Trades · 70 Cities Ranked

Highest Paying Cities for Automotive Technician (2025)

The median Automotive Technician salary is $77,840 in San Jose, CA, the highest-paying city for this role. After adjusting for cost of living, Des Moines, IA offers the best purchasing power at $64,812 adjusted.

The 70 cities below are ranked by median wage for Automotive Technician, drawn from BLS OEWS. Top-of-list cities typically combine high local labor demand with above-baseline cost-of-living, so the gross-wage ranking partly reflects COL adjustment. Reading the ranking carefully: gross median wage is the headline number, but the cost-adjusted figure (which divides by the city's cost-of-living index) tells a different story for high-COL cities. The ranking sorts on gross wage; the per-city pages surface the adjusted figure.

For workers evaluating Automotive Technician relocation, the top of the ranking is the obvious starting point — but the bottom of the list (low gross wage, low COL) is often where cost-adjusted real income is highest. The role-specific pages link to per-city detail.

$54,808

National Median

$77,840

Highest City

$46,080

Lowest City

Cities Ranked

Ranked by Median Salary

Rank	City	Median	Range (10th-90th)	COL Index	COL-Adjusted	Jobs
1	San Jose, CA	$77,840	$47,090, $101,760	195.8	$39,755	3,040
2	San Francisco, CA	$76,030	$45,210, $108,070	179.6	$42,333	7,270
3	Sacramento, CA	$72,020	$41,040, $96,030	124.7	$57,755	4,870
4	San Diego, CA	$64,320	$38,830, $86,660	160.2	$40,150	4,910
5	Riverside-San Bernardino, CA	$64,210	$36,380, $93,860	122.4	$52,459	7,680
6	Boston, MA	$63,060	$39,490, $99,190	152.1	$41,460	9,360
7	Los Angeles, CA	$62,820	$36,520, $90,890	166	$37,843	22,330
8	Milwaukee, WI	$62,530	$36,940, $89,240	97.4	$64,199	3,170
9	Bakersfield, CA	$62,450	$38,760, $92,810	100.6	$62,078	1,250
10	Bridgeport, CT	$62,440	$42,640, $85,260	137.5	$45,411	1,460
11	Denver, CO	$61,960	$41,010, $94,990	112.8	$54,929	6,340
12	Washington, DC	$61,860	$38,110, $97,460	152.8	$40,484	12,030
13	Richmond, VA	$61,510	$36,550, $81,850	102.1	$60,245	2,930
14	Colorado Springs, CO	$60,710	$38,060, $89,840	104.5	$58,096	1,600
15	Madison, WI	$60,650	$37,440, $81,490	103.8	$58,430	1,270
16	Minneapolis, MN	$60,490	$39,310, $92,480	106.2	$56,959	7,180
17	Des Moines, IA	$60,470	$36,900, $78,570	93.3	$64,812	1,870
18	Portland, OR	$60,450	$40,040, $93,310	130.1	$46,464	4,180
19	Anchorage, AK	$59,880	$39,580, $89,790	127	$47,150	850
20	Seattle, WA	$59,290	$43,750, $99,190	149.4	$39,685	6,860
21	Hartford, CT	$58,910	$38,510, $78,020	112.6	$52,318	2,160
22	Nashville, TN	$58,700	$36,540, $81,680	100.3	$58,524	5,150
23	Rochester, NY	$58,530	$36,840, $78,400	92.9	$63,003	2,310
24	Philadelphia, PA	$58,460	$36,130, $81,670	118.4	$49,375	12,700
25	St. Louis, MO	$58,190	$36,280, $78,140	90	$64,656	7,590
26	New York, NY	$57,760	$34,740, $94,320	187.2	$30,855	28,420
27	Baltimore, MD	$57,630	$35,290, $80,800	114.2	$50,464	6,340
28	Columbus, OH	$56,150	$34,420, $85,590	93.1	$60,311	3,920
29	Detroit, MI	$56,000	$37,080, $81,240	95.1	$58,885	9,520
30	Albany, NY	$55,500	$37,400, $76,570	100.7	$55,114	2,140
31	Chicago, IL	$55,320	$34,520, $92,460	107.3	$51,556	20,140
32	Spokane, WA	$54,840	$37,880, $85,080	97.4	$56,304	1,100
33	Omaha, NE	$54,230	$37,760, $80,600	91.8	$59,074	2,250
34	Kansas City, MO	$53,790	$36,030, $80,850	95.4	$56,384	5,380
35	Charlotte, NC	$53,660	$34,470, $88,130	96.7	$55,491	7,990
36	Fresno, CA	$52,000	$37,790, $77,400	105.5	$49,289	1,890
37	Providence, RI	$51,970	$31,860, $79,710	119.4	$43,526	3,700
38	Jacksonville, FL	$51,530	$34,430, $78,540	95.1	$54,185	4,160
39	Atlanta, GA	$51,450	$36,050, $91,520	99.2	$51,865	12,310
40	Houston, TX	$50,940	$29,380, $83,180	96.5	$52,788	14,910
41	Austin, TX	$50,610	$33,350, $94,150	103	$49,136	5,210
42	Raleigh, NC	$50,600	$34,650, $83,210	99.8	$50,701	3,650
43	Indianapolis, IN	$50,530	$36,100, $80,060	90.1	$56,082	5,600
44	Memphis, TN	$50,490	$34,930, $82,370	84	$60,107	2,980
45	Reno, NV	$50,190	$36,730, $80,430	106.5	$47,127	1,580
46	Phoenix, AZ	$50,090	$36,120, $82,570	100.7	$49,742	11,340
47	Dallas, TX	$49,720	$30,280, $93,260	104.1	$47,762	17,690
48	Miami, FL	$49,550	$34,360, $81,490	123.1	$40,252	11,970
49	New Orleans, LA	$49,190	$31,640, $80,440	95.9	$51,293	1,610
50	Cincinnati, OH	$49,090	$35,090, $80,820	91.2	$53,827	4,520
51	Pittsburgh, PA	$48,900	$36,140, $78,220	92.3	$52,979	6,430
52	Albuquerque, NM	$48,820	$31,190, $79,240	94	$51,936	2,320
53	Greensboro, NC	$48,770	$29,720, $77,910	91.3	$53,417	2,110
54	Boise, ID	$48,630	$35,550, $78,190	102.1	$47,630	2,030
55	Tucson, AZ	$48,600	$32,000, $76,200	95.4	$50,943	2,150
56	Buffalo, NY	$48,550	$36,080, $74,980	92.5	$52,486	2,590
57	Knoxville, TN	$48,540	$31,580, $79,680	90.3	$53,754	2,280
58	Greenville, SC	$48,120	$32,810, $76,580	90.1	$53,407	2,310
59	Tampa, FL	$47,880	$31,050, $79,620	99.6	$48,072	7,380
60	Orlando, FL	$47,850	$33,350, $77,950	103.1	$46,411	6,480
61	Birmingham, AL	$47,830	$33,630, $88,150	90.4	$52,909	2,220
62	Wichita, KS	$47,800	$31,350, $74,030	84	$56,905	1,330
63	Las Vegas, NV	$47,650	$32,600, $82,080	109	$43,716	4,970
64	Louisville, KY	$47,440	$34,180, $77,170	90.2	$52,594	3,640
65	Tulsa, OK	$47,410	$29,540, $83,460	86.8	$54,620	2,430
66	Salt Lake City, UT	$47,280	$31,200, $78,490	101.4	$46,627	3,910
67	San Antonio, TX	$46,880	$29,860, $80,840	91.5	$51,235	6,320
68	Oklahoma City, OK	$46,820	$31,640, $83,860	86.5	$54,127	3,340
69	Little Rock, AR	$46,130	$30,770, $78,280	88.2	$52,302	2,160
70	Lexington, KY	$46,080	$31,550, $74,620	91.3	$50,471	1,530

Ranked by Purchasing Power (COL-Adjusted)

Cost-of-living adjusted salaries show where your Automotive Technician paycheck goes furthest. A lower COL index means your dollars stretch further.

Rank	City	COL-Adjusted	Raw Median	COL Index
1	Des Moines, IA	$64,812	$60,470	93.3
2	St. Louis, MO	$64,656	$58,190	90
3	Milwaukee, WI	$64,199	$62,530	97.4
4	Rochester, NY	$63,003	$58,530	92.9
5	Bakersfield, CA	$62,078	$62,450	100.6
6	Columbus, OH	$60,311	$56,150	93.1
7	Richmond, VA	$60,245	$61,510	102.1
8	Memphis, TN	$60,107	$50,490	84
9	Omaha, NE	$59,074	$54,230	91.8
10	Detroit, MI	$58,885	$56,000	95.1
11	Nashville, TN	$58,524	$58,700	100.3
12	Madison, WI	$58,430	$60,650	103.8
13	Colorado Springs, CO	$58,096	$60,710	104.5
14	Sacramento, CA	$57,755	$72,020	124.7
15	Minneapolis, MN	$56,959	$60,490	106.2
16	Wichita, KS	$56,905	$47,800	84
17	Kansas City, MO	$56,384	$53,790	95.4
18	Spokane, WA	$56,304	$54,840	97.4
19	Indianapolis, IN	$56,082	$50,530	90.1
20	Charlotte, NC	$55,491	$53,660	96.7
21	Albany, NY	$55,114	$55,500	100.7
22	Denver, CO	$54,929	$61,960	112.8
23	Tulsa, OK	$54,620	$47,410	86.8
24	Jacksonville, FL	$54,185	$51,530	95.1
25	Oklahoma City, OK	$54,127	$46,820	86.5
26	Cincinnati, OH	$53,827	$49,090	91.2
27	Knoxville, TN	$53,754	$48,540	90.3
28	Greensboro, NC	$53,417	$48,770	91.3
29	Greenville, SC	$53,407	$48,120	90.1
30	Pittsburgh, PA	$52,979	$48,900	92.3
31	Birmingham, AL	$52,909	$47,830	90.4
32	Houston, TX	$52,788	$50,940	96.5
33	Louisville, KY	$52,594	$47,440	90.2
34	Buffalo, NY	$52,486	$48,550	92.5
35	Riverside-San Bernardino, CA	$52,459	$64,210	122.4
36	Hartford, CT	$52,318	$58,910	112.6
37	Little Rock, AR	$52,302	$46,130	88.2
38	Albuquerque, NM	$51,936	$48,820	94
39	Atlanta, GA	$51,865	$51,450	99.2
40	Chicago, IL	$51,556	$55,320	107.3
41	New Orleans, LA	$51,293	$49,190	95.9
42	San Antonio, TX	$51,235	$46,880	91.5
43	Tucson, AZ	$50,943	$48,600	95.4
44	Raleigh, NC	$50,701	$50,600	99.8
45	Lexington, KY	$50,471	$46,080	91.3
46	Baltimore, MD	$50,464	$57,630	114.2
47	Phoenix, AZ	$49,742	$50,090	100.7
48	Philadelphia, PA	$49,375	$58,460	118.4
49	Fresno, CA	$49,289	$52,000	105.5
50	Austin, TX	$49,136	$50,610	103
51	Tampa, FL	$48,072	$47,880	99.6
52	Dallas, TX	$47,762	$49,720	104.1
53	Boise, ID	$47,630	$48,630	102.1
54	Anchorage, AK	$47,150	$59,880	127
55	Reno, NV	$47,127	$50,190	106.5
56	Salt Lake City, UT	$46,627	$47,280	101.4
57	Portland, OR	$46,464	$60,450	130.1
58	Orlando, FL	$46,411	$47,850	103.1
59	Bridgeport, CT	$45,411	$62,440	137.5
60	Las Vegas, NV	$43,716	$47,650	109
61	Providence, RI	$43,526	$51,970	119.4
62	San Francisco, CA	$42,333	$76,030	179.6
63	Boston, MA	$41,460	$63,060	152.1
64	Washington, DC	$40,484	$61,860	152.8
65	Miami, FL	$40,252	$49,550	123.1
66	San Diego, CA	$40,150	$64,320	160.2
67	San Jose, CA	$39,755	$77,840	195.8
68	Seattle, WA	$39,685	$59,290	149.4
69	Los Angeles, CA	$37,843	$62,820	166
70	New York, NY	$30,855	$57,760	187.2

Frequently Asked Questions

San Jose, CA pays the highest median Automotive Technician salary at $77,840. However, after cost-of-living adjustment, Des Moines, IA offers the most purchasing power at $64,812 adjusted.

The national median Automotive Technician salary is $54,808 based on BLS data. Salaries range from $46,080 to $77,840 depending on city.

Not necessarily. A city with higher nominal pay may have a higher cost of living that offsets the salary difference. Compare the "COL-Adjusted" column in both tables above, cities with lower costs of living often offer better real purchasing power.