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Automotive Body and Related Repairers: Career Profile
Repair and refinish automotive vehicle bodies and straighten vehicle frames.
The Daily Work of Automotive Body and Related Repairers Do?
The day-to-day responsibilities of automotive body and related repairers span:
- File, grind, sand, and smooth filled or repaired surfaces, using power tools and hand tools.
- Inspect repaired vehicles for proper functioning, completion of work, dimensional accuracy, and overall appearance of paint job, and test-drive vehicles to ensure proper alignment and handling.
- Fit and weld replacement parts into place, using wrenches and welding equipment, and grind down welds to smooth them, using power grinders and other tools.
- Prime and paint repaired surfaces, using paint sprayguns and motorized sanders.
- Follow supervisors' instructions as to which parts to restore or replace and how much time the job should take.
- Sand body areas to be painted and cover bumpers, windows, and trim with masking tape or paper to protect them from the paint.
- Chain or clamp frames and sections to alignment machines that use hydraulic pressure to align damaged components.
- Position dolly blocks against surfaces of dented areas and beat opposite surfaces to remove dents, using hammers.
Skills and Knowledge
Successful automotive body and related repairers rely on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Key Skills
The abilities most central to this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Core Knowledge
Other Automotive Body and Related Repairers Job Titles
People in this occupation may also be known by titles such as:
- Auto Body Customizer
- Auto Body Detailer
- Auto Body Estimator (Automotive Body Estimator)
- Auto Body Man
- Auto Body Mechanic
- Auto Body Paint Prepper (Automotive Body Paint Prepper)
- Auto Body Paint Tech (Automotive Body Paint Technician)
- Auto Body Repair Technician (Auto Body Repair Tech)
Job Outlook
There are roughly 572,108 automotive body and related repairers working in the United States today. Demand is forecast to decline by -4.2% over the projection horizon.
How Much Do Automotive Body and Related Repairers Make?
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $50,670 |
| Hourly median | $24.36 |
| 10th percentile | $28,982 |
| 25th percentile | $39,826 |
| 75th percentile | $61,515 |
| 90th percentile | $72,359 |
Compensation varies based on experience, location, and industry.
Pay by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| California | $62,570 |
| Connecticut | $60,890 |
| New Jersey | $60,390 |
| Alaska | $60,190 |
| Minnesota | $60,160 |
| Hawaii | $59,770 |
| Rhode Island | $59,600 |
| Massachusetts | $59,300 |
| South Carolina | $59,190 |
| Maryland | $59,140 |
| Colorado | $59,070 |
| Missouri | $58,900 |
| Washington | $58,650 |
| Nevada | $57,490 |
| Vermont | $55,970 |
| Virginia | $55,870 |
| District of Columbia | $55,810 |
| South Dakota | $54,520 |
| New Hampshire | $51,450 |
| Pennsylvania | $51,390 |
| Maine | $51,360 |
| Utah | $51,080 |
| Illinois | $50,690 |
| North Carolina | $50,620 |
| Texas | $50,350 |
| New York | $50,340 |
| Kansas | $50,200 |
| Iowa | $50,170 |
| Tennessee | $50,140 |
| Nebraska | $50,090 |
| Wisconsin | $50,060 |
| Georgia | $50,020 |
| North Dakota | $49,970 |
| Florida | $49,760 |
| Oregon | $49,680 |
| Indiana | $49,550 |
| Arizona | $49,460 |
| Louisiana | $49,450 |
| Montana | $48,840 |
| Ohio | $48,720 |
| Michigan | $48,630 |
| Mississippi | $48,370 |
| Idaho | $47,680 |
| Delaware | $47,370 |
| Alabama | $47,250 |
| Arkansas | $47,230 |
| Kentucky | $47,160 |
| West Virginia | $47,050 |
| New Mexico | $46,660 |
| Oklahoma | $46,420 |
| Wyoming | $45,880 |
| Puerto Rico | $20,940 |
Top-Paying U.S. Regions
Compensation for automotive body and related repairers vary by region. The following regions pay the most:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Far Western US | $60,789 | 13.1% | 0.78 |
| New England | $57,863 | 4.4% | 1.00 |
| Plains States | $55,564 | 8.8% | 1.30 |
| Rocky Mountains | $53,866 | 4.1% | 1.02 |
| Middle Atlantic | $53,501 | 13.4% | 0.90 |
| Southeast | $50,674 | 28.1% | 1.22 |
| Southwest | $49,602 | 11.8% | 0.95 |
| Great Lakes | $49,507 | 16.0% | 1.13 |
Top Metro Areas
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | CA | $76,660 | 650 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | CA | $71,300 | 250 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | CA | $66,040 | 2,450 |
| Vallejo, CA | CA | $64,670 | 150 |
| Lexington Park, MD | MD | $64,570 | 50 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | MN | $64,400 | 1,920 |
| Kahului-Wailuku, HI | HI | $64,330 | 50 |
| Yuba City, CA | CA | $64,060 | 40 |
Which Industries Hire Automotive Body and Related Repairers
The largest employers of automotive body and related repairers are found across these industries:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Other Services (except Public Administration) | 111,450 | $52,310 |
| Retail Trade | 28,680 | $49,590 |
| Manufacturing | 6,940 | $54,390 |
| Wholesale Trade | 3,120 | $52,880 |
| Transportation and Warehousing | 1,220 | $59,650 |
| Real Estate and Rental and Leasing | 1,080 | $48,430 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 540 | $49,510 |
| Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | 530 | $71,290 |
The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.
Software Automotive Body and Related Repairers Use
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Operating system software: Microsoft Windows (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
The Day-to-Day Environment
The on-the-job environment of automotive body and related repairers reflects the following characteristics:
- Exposed to Contaminants
- Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls
- Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets
- Time Pressure
- Exposed to Hazardous Conditions
Getting Started in This Career
Entry-level automotive body and related repairers positions require a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education. This occupation sits in Some Preparation Needed (Job Zone 2), signaling the level of preparation typically expected.
Related Careers
Similar Occupations
- Sheet Metal Workers (Supplemental)
- Electric Motor, Power Tool, and Related Repairers (Primary-Short)
- Automotive Glass Installers and Repairers (Primary-Long)
- Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics (Primary-Short)
- Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists (Primary-Long)
- Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines (Supplemental)
- Rail Car Repairers (Primary-Short)
- Motorcycle Mechanics (Primary-Long)
Degree Programs
Future automotive body and related repairers often complete programs in:
Mechanic and Repair Technologies/Technicians
1 programs across 1 majors
Sources
Data on this page comes from the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 49-3021.00 (Automotive Body and Related Repairers).
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