58,436 |
| Melaleuca | Lead Mechanic (1ST Shift) | Knoxville, TN | 06/26/2025 | $47,438 |
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