BLS May 2025
Mechanic Salary in New York
New York holds 18th 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 $54,120 a year, $3,500 above the national median of $50,620, and 32,020 wage and salary jobs sit behind it. The wider gap is between trades: aircraft mechanics hit $102,800, 90 percent above automotive technicians.
By Trevor Rupe, Contributor at Savo Media Group
At a Glance
- 18th of 50 states on median pay for automotive service technicians and mechanics (SOC 49-3023), $54,120 against $50,620 nationally.
- $102,800 for aircraft mechanics, 90 percent above automotive technicians.
- A $56,020 spread between the 10th and 90th percentiles, 7th widest of 50.
Aircraft Mechanics Out-Earn Auto Mechanics by $48,680 in New York
Aircraft mechanics sit at $102,800 with 4,300 jobs behind it, 90 percent above automotive technicians at $54,120. Automotive technicians sit 4th of 5.
| Trade | New York median | U.S. median | Rank of 50 | Jobs | Best metro |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aircraft Mechanic | $102,800 | $79,870 | 2nd | 4,300 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ, $127,140 |
| Diesel Mechanic | $70,100 | $61,770 | 10th | 13,230 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ, $75,780 |
| Heavy Equipment Mechanic | $66,310 | $65,510 | 22nd | 4,700 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ, $78,060 |
| Auto Mechanic | $54,120 | $50,620 | 17th | 32,020 | Rochester, NY, $58,530 |
| Collision Repair Technician | $47,670 | $54,890 | 46th | 8,530 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ, $57,920 |
Aircraft mechanics ($102,800, +$22,930) and diesel mechanics ($70,100, +$8,330) make more than their counterparts nationwide.
Below their national medians: collision repair technicians ($47,670, -$7,220).
Level with the nation: heavy equipment mechanics ($66,310, +$800).
Against other states, aircraft mechanics place 2nd among 50 states at $102,800, the strongest of the trades here.
Aircraft mechanics do best in New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ, where the median is $127,140.
Mechanic Employment 27 Percent Below the National Rate in New York
Technician employment here is 3.3 per 1,000 jobs, 27 percent short of the national rate, a location quotient of 0.73. On concentration it ranks 50th of 50 states.
Collision repair technicians rank first on concentration (0.92, 8,530 jobs); heavy equipment mechanics trail at 0.43.
17 Ranked Mechanic Programs in New York
14 schools supply 17 ranked programs (12 automotive, 1 diesel, 2 collision repair and 2 aviation maintenance); SUNY College of Technology at Alfred in Alfred, NY scores best, 64.4 in automotive.
CUNY Bronx Community College in Bronx, NY is the least expensive of 17 priced programs at $5,206 a year, in-state; New York Automotive and Diesel Institute in Jamaica, NY is the most, at $31,650 for the 11-month program.
Monroe Community College sits in Rochester, NY, the best-paying area for mechanics at $58,530.
- SUNY College of Technology at Alfred Alfred, NY, automotive, score 64.4, #38 of 415
- Vaughn College of Aeronautics and Technology Flushing, NY, aviation maintenance, score 60.8, #38 of 148
- Suffolk County Community College Selden, NY, automotive, score 58.6, #103 of 415
- Lincoln Technical Institute-Whitestone Whitestone, NY, automotive, score 57.6, #115 of 415
- Western Suffolk BOCES Northport, NY, automotive, score 54.4, #157 of 415
- SUNY College of Technology at Delhi Delhi, NY, automotive, score 54.1, #165 of 415
- Monroe Community College Rochester, NY, automotive, score 50.8, #219 of 415
- SUNY Morrisville Morrisville, NY, automotive, score 48.5, #255 of 415
- Hudson Valley Community College Troy, NY, automotive, score 47.7, #267 of 415
- Hudson Valley Community College Troy, NY, collision repair, score 44.7, #51 of 59
- Dutchess Community College Poughkeepsie, NY, aviation maintenance, score 44.2, #112 of 148
- SUNY College of Technology at Canton Canton, NY, automotive, score 42.6, #343 of 415
Best Mechanic Schools in New York scores all 17 programs by one method
Mechanic Salary in New York Spans a $56,020 Range
The pay floor of $35,470 sits close to the U.S. figure, but the ceiling of $91,490 runs $9,700 more than the U.S. figure. The $56,020 spread across the pay scale beats the national spread by $8,890. Among states the 90th percentile places New York 8th.
| Measure | New York | United States | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $35,470 | $34,660 | +$810 |
| 25th percentile | $45,550 | $38,900 | +$6,650 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $54,120 | $50,620 | +$3,500 |
| 75th percentile | $73,320 | $70,430 | +$2,890 |
| 90th percentile | $91,490 | $81,790 | +$9,700 |
| Mean | $59,110 | $56,420 | +$2,690 |
| Wage and salary jobs | 32,020 | 704,640 |
Pay for the middle half runs $45,550 to $73,320, ahead of the national middle half at both edges (+$6,650 and +$2,890).
The $59,110 mean climbs $4,990 over the median on the strength of top earnings.
$35,470, the 10th percentile, says where the bottom tenth ends, not what a beginner is paid.
Rochester, NY Pays 23 Percent More Than Utica-Rome, NY
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ is the largest of 13 areas and pays $3,640 ahead of the $54,120 figure for New York; the next two, Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY and Rochester, NY, bring the top three to 33,320 jobs.
Rochester, NY out-pays Utica-Rome, NY by $10,760, $58,530 to $47,770 (areas with 500 or more jobs).
3 nonmetropolitan areas add 2,820 jobs (9 percent of 32,020), all under the $54,120 state median at $47,070 to $48,960, while the best metro clears the best of them by $9,570.
1 of the 13 areas, led by New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ, extend into NJ and carry one figure for the whole area.
| Area | Median | Against New York | 10th to 90th percentile | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $57,760 | +$3,640 | $34,740 to $94,320 | 28,420 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | $48,550 | -$5,570 | $36,080 to $74,980 | 2,590 |
| Rochester, NY | $58,530 | +$4,410 | $36,840 to $78,400 | 2,310 |
| Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | $55,500 | +$1,380 | $37,400 to $76,570 | 2,140 |
| Syracuse, NY | $49,410 | -$4,710 | $34,970 to $75,950 | 1,650 |
| Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY | $56,260 | +$2,140 | $37,260 to $80,300 | 1,530 |
| Utica-Rome, NY | $47,770 | -$6,350 | $34,770 to $72,580 | 670 |
| Binghamton, NY | $47,870 | -$6,250 | $35,970 to $77,210 | 520 |
| Kingston, NY | $53,290 | -$830 | $36,120 to $81,910 | 440 |
| Glens Falls, NY | $50,300 | -$3,820 | $37,020 to $75,250 | 370 |
| Watertown-Fort Drum, NY | $47,280 | -$6,840 | $34,920 to $69,490 | 350 |
| Elmira, NY | $46,720 | -$7,400 | $35,590 to $78,850 | 210 |
| Ithaca, NY | $48,820 | -$5,300 | $34,220 to $73,560 | 190 |
| Southwest New York nonmetropolitan area | $47,070 | -$7,050 | $34,110 to $65,930 | 1,180 |
| Central East New York nonmetropolitan area | $48,960 | -$5,160 | $34,160 to $74,610 | 880 |
| Capital/Northern New York nonmetropolitan area | $47,400 | -$6,720 | $34,500 to $72,790 | 760 |
Mechanic Licensing in New York
Repair businesses are licensed or registered through the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles: motor vehicle repair shop registration.
State inspection or emissions work calls for certified motor vehicle inspector, issued by the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles; that is a separate matter from general repair.
Official New York source (nysenate.gov), read October 23, 2026.
New York Between Michigan and Hawaii on Mechanic Pay
Michigan is the closest, at $54,120, $0 above; after that comes Hawaii at $52,160, a gap of $1,960.
7 other states fall within $2,500 of $54,120, and 2 of them within $1,000. The order is tightly packed here.
Questions About Mechanic Salary in New York
What is the mechanic salary in New York?
A $54,120 median, $26.02 an hour, which is $3,500 above the nation. Pay runs $35,470 to $91,490 from the 10th to the 90th percentile.
What is the pay gap between aircraft mechanics and auto mechanics in New York?
A premium of $48,680: $102,800 for aircraft mechanics next to $54,120 for automotive technicians, across 4,300 jobs.
Which mechanic school in New York ranks highest?
SUNY College of Technology at Alfred in Alfred, NY, with 64.4 points; 17 programs are ranked in all.
The figures here are the Bureau of Labor Statistics median for wage and salary workers, so the mechanic salary in New York for any one job depends on the employer, the metro area and the trade.
Sources for Mechanic Salary in New York
- BLS OEWS, Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics May 2025, read October 23, 2026.
- BLS OEWS technical notes Wage and salary workers only.
- Official New York source (nysenate.gov) Read October 23, 2026.