BLS May 2025
Mechanic Salary in Indiana
Indiana holds 30th place of 50 for mechanic pay, between the top and the bottom. For automotive service technicians and mechanics (SOC 49-3023), the Bureau of Labor Statistics May 2025 median is $49,360 a year, $1,260 below the national median of $50,620, and 16,480 wage and salary jobs sit behind it. That is 2.3 percent of the 704,640 jobs nationwide, with the 10th percentile at $35,800 and the 90th at $78,580.
By Trevor Rupe, Contributor at Savo Media Group
At a Glance
- 30th of 50 states on median pay for automotive service technicians and mechanics (SOC 49-3023), $49,360 against $50,620 nationally.
- $64,200 for heavy equipment mechanics, 30 percent above automotive technicians.
- $35,800 to $78,580 from the 10th to the 90th percentile, 39th widest of 50.
Mechanic Salary in Indiana Trails the National Median by $1,260
The pay floor of $35,800 runs $1,140 over national pay, but the ceiling of $78,580 runs $3,210 under national pay. The $42,780 spread from bottom tenth to top tenth lands within $4,350 of the national one.
| Measure | Indiana | United States | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $35,800 | $34,660 | +$1,140 |
| 25th percentile | $38,500 | $38,900 | -$400 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $49,360 | $50,620 | -$1,260 |
| 75th percentile | $62,710 | $70,430 | -$7,720 |
| 90th percentile | $78,580 | $81,790 | -$3,210 |
| Mean | $53,710 | $56,420 | -$2,710 |
| Wage and salary jobs | 16,480 | 704,640 |
The 25th and 75th percentiles are $38,500 and $62,710, and each edge trails its national counterpart (-$400, -$7,720).
At $53,710, the mean climbs $4,350 over the median on the strength of top earnings.
$35,800, the 10th percentile, describes the distribution, not what a new hire makes.
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN Leads Mechanic Pay in Indiana
BLS prices 15 metropolitan areas in Indiana. The three largest are Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN at $55,320, Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN at $50,530 and Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN at $49,090, together 30,260 jobs; the biggest of them is $5,960 above the $49,360 state median.
The biggest area also pays most: Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN, $55,320, $7,880 over Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN (areas with 500 or more jobs).
Away from the metros, 3 nonmetropolitan areas hold 18 percent of the state's jobs and every one pays less than the $49,360 median, from $45,750 to $47,480.
4 of the 15 areas, led by Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN, extend into IL and carry one figure for the whole area.
| Area | Median | Against Indiana | 10th to 90th percentile | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $55,320 | +$5,960 | $34,520 to $92,460 | 20,140 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | $50,530 | +$1,170 | $36,100 to $80,060 | 5,600 |
| Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $49,090 | -$270 | $35,090 to $80,820 | 4,520 |
| Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $47,440 | -$1,920 | $34,180 to $77,170 | 3,640 |
| Fort Wayne, IN | $49,810 | +$450 | $35,850 to $77,080 | 1,240 |
| Evansville, IN | $47,920 | -$1,440 | $35,690 to $76,340 | 740 |
| South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI | $49,080 | -$280 | $36,420 to $77,260 | 670 |
| Elkhart-Goshen, IN | $49,990 | +$630 | $34,970 to $78,760 | 530 |
| Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN | $49,290 | -$70 | $35,420 to $76,940 | 480 |
| Terre Haute, IN | $46,840 | -$2,520 | $32,690 to $72,960 | 410 |
| Bloomington, IN | $48,480 | -$880 | $34,890 to $75,310 | 330 |
| Muncie, IN | $47,360 | -$2,000 | $35,140 to $75,910 | 260 |
| Michigan City-La Porte, IN | $50,400 | +$1,040 | $36,480 to $79,940 | 250 |
| Kokomo, IN | $48,580 | -$780 | $35,450 to $77,490 | 200 |
| Columbus, IN | $49,180 | -$180 | $36,220 to $74,650 | 190 |
| Northern Indiana nonmetropolitan area | $47,480 | -$1,880 | $31,640 to $75,920 | 1,240 |
| Southern Indiana nonmetropolitan area | $45,750 | -$3,610 | $35,770 to $75,770 | 850 |
| Central Indiana nonmetropolitan area | $45,870 | -$3,490 | $30,580 to $73,600 | 830 |
8 Ranked Mechanic Programs in Indiana
Ivy Tech Community College in Indianapolis, IN tops a field of 8 ranked programs (3 automotive, 1 diesel, 1 collision repair and 3 aviation maintenance) with 64.8 out of 100 in automotive, spread over 4 schools.
Prices start at $5,154 a year, in-state (Ivy Tech Community College, Indianapolis, IN) and hit $37,019 for the 14-month program (Lincoln College of Technology-Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IN) across 8 priced programs.
6 ranked programs are in Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN, where the median is $50,530.
- Ivy Tech Community College Indianapolis, IN, automotive, score 64.8, #34 of 415
- Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Indianapolis Indianapolis, IN, aviation maintenance, score 59.4, #41 of 148
- Ivy Tech Community College Indianapolis, IN, collision repair, score 59.3, #21 of 59
- Vincennes University Vincennes, IN, automotive, score 57.5, #117 of 415
- Vincennes University Vincennes, IN, aviation maintenance, score 49.7, #90 of 148
- Ivy Tech Community College Indianapolis, IN, aviation maintenance, score 47.5, #103 of 148
- Lincoln College of Technology-Indianapolis Indianapolis, IN, automotive, score 45.4, #308 of 415
- Lincoln College of Technology-Indianapolis Indianapolis, IN, diesel, score 44.3, #66 of 76
Best Mechanic Schools in Indiana, with 8 programs ranked in the state
Mechanic Employment Near the National Rate in Indiana
The technician share is 5.1 per 1,000 jobs, tracking the nation, a location quotient of 1.14. The state is 17th of 50 on concentration.
Diesel mechanics are the most concentrated trade (1.48, 8,840 jobs); aircraft mechanics trail at 0.53.
Heavy Equipment Mechanics Lead Trade Pay by $14,840 in Indiana
Trade choice changes pay by 30 percent here: heavy equipment mechanics make $64,200 compared with $49,360 for automotive technicians, with aircraft mechanics next at $63,400.
| Trade | Indiana median | U.S. median | Rank of 50 | Jobs | Best metro |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heavy Equipment Mechanic | $64,200 | $65,510 | 28th | 3,130 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN, $74,090 |
| Aircraft Mechanic | $63,400 | $79,870 | 47th | 1,500 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN, $100,610 |
| Diesel Mechanic | $60,610 | $61,770 | 28th | 8,840 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN, $65,680 |
| Collision Repair Technician | $51,160 | $54,890 | 29th | 3,780 | Fort Wayne, IN, $53,200 |
| Auto Mechanic | $49,360 | $50,620 | 30th | 16,480 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN, $55,320 |
Aircraft mechanics ($63,400, -$16,470) and collision repair technicians ($51,160, -$3,730) fall short of their national medians.
Level with the nation: heavy equipment mechanics ($64,200, -$1,310) and diesel mechanics ($60,610, -$1,160).
Against other states, aircraft mechanics place 47th among 50 states at $63,400, the softest of the trades here.
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN is the best metro for heavy equipment mechanics here, at $74,090.
Indiana Between Arizona and Illinois on Mechanic Pay
Illinois sits closest, at $49,170, $190 below; Arizona follows above at $49,570, $210 above.
21 other states fall within $2,500 of $49,360, and 8 of them within $1,000. The order is tightly packed here.
Questions About Mechanic Salary in Indiana
What is the average mechanic salary in Indiana?
A $49,360 median ($23.73 an hour), which is $1,260 below the nation. The 10th percentile is $35,800 and the 90th $78,580.
Do heavy equipment mechanics out-earn auto mechanics in Indiana?
Yes, by $14,840: $64,200 next to $49,360, on 3,130 jobs.
Which mechanic school in Indiana ranks highest?
Ivy Tech Community College (Indianapolis, IN) leads: with 64.8 points among 8 ranked programs.
The figures here are the Bureau of Labor Statistics median for wage and salary workers, so the mechanic salary in Indiana for any one job depends on the employer, the metro area and the trade.
Sources for Mechanic Salary in Indiana
- BLS OEWS, Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics May 2025, read October 23, 2026.
- BLS OEWS technical notes Wage and salary workers only.