Automotive Body and Related Repairers Salary
The median pay for a automotive body and related repairers in South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI is $55,360/year ($26.62/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $37K at the entry level to $92K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 92.86), which stretches that salary to about $59,617 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $993/month, or 26.8% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $55K get you in South Bend-Mishawaka?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by South Bend-Mishawaka’s Regional Price Parity (92.86). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About automotive body and related repairers
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What this looks like in South Bend-Mishawaka
Automotive body and related repairers pay in South Bend-Mishawaka tracks closely to the national median, $55K locally vs. $55K nationwide, a 1% difference. Rent runs $993/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 26.6% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 92.86 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 7% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for automotive body and related repairers in metros near South Bend-Mishawaka, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood | $51K | $53K |
| Fort Wayne | $53K | $57K |
| Elkhart-Goshen | $50K | $55K |
| Evansville | $48K | $53K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI
Entry-level automotive body and related repairers (10th percentile) start around $37K. Mid-career wages sit at $55K. Top earners bring in $92K or more, a $55K spread from bottom to top.
Automotive Body and Related Repairers pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Automotive Body and Related Repairers salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rhode Island | $72K | +32% | 800 |
| California | $67K | +22% | 14,050 |
| District of Columbia | $63K | +14% | 30 |
| New Jersey | $62K | +14% | 3,720 |
| Alaska | $62K | +12% | 270 |
| Minnesota | $61K | +11% | 2,910 |
| Missouri | $61K | +10% | 4,350 |
| Hawaii | $61K | +10% | 450 |
| Nevada | $61K | +10% | 1,020 |
| Oregon | $60K | +9% | 1,660 |
| Colorado | $60K | +9% | 3,120 |
| Massachusetts | $59K | +8% | 3,060 |
| Washington | $58K | +6% | 2,330 |
| Connecticut | $58K | +6% | 1,850 |
| Virginia | $58K | +5% | 3,720 |
| Montana | $58K | +5% | 500 |
| Michigan | $57K | +4% | 5,010 |
| Wisconsin | $57K | +3% | 2,690 |
| Maryland | $56K | +2% | 2,930 |
| North Dakota | $55K | +0% | 680 |
| Arizona | $55K | -1% | 2,750 |
| Nebraska | $54K | -1% | 1,120 |
| Pennsylvania | $54K | -2% | 6,650 |
| South Carolina | $53K | -3% | 2,140 |
| New Hampshire | $53K | -4% | 750 |
| Alabama | $52K | -5% | 1,810 |
| Illinois | $52K | -5% | 5,750 |
| Texas | $52K | -6% | 14,070 |
| Georgia | $51K | -7% | 4,680 |
| Indiana | $51K | -7% | 3,780 |
| Vermont | $51K | -7% | 320 |
| North Carolina | $51K | -8% | 5,180 |
| Maine | $50K | -8% | 680 |
| Utah | $50K | -9% | 1,590 |
| Mississippi | $50K | -10% | 1,380 |
| South Dakota | $49K | -10% | 800 |
| Iowa | $49K | -10% | 1,830 |
| Arkansas | $49K | -10% | 1,140 |
| Wyoming | $49K | -10% | 200 |
| Idaho | $49K | -10% | 850 |
| Ohio | $49K | -11% | 5,950 |
| Kansas | $49K | -11% | 1,530 |
| Oklahoma | $49K | -11% | 2,330 |
| Delaware | $49K | -11% | 340 |
| Florida | $49K | -11% | 9,220 |
| New Mexico | $48K | -12% | 810 |
| New York | $48K | -13% | 8,530 |
| Tennessee | $47K | -14% | 3,970 |
| Louisiana | $47K | -14% | 1,660 |
| West Virginia | $47K | -14% | 670 |
| Kentucky | $46K | -16% | 1,680 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track automotive body and related repairers salary changes
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Frequently asked questions
Can a automotive body and related repairer afford a 2BR apartment alone in South Bend-Mishawaka?
Yes — at the median salary of $55K, rent takes 26.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $993/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for automotive body and related repairers in South Bend-Mishawaka?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new automotive body and related repairers typically earn — is $37K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,244/month. At HUD’s $993/month FMR, rent would take 44% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is automotive body and related repairer a high-paying job in South Bend-Mishawaka?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $55K locally vs. $55K nationally, a 1% difference.
How does South Bend-Mishawaka compare to the national average for automotive body and related repairers?
South Bend-Mishawaka pays $55K median vs. the U.S. average of $55K — that’s +1%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 92.86), the purchasing-power equivalent is $60K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do automotive body and related repairers make in South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI?
The median is $55,360 a year, that works out to about $27 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $37,400, and experienced automotive body and related repairers can clear $92,450. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $55K enough to live in South Bend-Mishawaka?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,736/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $993/month, which eats 26.6% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a automotive body and related repairers salary go in South Bend-Mishawaka?
South Bend-Mishawaka has a Regional Price Parity of 92.86 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median automotive body and related repairers salary is worth about $59,617 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do automotive body and related repairers get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.