Salary

Due to the nature of labor statistics and data, which is mostly gathered by governmental agencies, it is a little difficult to answer the question, “How much do diesel mechanics really make?” However, we can look at past data in order to come up with estimated answers for the question, “How much do diesel mechanics make in general?”

We will examine the most up-to-date salary and employment information for diesel mechanics in the U.S., followed by brief examinations and comparisons of how much diesel mechanics make in other English speaking countries, such as Canada, the United Kingdom and Australia.

 

How much do diesel mechanics make in the U.S.?

Average Annual Salary across the Nation

The most up-to-date data on how much diesel mechanics in the US make comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. In 2008, they reported that a diesel mechanic in the United States, on average made an annual salary of $40,700. Another website, Payscale.com, reported data on diesel mechanic salaries in late 2010. They reported a national annual salary around $40,800 for diesel mechanics who voluntarily reported their salaries to the website.

 

U.S. States with the Highest Average Diesel Mechanic Salary

Again, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor, diesel mechanics living and working in Alaska had the highest salaries on average. They reported mechanics in Alaska were making around $52,100 per year. Coming in second place were diesel mechanics in New Jersey ($47,400), then Connecticut ($47, 200). In fourth place was Nevada with an average annual diesel mechanic salary of $47,200.

 

U.S. Cities with the Highest Average Diesel Mechanic Salary

The U.S. BLS data can also be broken down by U.S. city. Diesel mechanics working in Fairbanks, Alaska; Oakland, California; Hanford, California; Napa, California and Kokomo, Indiana, were making more than their counterparts in other cities. In these cities, the average diesel mechanic was making between $55,800 and $60,000 per year.

 

What is the range in salary for diesel mechanics in the U.S.?

Average and median salaries don’t really give the whole picture, unfortunately. While some diesel mechanics reported making up$60,000 in some U.S. cities, on the lower end of the range, other diesel mechanics were only making around $26,000 per year in 2008.

How much do diesel mechanics make in other parts of the world?

Canada

In Canada, the average salary of a diesel mechanic is around $48,814 CAD per year.

United Kingdom

In 2008, the average salary for all mechanic jobs was £25,591. In 2009, UK mechanics actually reported a decrease in salary on average, bringing it down to £24,746. A year later, in 2010, the average salary for was £23,782. These drops in average salary most likely reflect problems due to the global recession. However, this data include all types of mechanics, and diesel mechanics (being specialized) generally make more than general mechanics or auto mechanics.

Australia

In Australia, the average income for a mechanic is approximately $24,700 AUD per year.

How much do diesel mechanics make in the U.S. versus other countries?

By looking at data from the US Department of Labor, the Australian Bureau of Statistics, the UK Employment Department and Canadian Employee Statistics, we can compare the how much mechanics make each month in each of these countries.

• United States. At the time of data collection, in 2005, the average U.S. salary for a diesel mechanic was $2,530 USD/month. This was based on a reported average work week of 39 hours.
• Australia. In Australia, mechanics’ average income was approximately $2,030 USD/month. This was reported by mechanics who claimed to work about 40 hours in an average work week.
• United Kingdom. The median salary for a mechanic in the UK was around $2,170 USD/month at the time of data collection. This was for mechanics who had worked about 40 hours a week.
• Canada. In Canada, mechanics reported earning around $1,546 USD/month on average in 2005. Their work week was reported to be slightly lower than other major English speaking countries, at just 34 hours per week.

So the answer to “How much do diesel mechanics make?” varies by country, with U.S. diesel mechanics having the highest national salary, on average, than other major English-speaking countries.

Over the past five years or so, millions of people have been affected by a struggling economy. Although some improvement has been seen in recent months, there are still many changes needing to take place to get things back on the right track. Unfortunately, the economic downfall left people throughout the country without jobs.

Because of this, we see a vast number of people looking for a career that offers both stability and earning potential but also a job that is challenging yet rewarding. Some people who have jobs but no security have also branched out to see what other opportunities exist.

While job functions of a diesel mechanic might not be for everyone, individuals who love working with their hands, appreciate taking things apart, fixing them, and putting them back together, and those who enjoy working on engines would find a career as a diesel mechanic to be a great match. Of course, having job stability and potential for lucrative diesel mechanic salary makes this an even more attractive option.

Types of Diesel Mechanics

To learn about diesel mechanic salary, it would be necessary to understand the different types and levels of diesel mechanics. Depending on the vehicle being repaired or maintained, type of work involved, and various other dynamics, actual diesel mechanic salary would differ. For instance, one factor would be geographic location. On average, diesel mechanic salary working in large cities is significantly greater than salary for remote locations.

Keep in mind that some mechanics of this type work on trains and ships while others work on busses and trucks so it would be expected to see variances in diesel mechanic salary. Of course, the hiring company or government entity would also play a key role in the amount of earning potential a diesel mechanic would expect to make. Often, corporations have more flexibility in what they can pay whereas the government follows strict salary guidelines.

Extra Earning

In addition to base diesel mechanic salary, these professionals often earn more due to overtime. While some employers offer little overtime, others have extra work on a regular basis. Therefore, when looking at different job opportunities, the amount of hours available versus hours mandated should be a consideration. A few examples specific to diesel mechanic salary have been provided below:

Technicians and Level 1 Mechanics – Average salary is $30,000 a  year with potential for overtime between $100 and $200 a month

Level 2 Mechanics – At this level, a diesel mechanic salary would be around $40,000 a year on average but additional income in overtime and bonuses of around $300 a month

Level 3 Mechanics – Diesel mechanic salary potential for this level is approximately $48,000 but again, extra earnings in the form of overtime and even bonuses could reach upwards of $500 to $600 a month

Preparing for the Best Diesel Mechanic Salary

There are a number of things a person could do to get into a position of making the highest diesel mechanic salary possible. The most important include proper education and training. Because the details of a career such as this are so critical, possessing the right education and training would certainly give someone an advantage when securing a job also negotiation diesel mechanic salary.

Some of the most important aspects of education and training include mechanical drawing, computer skills, and metal work. Of course, the individual with knowledge of this work or even better, prior diesel mechanic experience would have the opportunity to make even more money on a salary, overtime, and bonus basis. One thing people need to remember is that while salary might be lower than wanted initially, there is tremendous growth potential for a diesel mechanic career so with hard work and continuing education, salary level would increase.

In fact, there are some mechanics that start a career off working on diesels vehicles to include ships, trains, buses, and trucks but after years on the job, move to a different position such as instructor while still in this sector. Along with earning potential working as a diesel mechanic, this career offers many benefits. As mentioned, individuals looking for work that requires focus but also one with incredible reward is what the diesel mechanic job is all about.