Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, aged to 2026 using compounded market movement. State selections show BLS state-level figures where published. Actual pay varies with experience, industry, and organization size.
Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists salary by state
Base salary plus target annual bonus. Target bonus opportunity scales with role level, so a higher base carries a higher target percentage.
Base salary
$66,500
National baseline
Target bonus
$6,500
10.1% of base
Total target cash
$73,000
Base plus target bonus
Bonus percentiles:25th$4,00050th$6,50075th$10,500
Long-term incentive is not shown for this role. Equity awards are only disclosed publicly for the named executive officers of public companies, so no market figure exists for most jobs. See executive pay disclosures.
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About this role
Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists is a professional role within the function in the Installation, Maintenance, and Repair job family.
Typical entry preparation: Post-Secondary Certificate and up to 1 year of related work experience, per O*NET occupational data. Advancement typically requires additional years in role.
What Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialistss do
Typical education: Post-Secondary Certificate
Use handtools, such as screwdrivers, pliers, wrenches, pressure gauges, or precision instruments, as well as power tools, such as pneumatic wrenches, lathes, welding equipment, or jacks and hoists.
Inspect brake systems, steering mechanisms, wheel bearings, and other important parts to ensure that they are in proper operating condition.
Raise trucks, buses, and heavy parts or equipment using hydraulic jacks or hoists.
Adjust and reline brakes, align wheels, tighten bolts and screws, and reassemble equipment.
Attach test instruments to equipment, and read dials and gauges to diagnose malfunctions.
Top skills:TroubleshootingRepairingOperations MonitoringEquipment MaintenanceQuality Control AnalysisCritical Thinking
Includes information from O*NET OnLine by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (CC BY 4.0).
Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists pay by experience level
Entry level$46,000
Typical starting pay (about the 10th percentile)
Early career$52,500
A few years in (about the 25th percentile)
Experienced$64,000
Mid-career median pay
Senior$78,000
Seasoned professionals (about the 75th percentile)
Top earners$92,000
Highest earners (about the 90th percentile)
Experience tiers are derived from the BLS wage percentile distribution for this occupation, aged to 2026. Actual pay varies by employer, location, and specialization.
Job outlook
+2.4%
projected change in jobs, 2024–2034
26,500
projected openings per year
Growing slower than average
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program (2024–2034). Openings include growth and replacement needs.
Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists salary by industry
Truck Transportation
56,870 workers
$62,000
Merchant Wholesalers, Durable Goods
33,490 workers
$68,500
Federal, State, and Local Government, excluding State and Local Schools and Hospitals and USPS
33,130 workers
$74,000
Repair and Maintenance
33,000 workers
$63,500
Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation)
28,920 workers
$74,500
Automotive Repair and Maintenance
27,190 workers
$62,500
Motor Vehicle and Motor Vehicle Parts and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers
26,260 workers
$68,500
Rental and Leasing Services
18,860 workers
$63,500
Automotive Equipment Rental and Leasing
16,350 workers
$63,000
Waste Management and Remediation Services
14,700 workers
$66,000
National sector-level figures, BLS OEWS May 2025, aged to 2026.
Who works in this role
About 369,000 people held this occupation in the United States in 2025.
Women
1.8%
White
88.1%
Black or African American
7.1%
Asian
2.2%
Hispanic or Latino
22.6%
Race categories and Hispanic or Latino ethnicity overlap, so shares can sum to more than 100 percent. Figures describe this occupation across the national workforce, not any single employer. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Population Survey, Annual Averages, Table 11, 2025.
Pay trend
National median annual wage, 2020 to 2025: $50,200 to $61,770.
+23.0% over this period
Medians as published each May in the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics national estimates. Nominal dollars, not adjusted for inflation. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS.
Pay by experience level
How annual pay for this occupation spreads from newcomers to the highest paid, aged to 2026.
Entry10th percentile
$46,000
Early career25th percentile
$52,500
Median50th percentile
$64,000
Experienced75th percentile
$78,000
Top earners90th percentile
$92,000
Bands are the 10th, 25th, 50th, 75th, and 90th percentile annual wages for this occupation nationally. Percentiles reflect the full mix of tenure, employer, and location, so they approximate but do not equal years of experience. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS national estimates.
Where this job pays most
Top-paying states for this occupation, average annual wage aged to 2026.
State averages for this occupation from the BLS OEWS state estimates. Cost of living differs by state; a higher wage does not always mean more buying power.
The abilities employers and analysts most associate with this occupation.
TroubleshootingRepairingOperations MonitoringEquipment MaintenanceQuality Control AnalysisCritical Thinking
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, O*NET occupational database.
Typical duties and FLSA status
Core duties
Use handtools, such as screwdrivers, pliers, wrenches, pressure gauges, or precision instruments, as well as power tools, such as pneumatic wrenches, lathes, welding equipment, or jacks and hoists.
Inspect brake systems, steering mechanisms, wheel bearings, and other important parts to ensure that they are in proper operating condition.
Raise trucks, buses, and heavy parts or equipment using hydraulic jacks or hoists.
Adjust and reline brakes, align wheels, tighten bolts and screws, and reassemble equipment.
Attach test instruments to equipment, and read dials and gauges to diagnose malfunctions.
FLSA classification (typical)
Typically Non-exempt · Service, trades, or production work
Occupations in this SOC group are typically classified as Non-exempt and eligible for overtime pay under FLSA rules. Actual classification depends on the specific job duties, salary basis, and any applicable state or local rules. The current federal salary threshold for exemption is $684 per week ($35,568 per year), per the 2020 Department of Labor rule; the 2024 rule that would have raised the threshold was struck down by federal court in November 2024.
Pay outlook
Five-year pay outlook for this title
2026$66,500
2027$69,000
2028$71,000
2029$73,500
2030$76,500
2031$79,000
Projection assumes market wages keep rising about 3.5% a year, consistent with recent wage growth measured by the BLS Employment Cost Index. It reflects market movement for the title, not individual raises or promotions, which vary.
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Sources and assumptions
Modeled market estimate, aged to 2026. Underlying source families are BLS OEWS May 2025 for BLS-mapped occupations and the 2018–19 collection for corporate titles. Annual aging is compounded at approximately 3–4%; geographic, industry and company-size repricing are modeled. See the role details and methodology for the applicable source and assumptions.
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How much does a Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists make?
The median market pay for a Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists in the United States is about $66,500 per year in 2026, based on WePayFairly's market model.
What is the salary range for a Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists?
Most Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists pay falls between about $52,500 (25th percentile) and $78,000 (75th percentile), with top earners above $92,000.
What does a Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists do?
Core responsibilities include: use handtools, such as screwdrivers, pliers, wrenches, pressure gauges, or precision instruments, as well as power tools, such as pneumatic wrenches, lathes, welding equipment, or jacks and hoists; and inspect brake systems, steering mechanisms, wheel bearings, and other important parts to ensure that they are in proper operating condition.
Is pay for Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists roles growing?
Yes. The national median wage for this occupation moved from $50,200 in 2020 to $61,770 in 2025, a change of +23% in nominal dollars.
How this role compares
Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists pays 0% below the average across 52 roles in the Installation, Maintenance, and Repair job family (family average $66,500).
Similar-paying roles in Installation, Maintenance, and Repair
Related occupations from O*NET OnLine, U.S. Department of Labor.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists make?
The average base salary for a Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists in the United States is $66,500 per year, or about $31.97 per hour.
What is the typical salary range?
Pay typically falls between $52,500 and $78,000 per year (25th to 75th percentile) depending on experience, location, industry, and organization size.
How does this compare with other Installation, Maintenance, and Repair roles?
The Installation, Maintenance, and Repair job family averages $66,500 across 52 roles tracked by WePayFairly.
Need a defensible market price for this role? WePayFairly data is compiled from published survey sources and maintained by compensation professionals.
Need Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists pay benchmarked for your organization, or defensible compensation analysis for a dispute or valuation? Grahall builds it from primary sources, backed by an expert who testifies.
