Entry Level Automotive Technician Salary in the United States

How much does an Entry Level Automotive Technician make in the United States?

As of September 01, 2026, the average salary for an Entry Level Automotive Technician in the United States is $39,769 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $19.

However, an Entry Level Automotive Technician's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $45,788
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $35,839 to $42,920
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $32,261

Key Factors That Influence Entry Level Automotive Technician Salaries

An Entry Level Automotive Technician's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, education and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Entry Level Automotive Technician Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of an Entry Level Automotive Technician's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:

  • Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $40,042
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $46,608
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $52,777
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $66,901
  • Expert (over 8 years): $87,807
Levels Salary
Entry Lev... Level Entry Level Automotive Technician$40,042
Material ... Level Entry Level Automotive Technician$46,608
Material ... Level Entry Level Automotive Technician$52,777
Material ... Level Entry Level Automotive Technician$66,901
Materials... Level Entry Level Automotive Technician$87,807

Top Paying Cities for Entry Level Automotive Technicians

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

  • San Jose: $50,161
  • San Francisco: $49,612
  • Oakland: $48,566

What Skills Can Increase an Entry Level Automotive Technician's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Presentation (Mentioned in 4.82% Job Postings): Presentation conveys information from a speaker to an audience. Presentations are typically demonstrations, introduction, lecture, or speech meant to inform, persuade, inspire, motivate, build goodwill, or present a new idea/product.
  • Microsoft Office (Mentioned in 2.52% Job Postings): Microsoft Office is a suite of desktop productivity applications that is designed by Microsoft for business use. You can create documents containing text and images, work with data in spreadsheets and databases, create presentations and posters.
  • Production Schedule (Mentioned in 1.63% Job Postings): Is a project plan of how the production budget will be spent over a given timescale, for every phase of a business project.
Skills Demand Percentage
Presentation 4.82%
Microsoft Office 2.52%
Production Schedule 1.63%

What skills can make your compensation higher?

Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on an Entry Level Automotive Technician's salary.

  • Leadership: Can increase your salary by up to 28%.
  • Presentation: Can increase your salary by up to 26%.
  • Coordination: Can increase your salary by up to 19%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Leadership $50,905
28%
Presentation $50,109
26%
Coordination $47,325
19%

Entry Level Automotive Technician Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Entry Level Automotive Technician roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 55% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Software & Networking and Financial Services sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 30% above the average. In contrast, Entry Level Automotive Technician positions in Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit or Retail & Wholesale typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Entry Level Automotive Technician as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industries for an Entry Level Automotive Technician

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Software & Networking$51,700$25.030%
Financial Services$47,723$23.020%
Energy & Utilities$45,735$22.015%
Internet$45,735$22.015%
Biotechnology$43,746$21.010%

How Education impacts an Entry Level Automotive Technician's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Entry Level Automotive Technicians enter the field with a High School Diploma or Technical Certificate degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for an Entry Level Automotive Technician with a High School Diploma or Technical Certificate is between $40,960 and $44,084).

Entry Level Automotive Technician Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Entry Level Automotive Technician
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 35.5%
High School 35.5%
Associates 22.4%
Bachelors 36.8%
Masters 5.3%
Doctorate 0.0%

Entry Level Automotive Technician Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how an Entry Level Automotive Technician's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

Last Updated on September 01, 2026
$35,839
Average $39,769/year
$42,920
$2,987
Average $3,314/month
$3,577
$689
Average $765/week
$825
$17
Average $19/hour
$21
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $42,920 $3,577 $825 $21
Average $39,769 $3,314 $765 $19
25th Percentile $35,839 $2,987 $689 $17

Most common benefits for Entry Level Automotive Technician

  • Social Security
  • 401 (k)
  • Disability
  • Healthcare
  • Pension
  • Time Off (days)

Common company salaries for Entry Level Automotive Technician

Here are companies hiring for Entry Level Automotive Technician and their salaries, click below for more details.

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FAQ about Entry Level Automotive Technician

1. What industry pays the highest salary for Entry Level Automotive Technician?

The Software & Networking industry offers the highest average compensation for Entry Level Automotive Technician roles, with salaries approximately 30% above the market median.

Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.

We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

With the most extensive online, real-time compensation data available, Salary.com helps you pinpoint your exact pay target.

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