Salary for a Heavy Equipment Diesel Mechanic
Diesel mechanics test and repair diesel engines in heavy transportation vehicles. They also work with mobile equipment used on farms and various industrial machines. City buses, 18-wheelers, bulldozers, cranes -- these are the types of equipment that diesel mechanics deal with on a daily basis. As diesel engines become more and more complicated, these specialists need to become more versatile and have to continuously learn on the job.
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Average Salary
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The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that diesel mechanics and technicians in 2009 earned an average salary of $41,590 a year. Annual mean wages ranged from the lowest-paid 10th percentile of $26,590 to the top-paid 90th percentile of $59,700. The median 50th percentile section earned an average salary of $40,250 a year.
Largest Employers
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The BLS reports that in 2009 the largest employers of diesel mechanics included the freight trucking industry, local governments, auto repair shops and auto parts wholesalers. The average salaries there ranged from $37,640 to $47,090 a year, with the trucking industry being both the largest and top-paying employer.
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Highest-Paying Employers
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According to the BLS, diesel mechanics in 2009 earned top dollar working for manufacturers of motor vehicles and their parts, electric power companies, and metal castings producing factories. The annual mean wages in these industries ranged from $56,760 to $60,240 a year.
Gegraphic Location
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Alaska, Nevada, Hawaii, Wyoming and the District of Columbia paid the highest salaries to diesel mechanics and technicians in 2009, according to the BLS. The annual mean wages there ranged from $48,290 to $56,370. Wyoming also had the highest concentration of these specialists per 1,000 workers. Fairbanks and Anchorage in Alaska were some of the highest-paying cities, with $56,930 and $56,880 average per year, respectively. San Francisco, Napa and Oakland in California also were in the top five highest-paying metropolitan areas, with salaries ranging from $56,240 to $57,100 a year.
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References
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