Diesel Mechanic Salary by State
How much bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists earn in each state. SOC code 49-3031 (Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists). Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS, May 2025.
- National median wage$61,770Half earn more, half less
- National mean wage$64,320Average of all workers
- Median hourly wage$29.70Mean $30.92/hour
- U.S. employment289,960Wage & salary jobs
- Top-paying stateWashington$78,790 mean
- States with data51 / 51Others not published by BLS
How much do bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists make?
Nationally, bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists earn a median of $61,770 a year and a mean of $64,320 (BLS OEWS May 2025). The middle half of the occupation earns between $50,540 (25th percentile) and $75,470 (75th percentile); the bottom 10% earn under $44,530 and the top 10% more than $88,740.
That median is 1.2× the median for all U.S. occupations ($50,980).
By state, the mean wage ranges from $78,790 in Washington (highest) to $52,690 in West Virginia (lowest). After adjusting the median for each state’s price level, North Dakota comes out on top at $74,281 in national-average dollars.
National pay distribution
| Percentile | Annual | Monthly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $44,530 | $3,711 | $21.41 |
| 25th | $50,540 | $4,212 | $24.30 |
| Median | $61,770 | $5,148 | $29.70 |
| 75th | $75,470 | $6,289 | $36.28 |
| 90th | $88,740 | $7,395 | $42.66 |
| Mean | $64,320 | $5,360 | $30.92 |
25th and 75th percentile hourly figures are annual ÷ 2,080 hours.
Diesel Mechanic salary in every state
Click a column heading to sort. Adjusted median = median × 100 ÷ BEA regional price parity (2024).
| State | Mean wage | Median wage | Median hourly | 10th pct | 90th pct | Adjusted median | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | $78,790 | $77,900 | $37.45 | $54,720 | $102,800 | $72,804 | 7,410 |
| Hawaii | $76,730 | $80,080 | $38.50 | $54,330 | $100,540 | $72,800 | 690 |
| Alaska | $74,580 | $75,580 | $36.34 | $52,000 | $98,610 | $73,809 | 860 |
| Massachusetts | $73,640 | $73,270 | $35.23 | $49,400 | $99,460 | $69,253 | 4,870 |
| Maryland | $73,300 | $74,790 | $35.96 | $50,010 | $97,800 | $71,229 | 3,030 |
| New Hampshire | $72,860 | $71,390 | $34.32 | $52,730 | $99,590 | $68,512 | 1,040 |
| California | $72,690 | $73,950 | $35.55 | $47,180 | $96,730 | $66,802 | 20,940 |
| Nevada | $71,370 | $68,410 | $32.89 | $48,770 | $97,720 | $68,410 | 1,990 |
| Colorado | $71,010 | $70,480 | $33.89 | $47,450 | $96,450 | $68,361 | 4,600 |
| New Jersey | $70,860 | $72,340 | $34.78 | $49,140 | $94,150 | $66,489 | 8,160 |
| New York | $70,740 | $70,100 | $33.70 | $48,360 | $90,090 | $64,968 | 13,230 |
| Connecticut | $70,200 | $67,300 | $32.36 | $45,260 | $97,220 | $64,961 | 2,860 |
| District of Columbia | $69,880 | $65,200 | $31.34 | $49,930 | $93,040 | $59,327 | 110 |
| Minnesota | $69,320 | $66,840 | $32.14 | $49,810 | $90,520 | $67,789 | 7,300 |
| Rhode Island | $69,320 | $67,270 | $32.34 | $51,020 | $85,420 | $65,758 | 350 |
| Illinois | $69,220 | $64,340 | $30.93 | $44,760 | $97,670 | $64,340 | 11,320 |
| North Dakota | $68,600 | $66,110 | $31.78 | $46,790 | $91,520 | $74,281 | 1,790 |
| Oregon | $67,270 | $63,970 | $30.76 | $47,690 | $90,700 | $61,867 | 3,770 |
| Delaware | $65,730 | $63,590 | $30.57 | $49,250 | $82,650 | $63,717 | 670 |
| Utah | $64,930 | $64,350 | $30.94 | $46,970 | $83,140 | $65,066 | 2,690 |
| Georgia | $64,230 | $61,370 | $29.50 | $45,890 | $85,260 | $63,728 | 10,910 |
| Wisconsin | $64,150 | $62,450 | $30.02 | $45,250 | $82,210 | $66,366 | 6,750 |
| Vermont | $63,890 | $59,390 | $28.55 | $46,380 | $84,060 | $60,602 | 550 |
| Arizona | $63,820 | $61,680 | $29.65 | $45,460 | $84,350 | $61,251 | 5,140 |
| Wyoming | $63,740 | $61,580 | $29.61 | $45,140 | $80,400 | $66,429 | 1,100 |
| Florida | $62,750 | $60,490 | $29.08 | $44,300 | $79,210 | $58,501 | 14,900 |
| Pennsylvania | $62,680 | $61,740 | $29.68 | $45,910 | $80,440 | $63,258 | 12,630 |
| Maine | $62,230 | $60,850 | $29.26 | $45,760 | $79,450 | $62,732 | 1,380 |
| Michigan | $62,140 | $61,420 | $29.53 | $45,240 | $81,010 | $63,846 | 9,020 |
| Virginia | $61,590 | $61,090 | $29.37 | $45,250 | $79,150 | $60,425 | 8,070 |
| Kansas | $61,260 | $59,460 | $28.59 | $43,610 | $81,000 | $65,993 | 3,300 |
| Indiana | $61,200 | $60,610 | $29.14 | $44,160 | $79,730 | $64,962 | 8,840 |
| Ohio | $61,190 | $60,470 | $29.07 | $44,860 | $78,120 | $65,162 | 14,240 |
| Montana | $60,940 | $59,990 | $28.84 | $44,880 | $77,700 | $63,414 | 1,230 |
| Iowa | $60,900 | $59,680 | $28.69 | $43,710 | $80,080 | $67,973 | 4,140 |
| Missouri | $60,750 | $59,360 | $28.54 | $41,170 | $82,480 | $65,374 | 6,780 |
| Tennessee | $60,590 | $59,190 | $28.46 | $40,450 | $80,580 | $64,407 | 5,720 |
| Texas | $60,530 | $58,810 | $28.27 | $40,930 | $81,660 | $60,566 | 29,870 |
| Idaho | $60,110 | $59,230 | $28.48 | $45,960 | $77,800 | $62,021 | 1,930 |
| Nebraska | $59,790 | $59,140 | $28.44 | $44,010 | $79,400 | $65,638 | 2,720 |
| New Mexico | $59,650 | $55,910 | $26.88 | $37,860 | $83,260 | $60,640 | 1,740 |
| South Dakota | $59,480 | $58,120 | $27.94 | $45,500 | $78,810 | $65,598 | 1,340 |
| South Carolina | $59,050 | $59,330 | $28.53 | $41,440 | $76,670 | $63,319 | 3,360 |
| Louisiana | $58,930 | $58,680 | $28.21 | $38,900 | $79,160 | $66,531 | 3,270 |
| North Carolina | $57,910 | $57,490 | $27.64 | $39,890 | $76,240 | $60,965 | 11,070 |
| Kentucky | $57,370 | $55,480 | $26.67 | $38,250 | $80,500 | $61,508 | 3,890 |
| Mississippi | $56,670 | $54,360 | $26.14 | $37,390 | $82,020 | $62,483 | 3,140 |
| Oklahoma | $55,650 | $55,340 | $26.61 | $37,250 | $76,130 | $63,030 | 3,970 |
| Arkansas | $54,250 | $52,330 | $25.16 | $38,620 | $69,260 | $60,219 | 4,090 |
| Alabama | $54,120 | $50,470 | $24.26 | $37,470 | $75,660 | $56,836 | 6,130 |
| West Virginia | $52,690 | $46,610 | $22.41 | $35,350 | $78,460 | $52,078 | 1,040 |
Highest median pay
- Hawaii — $80,080
- Washington — $77,900
- Alaska — $75,580
- Maryland — $74,790
- California — $73,950
Lowest median pay
- West Virginia — $46,610
- Alabama — $50,470
- Arkansas — $52,330
- Mississippi — $54,360
- Oklahoma — $55,340
Best pay after cost of living
- North Dakota — $74,281
- Alaska — $73,809
- Washington — $72,804
- Hawaii — $72,800
- Maryland — $71,229
The most bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists work in Texas (29,870 jobs), California and Florida.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a diesel mechanic make?
The national median wage for bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists is $61,770 a year and the mean is $64,320, according to BLS OEWS May 2025 estimates.
Which state pays bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists the most?
Washington has the highest mean wage for bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists at $78,790, and Hawaii has the highest median at $80,080.
Which state pays bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists the least?
West Virginia has the lowest mean wage for bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists among states with published data, at $52,690.
Where do bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists earn the most after cost of living?
Dividing each state’s median wage by its BEA price level, North Dakota ranks first at $74,281 in national-average dollars, followed by Alaska and Washington.