Automotive Body and Related Repairers Salary

The median automotive body and related repairers salary in the United States is $54,890 per year ($26.39/hour). Salaries range from $36,910 at the entry level to $87,940+ for the top 10% of earners. There are 149,310 automotive body and related repairers jobs nationwide. Employment is projected to grow 1.6% through 2034.

Last updated: June 2026 Β· Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Median Salary
$54,890
per year
Hourly Rate
$26.39
per hour
Employment
149,310
jobs in the U.S.

Salary Distribution

10th percentile
$36,910
25th percentile
$45,750
Median
$54,890
75th percentile
$69,200
90th percentile
$87,940

Job Growth (2024-2034)

+1.6%
Slower than average

Annual Openings

14,600
jobs/year (growth + replacements)

Education Required

High school diploma or equivalent

Training Needed

Long-term on-the-job training

Automotive Body and Related Repairers Career Guide

Interview questions, resume templates, and a career ladder written specifically for automotive body and related repairerss.

Auto body repairers (collision technicians) restore vehicles after accidents β€” structural repair, panel replacement, refinishing, and increasingly ADAS calibration. Entry $38-55k; established $58-82k; senior collision tech or refinish specialist $75-105k; body shop foreman or estimator $95-135k+. High school diploma is baseline; hands-on apprenticeship, I-CAR training, and OEM certifications drive advancement.

Core Skills Hiring Managers Screen For

Structural repair and frame straightening
Read damage estimates, measure with laser or ultrasonic equipment (Chief, Car-O-Liner), and restore vehicles to OEM structural spec. Modern unibody vehicles require precision and specialized equipment.
Panel replacement and welding
MIG, resistance spot welding, and increasingly aluminum welding for modern vehicles. OEM-specific weld procedures on high-strength steel, aluminum, and mixed-material vehicles.
Refinishing and color match
Prep, spray, and clear coat with color-matching skill on modern pearl, metallic, and tri-coat paints. PPG, BASF, or Axalta system training.
ADAS calibration
Advanced driver-assistance systems (cameras, radar, lidar) require calibration after collision repair. Growing scope of every collision job.
Estimating and blueprinting
Read OEM repair procedures, CCC/Mitchell/Audatex estimate systems, and identify non-visible damage. Blueprinting the full job upfront prevents supplements.
Plastic and composite repair
Bumper covers, interior panels, and composite body parts. Plastic welding and adhesive repair on modern vehicles.
Customer service
Explain repair scope to customers, work with insurance adjusters, and manage timelines. Insurance-heavy shops need diplomatic tech-to-adjuster relationships.

How to Become a Automotive Body and Related Repairers

  1. 1
    Complete high school with auto shop or vo-tech coursework
    High school auto body programs, technical high schools, or SkillsUSA competitions build early foundation.
  2. 2
    Complete a collision repair training program
    1-2 year community college or trade school program in collision technology. Not required but accelerates hiring.
  3. 3
    Start as a body shop helper or apprentice
    $15-22/hr. Learn tool handling, teardown, and simple repairs under a senior technician. 18-36 months to journey level.
  4. 4
    Earn I-CAR ProLevel certifications and OEM training
    I-CAR ProLevel 1, 2, and 3 in Structural, Non-Structural, and Refinishing. OEM training (Ford, GM, Tesla, Honda, Subaru) opens certified-shop premium rates.
  5. 5
    Advance to Sr Tech, Foreman, or Estimator
    $75-135k+. Sr technicians on flat-rate systems can push $100k+ in busy shops. Foreman and estimator roles trade wrench time for shop leadership.

Career Progression

Body Shop Helper / Apprentice
0-2 yrs$32-48k ($15-22/hr)
  • β€’Teardown, cleanup, and simple mechanical R&I
  • β€’Assist senior techs on structural and refinishing work
  • β€’Learn shop workflow and safety protocols
  • β€’Build tool inventory ($3-10k over first 2-3 years)
Next: Body Technician at 1-3 years.
Body Technician / Refinish Technician
2-6 yrs$52-78k ($26-40/hr or flat-rate)
  • β€’Independent panel replacement and structural repair
  • β€’Welding, plastic repair, refinishing to OEM spec
  • β€’Blueprint jobs and identify non-visible damage
  • β€’ADAS calibration when trained
Next: Sr Technician or specialty (aluminum, EV, refinish) at 5-10 years.
Sr Collision Technician / Master Technician
5-15 yrs$75-115k on flat-rate
  • β€’Complex structural and OEM-certified repairs
  • β€’Aluminum, EV, and luxury vehicle work
  • β€’Mentor apprentices and journeymen
  • β€’Blueprint complex jobs and drive shop quality
Next: Shop Foreman or Estimator at 10-15 years.
Shop Foreman / Estimator / Body Shop Manager
10+ yrs$95-155k+
  • β€’Manage shop production and technician team
  • β€’Estimate insurance jobs and work with adjusters
  • β€’Own DRP (direct repair program) relationships
  • β€’Manage cycle time, gross profit, and CSAT
Next: Multi-shop manager or shop owner.

Interview Questions & Answers

5 free questions below. Career Kit unlocks 13 total plus resume bullets for every level.

Q1. Walk me through blueprinting a mid-severity collision.technical
Teardown to expose full damage, identify all damaged parts (including hidden β€” suspension mounts, apron panels, radiator support). Reference OEM repair procedures for that vehicle and year. Build the estimate line-by-line with all operations, materials, and refinish times. Note any pre-existing damage. Identify ADAS calibration required. Discuss with customer or insurance adjuster before starting. Good blueprinting reduces supplements to under 15% of job value.
Q2. How do you handle a vehicle that isn't cost-effective to repair?situational
Document total damage and estimate honestly. If repair cost exceeds 70-80% of ACV, communicate to insurance adjuster with photos and detailed estimate. Total loss determination is theirs, but honest scoping prevents customer disappointment and shop reputation damage. Never inflate an estimate to make a job repairable.
Q3. Describe a difficult repair.behavioral
STAR. Situation: 2022 Rivian R1T with structural damage to the aluminum battery frame β€” few shops in the region qualified to touch it. Task: repair to Rivian spec or refuse the job honestly. Action: verified our shop's Rivian certification and equipment (aluminum-dedicated welding area, correct pull system), followed the OEM procedure step-by-step, and calibrated ADAS after reassembly. Result: repair passed factory inspection; shop now handles 3-5 Rivians monthly.
Q4. Why collision repair?culture
Hands-on technical work with real impact β€” you're taking a wrecked vehicle and making it safe and cosmetically right. Good money for someone who works hard and takes certifications seriously. And the work keeps evolving with EVs, aluminum, and ADAS.
Q5. Where do you see yourself in 5 years?closer
Master Collision Technician with EV and aluminum certifications, running my own bay on flat-rate. Long term I'd consider foreman or estimator work β€” leadership without leaving the shop.

Resume Template β€” Body Technician (2-6 yrs)

Copy these bullets into your resume as a starting point. Career Kit includes bullets for every level of the ladder.

Body Technician (2-6 yrs)
  • β–Έ3+ years at [collision shop], completing 320+ repairs FY24 across structural and non-structural work.
  • β–ΈI-CAR ProLevel 2 in Structural, Non-Structural, and Refinishing. Ford, GM, and Tesla OEM training.
  • β–ΈFlat-rate production averaging 55 hours/week booked with 92% on-time delivery.
  • β–ΈZero comebacks on FY24 completed jobs; 4.8/5 shop-level CSAT.

What Gets You Rejected

  • βœ—Poor welding technique β€” welds are safety-critical and I-CAR audits catch shortcuts.
  • βœ—Doesn't reference OEM repair procedures β€” sectioning or welding where OEM prohibits is a liability nightmare.
  • βœ—Weak blueprinting β€” chronic supplements signal poor teardown discipline.
  • βœ—No fluency in ADAS calibration β€” critical gap in 2024-2025 vehicles.
  • βœ—Poor color match on premium paints β€” refinishing is where craft shows.
  • βœ—Rough on cars β€” dents, drops, and scratches during handling kill shop reputation.

Salary Negotiation Levers

  • βœ“I-CAR ProLevel 3 (Platinum) in Structural β€” premium at any modern shop.
  • βœ“OEM certifications (Tesla, Rivian, Lucid, Porsche, aluminum-Ford) β€” direct hourly rate premium.
  • βœ“ADAS calibration capability β€” earns supplemental billing on nearly every modern job.
  • βœ“Flat-rate mastery β€” top technicians book 55-65 hours/week and take home 30-40% more than hourly.
  • βœ“Metro market premium: California, NYC, Boston pay 25-40% above secondary markets.
  • βœ“DRP shop with steady insurance flow vs. independent β€” tradeoff of steadier income vs. rate.

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Automotive Body and Related Repairers Salary by State

Best Cities (cost-adjusted) β†’

Salary Map β€” Click a state for details

$46K
$72Kβ–  No data

Top Paying States

Rhode Island
$72K
+32%
California
$67K
+22%
District of Columbia
$63K
+14%
New Jersey
$62K
+14%
Alaska
$62K
+12%
Minnesota
$61K
+11%
Hawaii
$61K
+10%
Missouri
$61K
+10%
Nevada
$61K
+10%
Oregon
$60K
+9%
Vertical line = national median. Click a state for full details.
StateMedianvs. National
Rhode Island$72,490+32.1%
California$66,860+21.8%
District of Columbia$62,640+14.1%
New Jersey$62,400+13.7%
Alaska$61,680+12.4%
Minnesota$60,970+11.1%
Hawaii$60,540+10.3%
Missouri$60,540+10.3%
Nevada$60,520+10.3%
Oregon$60,000+9.3%
1–10 of 51

Automotive Body and Related Repairers Salary by Metro Area

Metro AreaMedianvs. National
Hinesville, GA$81,790+49.0%
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA$78,060+42.2%
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$76,800+39.9%
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$76,740+39.8%
Vallejo, CA$73,890+34.6%
Modesto, CA$68,640+25.1%
El Centro, CA$68,410+24.6%
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA$67,790+23.5%
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA$67,090+22.2%
Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ$66,340+20.9%
1–10 of 364
Data Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). Data reflects the most recent annual survey.
How does this compare to pro athletes?
A automotive body and related repairers earning $54,890/year would need 1086 years to match Stephen Curry's NBA salary, or 1166 yearsto match Patrick Mahomes' NFL contract.
See all sports & celebrity salaries β†’
πŸ“ˆ See how automotive body and related repairers salaries have changed over the past decade.
View Automotive Body and Related Repairers salary trend (2011–2024) β†’