Automotive Body and Related Repairers Salary
The median pay for a automotive body and related repairers in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV is $59,770/year ($28.74/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $40K at the entry level to $129K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 108.88), so that salary is closer to $54,895 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,246/month, about 57.6% of take-home, which is tight.
Where the paycheck goes
What $60K actually covers in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, month by month
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Washington-Arlington-Alexandria’s Regional Price Parity (108.88). 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 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria
Automotive body and related repairers pay in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria tracks closely to the national median, $60K locally vs. $55K nationwide, a 9% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,246/month, which is 56.7% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost-of-living overall is 9% above the national average (BEA RPP 108.88), so groceries and services cost more too. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for automotive body and related repairers in metros near Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson | $56K | $53K |
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk | $60K | $61K |
| Richmond | $54K | $55K |
| Roanoke | $50K | $53K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV
Entry-level automotive body and related repairers (10th percentile) start around $40K. Mid-career wages sit at $60K. Top earners bring in $129K or more, a $89K 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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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a automotive body and related repairer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $60K, rent takes 56.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,246/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,200/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for automotive body and related repairers in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new automotive body and related repairers typically earn — is $40K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,716/month. At HUD’s $2,246/month FMR, rent would take 83% 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 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $60K locally vs. $55K nationally, a 9% difference.
How does Washington-Arlington-Alexandria compare to the national average for automotive body and related repairers?
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria pays $60K median vs. the U.S. average of $55K — that’s +9%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 108.88), the purchasing-power equivalent is $55K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do automotive body and related repairers make in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV?
The median is $59,770 a year, that works out to about $29 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $39,650, and experienced automotive body and related repairers can clear $128,960. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $60K enough to live in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,961/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,246/month, which eats 56.7% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a automotive body and related repairers salary go in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria has a Regional Price Parity of 108.88 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median automotive body and related repairers salary is worth about $54,895 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.