help with your job search

...the Web's Best Employment Resources

Job Search Resources Center
Getting Started
Job Search Advice & Tips
Protecting Your Privacy
Starting Your Online Job Search
Finding Jobs Online
Choosing a Job Site
Using Web Job Sites
Creating an Internet Resume
The Dirty Dozen Online Job Search Mistakes
Layoffs - before & after
The Online Job Search Guide - more articles
Pick Your Employer
Recommended Reading - books and news
Networking Resources
Networking & Job Search Support Groups
Company Alumni Groups
Associations & Societies

Job Sites & Career Resources
Job Resources by Location
Jobs by State ( U.S.A.)
State Employment Offices
International Jobs
Specialized Job Sites
Academia and Education
Computers & Technology
Engineering Jobs
Entry Level, Internships, and Seasonal Jobs
Finance, Accounting, and Banking
Government Jobs
Law and Law Enforcement
Marketing and Sales
Medicine, Biotech, and Pharmaceutical
Science

Other Job Sites & Career Resources
Employment Super Sites
General
Classified Ads
Resumes
Newsgroup Searches
Recruiting Agencies
Job Fairs
Other Link Lists
Reference Material

For Employers
Human Resources
Recruiting Resources

Back to « Home «

Auto Body Mechanic Schools, Salaries, and Job Data

Auto Body Mechanics Job Overview

Auto body mechanics primarily repair damaged vehicles. Their job requires them to fix vehicles bodies, replace heavily damaged parts that cannot be fixed and remove dents in the body of an automobile. They have to handle all kinds of vehicles, including trucks, cars, buses, tractors and pick-up trucks.

Auto Body Mechanics Schools and Degrees

To become a auto body mechanic, you need a high school diploma or a GED at the entry level. In order to repair newer automobiles, special training and education is a must. Post secondary vocational schools or community colleges offer candidates collision repair programs. Courses in physics, electronics, English, chemistry, mathematics and computers can prove to be extremely helpful in furthering one’s career in this profession. In addition, throughout his/ her career, an auto body mechanic needs to attend continuing education programs and training in order to keep up with new technology.

Job Requirements

Candidates can earn the certification offered by the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence by passing the ASE Master Collision Repair and Refinish Exams. Passing all the four exams will mean that the candidate becomes an ASE Master Collision Repair and Refinish Technician. In order to retain this certification, auto body mechanics have to take the examination every 5 years.

In addition to academic qualifications, auto body mechanics need to have proper knowledge handling computer and in basic mathematics. They must also pay attention to detail when repairing the damaged parts of an automobile.

Nature of Work

Knowledge of the various automotive construction and repair techniques is essential when dealing with damaged vehicles. The extent of the damage must be considered and then the required parts are ordered by auto body mechanics. They either repair the parts of the vehicles or replace parts in cases where repair is not possible.

Auto body mechanics usually work indoors where it can be very noisy. The work is usually strenuous and can be dirty. Auto body mechanics usually work for about 40 hours a week, but longer hours are often required in cases of emergency or when there is a backlog of repair work. Working on weekends is also quite common for auto body mechanics.

Auto Body Mechanics Jobs and Outlook

According to the US Department of Labor, auto body mechanics held about 152,790 jobs in the US in 2007. Employment is the highest in the following industries:

  • Automotive Dealers
  • Automotive Parts, Accessories, and Tire Stores
  • Automotive Repair and Maintenance
  • Motor Vehicle and Motor Vehicle Parts and Supplied Merchant Wholesalers
  • Motor Vehicle Manufacturing

The mean hourly wage for auto body mechanics in the US is about $18.53, while the mean annual wages are around $38,530.

Job Numbers and Growth

The official count of auto body mechanics in 2008 was 183,000. Workers have recently faced a high level of unemployment. The unemployment rate for employees? About 4% recently.

Area Job Conditions

You'll see a lot of auto body mechanics in Palm Coast (Florida), Great Falls (Montana), and Framingham (Massachusetts), and comparatively fewer in Longview (Texas), Brownsville (Texas), and Kennewick (Washington).

Wages for Workers are highest in Anchorage (Alaska), Boulder (Colorado), and Santa Rosa (California), and lowest in Cape Coral (Florida), Sherman (Texas), and Yuma (Arizona).

Training and Education

Employees normally have long-term on-the-job training before landing a job. Degrees are held by 3% of current auto body mechanics. Post-secondary schooling was enough for 23% of workers. Education topped out at high school for 74% of employees. Recommended schools are shown in the column to the right; request information from them to help you decide which if any could help you with this career.

Part-Time Work and Self-Employment

Part-time work suffices for 6% of auto body mechanics. Workers working on their own make up 14% of the total.

Auto Body Mechanics by Metropolitan Area (city and its surroundings)

In the table below, a Job Density near 0% means the area has an average number of people in this occupation, for its population. A higher or lower Job Density (e.g., +22% or -45%) tells you there are that many more or fewer workers of that type there than in the average US metro area. So, the higher the number, the more common the occupation.

Alabama

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Anniston$39,00040-11%
Auburn$35,000100+135%
Birmingham$43,000450-21%
Decatur$38,00070+34%
Dothan$43,00050-14%
Gadsden$38,00030-3%
Huntsville$41,000160-27%
Mobile$45,000350+81%
Montgomery$37,000180+0%
Tuscaloosa$38,00070-22%

Alaska

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Anchorage$57,000180+7%

Arizona

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Flagstaff$42,00050-6%
Kingman$29,00070+43%
Phoenix$38,0001,730-16%
Prescott$49,000100+65%
Tucson$43,000440+10%
Yuma$22,00060+2%

Arkansas

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Fort Smith$39,000120-1%
Hot Springs$28,00050+46%
Little Rock$38,000320-13%

California

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Bakersfield$38,000180-37%
Chico$40,00060-12%
Fresno$35,000280-22%
Merced$45,00060+9%
Modesto$40,000220+28%
Napa$45,00040-36%
Oakland$51,0001,050-7%
Redding$48,00070+7%
Riverside$35,0002,150+53%
Sacramento$49,000800-18%
Salinas$45,000100-38%
San Diego$42,0001,240-16%
San Francisco$52,000860-22%
San Jose$41,000870-14%
San Luis Obispo$46,00090-11%
Santa Ana$50,0001,310-22%
Santa Barbara$48,000120-32%
Santa Cruz$51,00090+2%
Santa Rosa$55,000130-33%
Stockton$41,000230+2%
Vallejo$52,000150+19%
Visalia$43,00070-50%

Colorado

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Boulder$63,000140-17%
Colorado Springs$47,000240-11%
Denver$48,0001,380+0%
Fort Collins$48,000110-11%
Grand Junction$46,00050-9%
Greeley$50,00080+8%
Pueblo$29,00050-3%

Connecticut

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Bridgeport$44,000550+16%
Danbury$46,000160+128%
Hartford$47,000520-18%
New Haven$38,000330+10%
Norwich$36,000160+25%
Waterbury$41,000150+124%

Delaware

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Dover$37,00080+52%
Wilmington$43,000340-4%

District of Columbia

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Washington$54,0001,700-33%

Florida

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Cape Coral$30,000310+40%
Deltona$32,000140-14%
Fort Lauderdale$40,000520-35%
Fort Walton Beach$51,00060-20%
Gainesville$38,000140+19%
Jacksonville$38,000710+8%
Lakeland$44,000130-37%
Miami$33,0001,150+6%
Naples$45,000110-11%
Ocala$37,00090-6%
Orlando$34,0001,130-2%
Palm Bay$37,000190-8%
Palm Coast$37,00040+259%
Panama City$38,00060-11%
Pensacola$42,000200+29%
Punta Gorda$50,00040+9%
Sarasota$41,000230-18%
Tallahassee$36,000180+6%
Tampa$41,0001,170-12%
West Palm Beach$33,000480-18%

Georgia

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Albany$42,00090+52%
Athens$41,000110+48%
Atlanta$45,0002,620+0%
Augusta$38,000250+15%
Brunswick$34,000120+202%
Columbus$42,000160+43%
Dalton$35,00070-9%
Gainesville$35,00030-57%
Macon$37,000130+29%
Savannah$41,000210+35%
Valdosta$28,00080+49%
Warner Robins$34,00050+5%

Hawaii

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Honolulu$40,000290-39%

Idaho

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Coeur Dalene$34,00060+14%

Illinois

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Bloomington$46,000110+59%
Champaign$34,000110+16%
Chicago$45,0003,800-10%
Decatur$45,00050+13%
Kankakee$36,00070+101%
Peoria$44,000160-10%
Rockford$46,000170+7%
Springfield$43,000140+34%

Indiana

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Anderson$37,00060+62%
Bloomington$49,00070+4%
Columbus$36,00040+1%
Elkhart$45,000170+28%
Evansville$38,000260+42%
Fort Wayne$39,000270+20%
Gary$54,000410+37%
Indianapolis$45,000730-26%
Kokomo$45,00040+23%
Lafayette$38,00090+20%
Michigan City$52,00030-26%
Muncie$37,00040-7%
South Bend$49,000150+6%
Terre Haute$38,00090+31%

Iowa

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Ames$35,00060+71%
Cedar Rapids$40,000190+36%
Davenport$37,000200+3%
Des Moines$42,000390+11%
Iowa City$38,000100+41%
Sioux City$34,000110+57%
Waterloo$33,000170+98%

Kansas

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Wichita$37,000340+3%

Kentucky

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Elizabethtown$33,00030-27%
Lexington$34,000240-7%
Louisville$44,000670-1%
Owensboro$37,00050+9%

Louisiana

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Baton Rouge$41,000350-12%
Houma$40,00070-27%
Lafayette$38,000120-20%
Lake Charles$36,00070-19%
Monroe$31,00060-23%
New Orleans$37,000720+30%
Shreveport$35,000140-24%

Maine

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Bangor$34,00070+12%
Portland$42,000230+7%

Maryland

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Baltimore$42,0001,490+4%
Bethesda$46,000580-7%
Cumberland$29,00050+53%
Hagerstown$34,000150+49%
Salisbury$34,00090+79%

Massachusetts

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Barnstable Town$44,000100-2%
Boston$44,0001,820-4%
Brockton$40,000180+101%
Framingham$45,000520+206%
Haverhill$46,000150+96%
Lawrence$58,00050-9%
Leominster$46,00050+5%
New Bedford$32,00060-5%
Springfield$43,000510+58%
Taunton$37,00050+14%
Worcester$38,000310+17%

Michigan

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Ann Arbor$51,000210+21%
Battle Creek$37,00080+73%
Bay City$27,00070+120%
Detroit$42,0001,120+44%
Flint$40,000360+154%
Grand Rapids$37,000570+39%
Holland$49,000180+75%
Jackson$45,00050+1%
Kalamazoo$50,00090-36%
Lansing$49,000200-2%
Monroe$39,00070+91%
Niles$41,00070+16%
Saginaw$36,000100+32%
Warren$52,0001,600+26%

Minnesota

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Duluth$33,000190+45%
Minneapolis$49,0001,600-19%
Rochester$40,000110+18%
St Cloud$36,000130+25%

Mississippi

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Gulfport$41,000130+17%
Hattiesburg$33,00050-9%
Jackson$32,000310+14%
Pascagoula$35,00050+12%

Missouri

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Columbia$37,000100+22%
Jefferson City$33,00080+19%
Kansas City$48,0001,010-11%
Springfield$46,000170-18%
St Louis$47,0002,140+44%

Montana

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Billings$34,000110+37%
Great Falls$31,000100+217%
Missoula$35,000120+142%

Nebraska

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Lincoln$37,000130-24%
Omaha$37,000560+11%

Nevada

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Carson City$40,00030+24%
Las Vegas$41,000790-22%
Reno$38,000240+9%

New Hampshire

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Manchester$41,000150+41%
Nashua$36,000190+32%
Portsmouth$41,00060+10%

New Jersey

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Atlantic City$39,00090-42%
Camden$42,000830+44%
Edison$39,0001,160+2%
Newark$35,0001,580+43%
Ocean City$40,00050+29%
Vineland$42,00030-46%

New Mexico

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Albuquerque$36,000390-8%
Las Cruces$28,00040-33%

New York

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Albany$38,000490+3%
Binghamton$30,000140+29%
Buffalo$36,000720+23%
Elmira$32,00050+55%
Ithaca$40,00040+1%
Kingston$35,00060+4%
Nassau$34,0002,220+61%
New York$36,0003,410-40%
Poughkeepsie$37,000530+108%
Rochester$42,000720+32%
Syracuse$38,000470+41%
Utica$30,000160+22%

North Carolina

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Asheville$35,000180-4%
Burlington$34,00040-30%
Charlotte$48,0001,510+55%
Durham$35,000180-39%
Fayetteville$38,000170+36%
Goldsboro$40,00070+101%
Greensboro$41,000500+24%
Greenville$41,00060-15%
Hickory$35,000150-12%
Jacksonville$43,00090+138%
Raleigh$38,000600+8%
Rocky Mount100+77%
Wilmington$41,000120-20%
Winston Salem$40,000210-8%

North Dakota

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Bismarck$39,000110+103%
Fargo$40,000250+110%
Grand Forks$38,00060+31%

Ohio

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Akron$40,000470+29%
Canton$42,000190+4%
Cincinnati$44,0001,260+10%
Cleveland$42,0001,100-6%
Columbus$40,0001,340+31%
Dayton$40,000310-27%
Lima$38,000500%
Mansfield$34,00050+1%
Sandusky$34,00040+24%
Springfield$39,00060+35%
Toledo$32,000370+10%
Youngstown$35,000200-20%

Oklahoma

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Lawton$35,00030-12%
Oklahoma City$34,0001,180+91%
Tulsa$34,000720+52%

Oregon

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Bend$42,00050-26%
Eugene$46,000160+3%
Medford$47,00060-29%
Portland$43,0001,130-1%
Salem$40,000160+2%

Pennsylvania

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Allentown$40,000630+73%
Altoona$37,00030-48%
Erie$34,000110-15%
Harrisburg$42,000380+11%
Johnstown$31,00060+10%
Lancaster$40,000470+87%
Lebanon$28,000130+198%
Philadelphia$45,0002,110+2%
Pittsburgh$39,0001,270+1%
Reading$39,000480+178%
Scranton$32,000300+9%
State College$34,00040-26%
Williamsport$31,00060+24%
York$39,000310+64%

Rhode Island

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Providence$36,000930+51%

South Carolina

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Charleston$36,000330+5%
Columbia$42,000230-39%
Florence$37,00090+7%
Greenville$39,000340+4%
Myrtle Beach$39,000130+7%
Spartanburg$38,000100-21%
Sumter$37,00050+57%

South Dakota

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Rapid City$34,000140+130%
Sioux Falls$31,000140-2%

Tennessee

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Chattanooga$40,000140-44%
Clarksville$43,000110+48%
Jackson$32,00050-10%
Johnson City$35,00080+9%
Kingsport$33,000150+28%
Knoxville$39,000750+108%
Memphis$41,000830+22%
Morristown$27,00060+36%
Nashville$47,000900+7%

Texas

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Abilene$27,00050-17%
Amarillo$34,00090-11%
Austin$50,000650-22%
Beaumont$36,000160-3%
Brownsville$29,00050-61%
Corpus Christi$36,000120-35%
Dallas$37,0002,240-3%
El Paso$30,000240-15%
Fort Worth$37,000800-15%
Houston$37,0002,410-15%
Killeen$49,000120-2%
Longview$35,00040-58%
Lubbock$49,000180+45%
Mcallen$31,000160-31%
Midland$32,00050-23%
Odessa$46,00040-26%
San Angelo60+59%
San Antonio$38,000980+6%
Sherman$29,00040+10%
Texarkana$29,00080+54%
Tyler$40,000100+10%
Victoria$34,00040-9%
Waco$41,000160+64%
Wichita Falls$37,000160+188%

Utah

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Logan$35,000110+154%
Ogden$43,000220+4%
Provo$40,000190+10%
Salt Lake City$37,000860+26%
St George$33,000100+118%

Vermont

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Burlington$31,000190+69%

Virginia

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Blacksburg$34,000100+69%
Charlottesville$43,000100+7%
Harrisonburg$30,000110+113%
Richmond$43,000510-22%
Virginia Beach$52,000750-9%
Winchester$37,00060+20%

Washington

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Bremerton$40,000100+21%
Kennewick$38,00030-67%
Mount Vernon$41,00070+67%
Olympia$44,000130+38%
Seattle$45,0001,160-27%
Spokane$41,000180-19%
Tacoma$43,000270-6%
Wenatchee$34,00040+8%
Yakima$43,00070-12%

West Virginia

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Charleston$33,000140-7%
Huntington$34,000110-5%
Morgantown$30,000110+152%
Parkersburg$33,000100+46%
Wheeling$35,00060-3%

Wisconsin

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Appleton$37,00080-31%
Eau Claire$38,00070-8%
Fond$37,00050+22%
Green Bay$38,000120-31%
Janesville$44,00060-5%
La Crosse$37,000120+78%
Madison$38,000290-19%
Milwaukee$39,000900-3%
Oshkosh$34,000120+43%
Racine$37,000160+110%
Sheboygan$39,00070+28%
Wausau$37,00090+37%

Wyoming

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Casper$34,00030-14%
Cheyenne$41,00050+24%

Thanks to CityTownInfo.com for this auto body mechanic schools and jobs info.

JOB-HUNT.ORG Home


Learning About Auto Body Mechanics

Request Info From These Schools

Auto Body Mechanic Schools, Salaries, and Job DataSchools recommended for people interested in this career. Request info with quick online forms. These particular schools are noted for getting back to people fast.

Campus Schools for Auto Body Mechanics

Arizona

California

Colorado

Connecticut

Florida

Georgia

Illinois

Indiana

Kansas

Maryland

Massachusetts

Michigan

Minnesota

Missouri

New Jersey

New Mexico

New York

North Carolina

Oklahoma

Pennsylvania

Rhode Island

South Dakota

Tennessee

Texas

Vermont

Virginia


Share
Support the Troops
USO's "Operation Phone Home"
To Top
 About Job-Hunt    Privacy Policy    Disclaimer   Feedback    Contact Us

Job Search

  Job-Hunt.org, Marlborough, MA. U.S.A.
©
Copyright NETability, Inc. 1998 - 2009. All rights reserved.
Use without written permission is prohibited by international copyright law.


Hosted by: AVIA! high performance web hosting