Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics Salary
The median pay for a automotive service technicians and mechanics in Virginia is $59,330/year ($28.53/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $37K at the entry level to $93K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 94.79), which stretches that salary to about $62,591 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,646/month, about 42.2% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Virginia. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $59K get you in Virginia?
About automotive service technicians and mechanics
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What this looks like in Virginia
Virginia sits well above the national pay line for automotive service technicians and mechanics, local pay runs about 17% higher than the U.S. median of $51K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,646/month, which is 42.2% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 94.79 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 5% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Virginia
Entry-level automotive service technicians and mechanics (10th percentile) start around $37K. Mid-career wages sit at $59K. Top earners bring in $93K or more, a $56K spread from bottom to top.
Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics salary by metro in Virginia
9 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Richmond | $62K | +4% | 2,930 |
| Charlottesville | $59K | -0% | 430 |
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk | $58K | -2% | 3,560 |
| Winchester | $58K | -3% | 410 |
| Roanoke | $51K | -14% | 740 |
| Staunton-Stuarts Draft | $49K | -17% | 230 |
| Harrisonburg | $49K | -18% | 340 |
| Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford | $49K | -18% | 440 |
| Lynchburg | $47K | -21% | 590 |
Compare to other states
Track automotive service technicians and mechanics salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Virginia numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a automotive service technicians and mechanic afford a 2BR apartment alone in Virginia?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $59K, rent takes 42.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,646/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 service technicians and mechanics in Virginia?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new automotive service technicians and mechanics typically earn — is $37K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,192/month. At HUD’s $1,646/month FMR, rent would take 75% 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 Virginia?
Local pay is 17% above the national median — $59K here vs. $51K nationally.
How does Virginia compare to the national average for automotive service technicians and mechanics?
Virginia pays $59K median vs. the U.S. average of $51K — that’s +17%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 94.79), the purchasing-power equivalent is $63K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do automotive service technicians and mechanics make in Virginia?
The median is $59,330 a year, that works out to about $29 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $36,540, and experienced automotive service technicians and mechanics can clear $92,570. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $59K enough to live in Virginia?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,901/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,646/month, which eats 42.2% 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 Virginia?
Virginia has a Regional Price Parity of 94.79 (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 service technicians and mechanics salary is worth about $62,591 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.