BLS May 2025
Mechanic Salary in Wisconsin
Mechanic pay in Wisconsin ranks 16th nationally, a middle-of-the-table showing. For automotive service technicians and mechanics (SOC 49-3023), the Bureau of Labor Statistics May 2025 median is $54,350 a year, $3,730 above the national median of $50,620, and 12,270 wage and salary jobs sit behind it. Pay runs from $36,590 at the 10th percentile to $78,140 at the 90th, across 1.7 percent of U.S. technician jobs.
By Trevor Rupe, Contributor at Savo Media Group
At a Glance
- 16th of 50 states on median pay for automotive service technicians and mechanics (SOC 49-3023), $54,350 against $50,620 nationally.
- $73,930 for aircraft mechanics, 36 percent ahead of automotive technicians.
- A $41,550 spread between the 10th and 90th percentiles, 44th widest of 50.
Only $41,550 Separates Low and High Mechanic Salary in Wisconsin
$36,590 at the 10th percentile is $1,930 ahead of the national figure, while $78,140 at the 90th percentile is $3,650 behind the national figure. $41,550 across the pay scale falls $5,580 short of the country's range. Only 6 states have a narrower range than Wisconsin.
| Measure | Wisconsin | United States | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $36,590 | $34,660 | +$1,930 |
| 25th percentile | $44,550 | $38,900 | +$5,650 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $54,350 | $50,620 | +$3,730 |
| 75th percentile | $69,570 | $70,430 | -$860 |
| 90th percentile | $78,140 | $81,790 | -$3,650 |
| Mean | $56,900 | $56,420 | +$480 |
| Wage and salary jobs | 12,270 | 704,640 |
The 25th and 75th percentiles are $44,550 and $69,570, +$5,650 and -$860 next to the national edges.
Mean pay of $56,900 sits just $2,550 over the median.
$36,590, the 10th percentile, describes the distribution, not what a new hire earns.
Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI Leads Mechanic Pay in Wisconsin
15 metropolitan areas are priced. Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI, Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI and Madison, WI hold 11,620 jobs, and the largest of them pays $6,140 more than the state's $54,350 median.
Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI pays the most at $62,530, $9,890 over Duluth, MN-WI at $52,640, counting areas with 500 or more jobs.
4 nonmetropolitan areas add 3,050 jobs (25 percent of 12,270), all under the $54,350 state median at $45,210 to $49,420, while the best metro clears the best of them by $13,110.
3 of the 15 areas, led by Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI, extend into MN and carry one figure for the whole area.
| Area | Median | Against Wisconsin | 10th to 90th percentile | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $60,490 | +$6,140 | $39,310 to $92,480 | 7,180 |
| Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | $62,530 | +$8,180 | $36,940 to $89,240 | 3,170 |
| Madison, WI | $60,650 | +$6,300 | $37,440 to $81,490 | 1,270 |
| Duluth, MN-WI | $52,640 | -$1,710 | $37,800 to $83,680 | 650 |
| Appleton, WI | $58,060 | +$3,710 | $37,030 to $76,070 | 640 |
| Green Bay, WI | $56,180 | +$1,830 | $36,540 to $79,110 | 640 |
| Janesville-Beloit, WI | $53,240 | -$1,110 | $36,500 to $75,510 | 390 |
| Eau Claire, WI | $50,280 | -$4,070 | $36,450 to $75,800 | 370 |
| La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN | $50,180 | -$4,170 | $36,290 to $77,850 | 370 |
| Oshkosh-Neenah, WI | $52,040 | -$2,310 | $36,300 to $75,810 | 360 |
| Racine-Mount Pleasant, WI | $50,320 | -$4,030 | $36,700 to $77,010 | 350 |
| Wausau, WI | $53,100 | -$1,250 | $36,450 to $78,530 | 340 |
| Kenosha, WI | $57,540 | +$3,190 | $36,760 to $77,150 | 310 |
| Sheboygan, WI | $51,080 | -$3,270 | $36,690 to $77,160 | 310 |
| Fond du Lac, WI | $54,300 | -$50 | $36,100 to $81,560 | 260 |
| Northeastern Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area | $49,420 | -$4,930 | $35,610 to $73,460 | 1,070 |
| South Central Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area | $47,210 | -$7,140 | $35,900 to $76,790 | 1,040 |
| Western Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area | $45,210 | -$9,140 | $36,610 to $66,130 | 720 |
| Northwestern Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area | $48,850 | -$5,500 | $37,750 to $74,300 | 220 |
22 Ranked Mechanic Programs in Wisconsin
13 schools supply 22 ranked programs (13 automotive, 4 diesel, 3 collision repair and 2 aviation maintenance); Fox Valley Technical College in Appleton, WI scores best, 78.9 in diesel.
Prices start at $4,819 per year, in-state (Moraine Park Technical College, Fond du Lac, WI) and reach $5,184 a year, in-state (Milwaukee Area Technical College, Milwaukee, WI) across 22 priced programs.
Milwaukee Area Technical College sits in Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI, the best-paying area for mechanics at $62,530.
- Fox Valley Technical College Appleton, WI, diesel, score 78.9, #1 of 76
- Fox Valley Technical College Appleton, WI, automotive, score 75.8, #3 of 415
- Fox Valley Technical College Appleton, WI, collision repair, score 73.3, #2 of 59
- Gateway Technical College Kenosha, WI, diesel, score 68.2, #8 of 76
- Gateway Technical College Kenosha, WI, automotive, score 65.9, #24 of 415
- Waukesha County Technical College Pewaukee, WI, automotive, score 64.3, #39 of 415
- Fox Valley Technical College Appleton, WI, aviation maintenance, score 61.6, #32 of 148
- Chippewa Valley Technical College Eau Claire, WI, collision repair, score 58.1, #22 of 59
- Northcentral Technical College Wausau, WI, automotive, score 57.0, #122 of 415
- Northeast Wisconsin Technical College Green Bay, WI, collision repair, score 56.6, #29 of 59
- Chippewa Valley Technical College Eau Claire, WI, automotive, score 56.5, #129 of 415
- Moraine Park Technical College Fond du Lac, WI, automotive, score 56.3, #130 of 415
Best Mechanic Schools in Wisconsin (22 programs scored)
Where 12,270 Mechanics Work in Wisconsin
Technicians hold 4.2 of every 1,000 Wisconsin jobs, near the national rate (location quotient 0.92). The state is 40th of 50 on concentration.
Diesel mechanics rank first on concentration with a quotient of 1.23, and aircraft mechanics the least at 0.49.
Aircraft Mechanics Lead Trade Pay by $19,580 in Wisconsin
Pay swings 36 percent with the trade: aircraft mechanics make $73,930 compared with $54,350 for automotive technicians, with heavy equipment mechanics next at $65,450.
| Trade | Wisconsin median | U.S. median | Rank of 50 | Jobs | Best metro |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aircraft Mechanic | $73,930 | $79,870 | 37th | 1,270 | Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI, $90,050 |
| Heavy Equipment Mechanic | $65,450 | $65,510 | 23rd | 2,090 | Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI, $81,290 |
| Diesel Mechanic | $62,450 | $61,770 | 20th | 6,750 | Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI, $73,730 |
| Collision Repair Technician | $56,660 | $54,890 | 17th | 2,690 | Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI, $62,200 |
| Auto Mechanic | $54,350 | $50,620 | 16th | 12,270 | Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI, $62,530 |
Above their national medians: collision repair technicians ($56,660, +$1,770).
Aircraft mechanics ($73,930, -$5,940) earns less than its counterparts nationwide.
Near their national medians: heavy equipment mechanics ($65,450, -$60) and diesel mechanics ($62,450, +$680).
Aircraft mechanics do best in Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI, where the median is $90,050.
Wisconsin Between New Jersey and Michigan on Mechanic Pay
Closest in pay is Michigan, $54,120 ($230 below); after that comes New Jersey at $56,610, $2,260 higher.
5 states sit inside $2,500 of $54,350, 2 within $1,000.
Questions About Mechanic Salary in Wisconsin
What is a typical mechanic salary in Wisconsin?
A $54,350 median, $26.13 an hour, which is $3,730 above the nation. Pay runs $36,590 to $78,140 from the 10th to the 90th percentile.
Do aircraft mechanics out-earn auto mechanics in Wisconsin?
A $19,580 edge, $73,930 versus $54,350, on 1,270 jobs.
Which mechanic school in Wisconsin ranks highest?
The top score belongs to Fox Valley Technical College in Appleton, WI, at 78.9 out of 100; 22 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 Wisconsin for any one job depends on the employer, the metro area and the trade.
Sources for Mechanic Salary in Wisconsin
- BLS OEWS, Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics May 2025, read October 23, 2026.
- BLS OEWS technical notes Wage and salary workers only.