Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics Salary
The median pay for a automotive service technicians and mechanics in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN is $55,320/year ($26.6/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $35K at the entry level to $92K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 103.59), that's roughly $53,403 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,781/month, about 49% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $55K get you in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Chicago-Naperville-Elgin’s Regional Price Parity (103.59). 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 service technicians and mechanics
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What this looks like in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin
Automotive service technicians and mechanics pay in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin tracks closely to the national median, $55K locally vs. $51K nationwide, a 9% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,781/month, which is 48.8% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 103.59) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for automotive service technicians and mechanics in metros near Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Peoria | $48K | $52K |
| Rockford | $48K | $52K |
| Springfield | $49K | $53K |
| Champaign-Urbana | $48K | $52K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN
Entry-level automotive service technicians and mechanics (10th percentile) start around $35K. Mid-career wages sit at $55K. Top earners bring in $92K or more, a $58K spread from bottom to top.
Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $69K | +36% | 310 |
| California | $65K | +28% | 65,420 |
| Colorado | $61K | +21% | 12,300 |
| Alaska | $61K | +20% | 1,420 |
| Massachusetts | $61K | +20% | 12,710 |
| Connecticut | $60K | +19% | 6,960 |
| Virginia | $59K | +17% | 17,880 |
| New Hampshire | $59K | +17% | 4,840 |
| Montana | $59K | +16% | 2,900 |
| Oregon | $59K | +16% | 6,990 |
| Delaware | $58K | +15% | 1,910 |
| Minnesota | $58K | +15% | 11,980 |
| Maryland | $58K | +14% | 14,230 |
| North Dakota | $57K | +13% | 2,140 |
| Washington | $57K | +13% | 12,930 |
| New Jersey | $57K | +12% | 17,640 |
| Wisconsin | $54K | +7% | 12,270 |
| Michigan | $54K | +7% | 22,280 |
| New York | $54K | +7% | 32,020 |
| Hawaii | $52K | +3% | 2,710 |
| Maine | $52K | +3% | 3,390 |
| Rhode Island | $52K | +2% | 2,530 |
| Vermont | $52K | +2% | 1,610 |
| Wyoming | $51K | +1% | 1,560 |
| South Dakota | $51K | +1% | 2,010 |
| Nebraska | $51K | -0% | 4,560 |
| Iowa | $51K | -0% | 7,610 |
| Tennessee | $50K | -1% | 16,210 |
| Pennsylvania | $50K | -2% | 29,400 |
| Arizona | $50K | -2% | 16,400 |
| Indiana | $49K | -2% | 16,480 |
| Illinois | $49K | -3% | 29,510 |
| Missouri | $49K | -3% | 17,210 |
| Georgia | $49K | -3% | 22,070 |
| Ohio | $49K | -4% | 22,640 |
| Idaho | $48K | -4% | 5,030 |
| Texas | $48K | -5% | 69,750 |
| Nevada | $48K | -5% | 7,420 |
| Florida | $48K | -5% | 49,930 |
| North Carolina | $48K | -5% | 26,510 |
| South Carolina | $48K | -5% | 13,420 |
| Kansas | $48K | -6% | 6,240 |
| New Mexico | $47K | -7% | 5,080 |
| Utah | $47K | -8% | 9,350 |
| Oklahoma | $47K | -8% | 8,870 |
| Louisiana | $46K | -8% | 8,620 |
| Alabama | $46K | -10% | 9,040 |
| Kentucky | $45K | -11% | 11,140 |
| Arkansas | $44K | -13% | 7,310 |
| Mississippi | $38K | -25% | 7,410 |
| West Virginia | $38K | -26% | 4,490 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track automotive service technicians and mechanics salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Chicago-Naperville-Elgin numbers change.
Related careers in Repair & Maintenance
Frequently asked questions
Can a automotive service technicians and mechanic afford a 2BR apartment alone in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $55K, rent takes 48.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,781/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,100/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for automotive service technicians and mechanics in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new automotive service technicians and mechanics typically earn — is $35K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,071/month. At HUD’s $1,781/month FMR, rent would take 86% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is automotive service technicians and mechanic a high-paying job in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $55K locally vs. $51K nationally, a 9% difference.
How does Chicago-Naperville-Elgin compare to the national average for automotive service technicians and mechanics?
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin pays $55K median vs. the U.S. average of $51K — that’s +9%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 103.59), the purchasing-power equivalent is $53K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do automotive service technicians and mechanics make in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN?
The median is $55,320 a year, that works out to about $27 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $34,520, and experienced automotive service technicians and mechanics can clear $92,460. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $55K enough to live in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,646/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,781/month, which eats 48.8% 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 service technicians and mechanics salary go in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin?
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin has a Regional Price Parity of 103.59 (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 service technicians and mechanics salary is worth about $53,403 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do automotive service technicians and mechanics 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.