How much do entry level certified automobile technicians make?

Question

With a certificate or diploma from a trade school.

Answer 1

I've been an auto technician for 15 years, your question has too many unanswered variables to answer.

Most mechanics get paid flag time, not on the hour so the quicker you are the more you make. This can be overwhelming at first so plan on having half a year of fluctuating checks.

Do you have your own tools? A full set including special tools you will need on a daily basis? Nobody likes a "borrower", to borrow once is cool but to borrow again after the tool truck leaves is a no-no. If you need it twice, you need to buy it.

Be aware of the market in your area and go where the money is, like a dealer or a non-dealer.

Also, Don't skimp on the health insurance. Spinning wrenches is VERY hard on your body. Especially your back, wrists and knuckle joints.

Hope this helps. I wouldn't advise anyone going into this line of work, it just breaks you down too quickly.

The average mechanic lives to 65 years old, something to think about.

Answer 2

diploma from a trade school means nothing its not the same as certification 2 years of school counts as a year of experience but dependin on where you live and where you work i would say about $15-$20 an hour a dealership pays the most and places like firestone may pay less you would make more workin for yourself i'm a self employed mobile mechanic i make 200 on a bad day  

Answer 3

If you go to work with a dealership you could start out at about $35 per job, maybe avg. 4 jobs per. day. After 6 months, could go to $60 per job plus commission on the parts.  

Answer 4

it may be different in all states entry level ase certified here [tx] makes 25 a hour [mitchell repair programs pay bassed on the time that]shop chargess 50 bucks a hour mechanic gets half but if the car is returned you dont get paid to redo it unless it was a falty part

Answer 5

Erik, this all depends on where you go to work.

Most entry level techs seem to hire on at a local dealership as a lube tech. This can be discouraging to someone who spent all that time and money going through trade school. But the lube rack is really where you get your feet wet. When you are not doing oil changes, you may find yourself inspecting and prepping used cars for the used car department. Or you might find yourself doing new car pre delivery. As you prove yourself, you may be "thrown a few bones" in the way of light jobs. Eventually you will find yourself on the line doing other kinds of work. Hang in there! As far as what you will make? Alot depends on demo-graphs. Out here in California you would start about $25 a flat rate hour.

If not at a dealership you might find yourself at an independent. This isn't a bad place to start either. However, unlike dealerships, an independent really doesn't have the time to train and educate an entry level tech. They don't have the resources that dealerships might have. Many don't have a training program set in place. They like to hire a tech that can hit the ground running. Now, the chance to make money at an independent is often better than at a dealership. If you are willing to work a lot of overtime, they are willing to throw as much work as you are willing to tackle. You will probably start at $25 a flat rate hour. But you can flag a lot of hours if you are up to it.

Maybe dealerships and independents aren't your cup of tea. There are also the retail shops. Midas, Pep Boys, Sears and a few others. A lot of older techs scoff at the techs who work at some of these chains. Let the scoff all they want. Few of them realize that the real benefit of working for some of the chains is that these retail outlets combine all there employees from all their stores into one insurance program. They offer insurance and retirement plans that the dealers and independents can't even touch. I have a friend who has worked for Pep Boys in Las Vegas for close to 20 years. In about 7 more years he will be eligible to retire at the age of 55 with full retirement! Yes it is true that you will probably use only a fraction of what you learned in trade school working at a chain store. But it isn't all that bad installing batteries and shocks while building up a retirement that can only be matched by big corporations.

Finally there is fleet repair. This is what I do. Working for a major utility company on their large trucks. This is a good living but a hard one. I work weekends, holidays, sometimes called out at 2am to pull a bucket truck out of sand. Working in rain, heat and mud. Sometimes getting by on 2 hours of sleep. It pays extremely well. But there are some guys who can't stand this type of work. You have to carry a cell phone 24/7 because you never know when you are going to be called in. Yes I get vacation and perks. But I earn them. Starting pay is $32 an hour.