The Average Salary of an Autobody Repairman
Auto body repair technicians fix exterior damage on vehicles. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) predicts little if any job growth for this occupation through at least 2018. Individuals with formal training in auto body repair and refinishing will have the best opportunities. Incentive pay is common in this career; expertise and the ability to do fast, efficient work is important to increase income.
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Job Features
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Auto body repair shops, vehicle dealerships and custom and restoration shops are the most common places of employment for auto body repair technicians. Most of these workers concentrate on cars and light trucks. They fix minor damage, such as a dented panel, as well as major damage, which may involve straightening the frame and replacing parts. Auto body repairmen in large shops commonly work on an assembly line and specialize in certain types of work.
Salary by Experience
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Although a high school diploma or equivalency is the minimum requirement to become an auto body repair mechanic, employers increasingly choose applicants who have completed formal training in the work, comments the BLS. These programs are available in vocational schools and community colleges, and some high schools offer coursework in auto body repair as well. Many employers, particularly those in urban areas, require professional certification by the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence, except for entry-level work. Median starting salary for auto body repair techs as of December 2010 was as low as $9.80 per hour, but some had median pay rates of $17 per hour. By the time technicians have at least 10 years of experience, they are earning in the median range of $14.30 to $19.60 per hour, reflecting incentive pay. Trainees typically earn 30 to 60 percent of the wages of skilled workers in this industry, according to the BLS.
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Salary Range
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Auto body repair mechanics usually are paid on an incentive basis. Employers typically guarantee the workers a minimum weekly salary, with additional earnings depending on the amount of work the technician completes in a given time frame. Median salary range for these workers as of December 2010 was about $12.20 to $18.70 per hour, with incentive pay up to $25,400 per year, as listed by the PayScale salary survey website. The BLS reports the average salary for auto body techs in 2009 at about $19.70 per hour, or $41,000 per year, which includes the additional pay.
Benefits and Employment Outlook
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Automotive dealerships are likely to provide health insurance, paid vacations and holidays and a retirement savings plan for their auto body mechanics, but other repair shops increasingly do so as well. Job growth is limited in this industry because of several factors. Many repair shops have consolidated to cut costs, changes in technology have resulted in more situations where repairing a vehicle costs more than it is worth, and high insurance deductibles have led many consumers to decide against repairs for minor collision damage.
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References
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Automotive Body and Related Repairers
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Automotive Body and Related Repairers Occupational Employment and Wages
- PayScale: Hourly Rate Snapshot for Automotive Body Repairer Jobs
- PayScale: Automotive Body Repairer Hourly Rate by Years Experience
- Photo Credit white van image by goce risteski from Fotolia.com
