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Diesel mechanics in Georgia: what they earn

Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists in Georgia earned a median $61,370 a year in May 2025, $29.50 an hour. 10,910 people held the job, 2.2 for every 1,000 jobs in the state. That median is 1% below the national figure of $61,770, and Georgia ranks 26 of 51 by pay for this trade.

Median annual
$61,370
$29.50 an hour
Rank by pay
#26
of 51 with a published median
Employed in GA
10,910
2.2 per 1,000 jobs
Location quotient
1.20
1.00 = national concentration

The full wage spread in Georgia

PointHourlyAnnualMeaning
10th percentile$22.06$45,890A tenth of the workforce earns less than this.
25th percentile$24.77$51,510A quarter earn less.
Median$29.50$61,370Half earn less, half earn more.
75th percentile$36.22$75,340A quarter earn more.
90th percentile$40.99$85,260A tenth earn more than this.
Mean$30.88$64,230The average. Pulled up by the top earners.

Annual figures are the hourly rate times 2,080 hours, BLS's full-time year. Overtime is inside the survey's earnings but not separated out.

Pay by metro area in Georgia

Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA employs the most diesel mechanics of the 13 metro areas based in Georgia that BLS publishes, 5,940, at a median $62,270 a year. The best-paid is Savannah, GA at $72,770.

MetroEmployedMedian annual10th pct90th pct
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA 5,940 $62,270 $48,920 $88,490
Savannah, GA 1,260 $72,770 $46,030 $85,260
Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC 310 $56,920 $38,240 $76,170
Dalton, GA 280 $58,820 $43,320 $77,770
Gainesville, GA 250 $57,100 $45,960 $78,420
Warner Robins, GA 190 $50,330 $40,630 $72,430
Columbus, GA-AL 160 $50,380 $40,250 $71,440
Macon-Bibb County, GA 160 $59,270 $43,470 $96,890
Albany, GA 130 $60,420 $38,420 $96,660
Athens-Clarke County, GA 100 $50,820 $37,570 $74,610
Brunswick-St. Simons, GA 90 $53,530 $39,720 $80,890
Valdosta, GA 90 $54,330 $35,930 $73,780
Rome, GA 80 $52,160 $39,120 $77,590

Metropolitan statistical areas as BLS publishes them in the same May 2025 estimates. A metro that crosses a state line is listed only under its primary state, so part of a neighboring state's metro can sit outside this table. Areas outside any metro are not shown. Listed under another state but reaching into Georgia: Chattanooga, TN-GA.

Georgia against its neighbors on the pay ladder

#StateMedian annualEmployed
23 Arizona $61,680 5,140
24 Wyoming $61,580 1,100
25 Michigan $61,420 9,020
26 Georgia $61,370 10,910
27 Virginia $61,090 8,070
28 Maine $60,850 1,380
29 Indiana $60,610 8,840

The complete ranking is on the Diesel mechanics page.

Against the national figure

FigureGeorgiaUnited States
Median annual$61,370$61,770
Median hourly$29.50$29.70
10th percentile, annual$45,890$44,530
90th percentile, annual$85,260$88,740
Employed10,910289,960

Apprenticeships in Georgia

U.S. Department of Labor records list 9 registered apprentices active in Georgia in fiscal year 2024 (October 2023 to September 2024) under the occupation titles DOL maps to bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists (SOC 49-3031). The file's fiscal 2024 records largely stop after February 2024. In fiscal 2023, the latest year the file holds in full, 3 apprentices started; 3 have a starting wage DOL counts, fewer than the 50 a median needs here. Of those who completed that year, 7 have an exit wage DOL counts, fewer than the 50 a median needs.

Find a registered program: DOL's Apprenticeship Finder → · Every state's count and wages for this trade →

Which wages DOL counts, which titles count and how the state is assigned are on the data page.

Other trades in Georgia

Electricians ($58,320) · Plumbers and pipefitters ($57,200) · HVAC technicians ($56,390) · Welders ($48,430) · Truck drivers (CDL) ($57,050) · Lineworkers (power-line installers) ($80,080) · Elevator installers ($83,500) · Ironworkers ($48,090) · Sheet metal workers ($56,800) · Carpenters ($49,350) · Brickmasons and blockmasons ($50,650) · Auto service technicians ($49,060) · Heavy equipment operators ($47,880) · Machinists ($52,610)

See all 15 ranked by pay in Georgia.

No state licensing records are sourced here for diesel mechanics. The steps into the trade are on the Diesel mechanics page. Numbers on this page are the May 2025 BLS estimates, apart from the apprenticeship figures, which are DOL's; see how the numbers are built.