CAREER Archives — Auto Trends Magazine

Information updated May 2, 2020.

By Charles K. Green

What automotive engineers earn.

Infiniti Engineering Academy students complete a series of challenges as part of their placement.

Automotive engineers help shape auto trends, by developing new or improved vehicle designs. Such planning can cover the car’s body, its powertrain system, and other vehicle systems. Engineers make use of computer-assisted technologies to build, modify, and test vehicles and related components.

These professionals numbered 312,900 as of 2018, with most earning bachelor degrees and others obtaining master’s degrees in a bid to qualify for management positions. For government reporting and statistical purposes, automotive engineers are typically included with data for mechanical engineers.

Average Pay for Automotive Engineers

The mean annual wage for mechanical engineers (including automotive engineers) was $94,500 as of May 2019 according to the BLS.

Those in the 10th percentile averaged $27.05 per hour while those in the 50th percentile earned $42.00. Automotive engineers in the 90th percentile earned $65.65 per hour, according to CareerOneStop (sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor).

Largest Industries

According to Stony Brook University, most automotive engineers are employed directly by new car manufacturers.

In the U.S., General Motors, the Ford Motor Company and Fiat Chrysler are among the largest original equipment manufacturers (OEM) and employers. Other manufacturers, including Nissan, Honda, Toyota, BMW, the Volkswagen Group, Mercedes-Benz, Hyundai, and Kia, also employ automotive technicians.

Engineers can find work with industry suppliers — Robert Bosch, Johnson Controls, TRW Automotive, Lear, and BorgWarner have hired in recent years. With the advent of autonomous driving, companies not traditionally associated with the auto industry are also employing engineers, including Google’s Waymo subsidiary and Uber.

By Location

As of 2017, approximately 15 percent of automotive engineers worked in Michigan with California a close second. Wages in Michigan are near the national average, but higher in California.

Other larger pockets of automotive engineers can be found where car manufacturing plants are located including in Tennessee, South Carolina, Indiana, Ohio, Alabama, and Texas.

Training

Automotive engineers typically complete a mechanical engineering program at a four-year college. Such programs often include a co-op program, enabling students to gain important experience before they graduate college. Most programs are accredited by ABET, the former Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology.

Students should possess excellent mechanical and problem-solving skills, and have advanced math skills including trigonometry and calculus. All 50 states and the District of Columbia require licensure for engineers that offer their service directly to the public. Certification is received through the American Society of Mechanical Engineers with the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE International) offering certification directly related to the industry.

Job Outlook

The BLS projects a 4 percent increase in automotive engineer jobs through 2028, representing a below-average growth rate for all jobs. Much depends on the long-term outlook of the automotive industry which is in transition to electrification.

Those engineers with the desire to pursue advanced technologies such as electric vehicles are especially in demand. Engineers with a desire to relocate can find work across the United States and in some cases abroad.

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The Average Salary of Automotive Service Technicians

Photo copyright Infiniti.

Automotive Service Technicians Average Pay

Pay for automotive professionals including mechanics and service technicians ranges from $20,800 per year for those in the 10th percentile to $62,280 for those in the 90th percentile. Most workers likely made somewhere between the 25th and 75th percentile, earning $27,270 to $49,780 per year. The median average salary for these workers was $37,120 according to the BLS.

Largest Industries for Employment

Nearly two-thirds of all technicians and mechanics are concentrated in three industries: automotive repair and maintenance businesses; automobile dealers; and automotive parts, accessories, and tire stores. Those working in the first industry earned an annual mean wage of $37,060; those employed in the second industry earned $44,000 on average. Those employed in the third-largest industry earned $34,580 per year on average.

Other industries employing significant numbers of technicians and mechanics included local governments such as towns and cities, where these individuals could expect to earn $49,320 per year on average. Gasoline and related service stations paid $35,420 per year on average.

Salaries By Location

Where you live can have a huge bearing on what you can earn as an automotive service technician or car mechanic.

Among states, Alaska offered the highest wages, with such workers earning $52,050 per year. New Jersey, Massachusetts followed with average pay ranging from $44,950 to $46,240 per year. On the lower end of the pay spectrum were such states as West Virginia where wages averaged $31,370 per year. Maine at $36,710 and Montana at $37,940 were other states where average salaries were well below the national mean.

Training Requirements

Important for this industry is the training such professionals earn, usually learned at the high school or technical college level. Many employers look for automotive service technicians who have completed such training and may require National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence certification as a condition of employment. Some car manufacturers and franchised automotive dealers sponsor associate degree programs at postsecondary schools across the United States. Such programs typically allow students to alternate their schooling with working in a service department, allowing students to earn a salary and to receive training concurrently.

BLS Job Outlook

The BLS has forecast a 5 to 8 percent growth rate in the number of jobs available for the 10-year period from 2014 to 2024. This rate is slightly below the national growth average for all jobs. For those who complete their secondary training and obtain ASE certification, their prospects are expected to be very good. Possessing superior diagnostic skills and familiarization with today’s complex vehicle systems, including hybrid drivetrains is a bonus. Expect positions to continue to open as older workers retire. And, with people keeping their cars longer, the need for trusted mechanics to help keep these vehicles running should remain strong.

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