SOC 49-3021.00

    Automotive Body and Related Repairers

    Repair and refinish automotive vehicle bodies and straighten vehicle frames.

    Median pay
    $54,890
    Growth
    +3.7%
    As fast as average
    Openings a year
    12,600
    Typical education
    High school diploma

    Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition

    Source: BLS 2025 wages · 2025–35 projections

    See the pathway

    Annual pay range

    Lowest 10% earn less than
    $36,910
    Median
    $54,890
    Highest 10% earn more than
    $87,940
    National wages for all workers in this occupation. BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.

    149,310 people work in this occupation.

    In short

    Automotive body and related repairers restore and refinish vehicle bodies and straighten frames. The career offers a median annual pay of $54,890, with opportunities to work in hands-on vehicle restoration.

    Written with AI from the BLS, O*NET and CareerOneStop data on this page. Every figure is checked against that data before it is published.

    What automotive body and related repairers do

    Job Zone 2: Some preparation

    Repair and refinish automotive vehicle bodies and straighten vehicle frames.

    Usually a high school diploma; some on-the-job training or experience.

    What the work is like

    People in this profession spend their days repairing damaged vehicle structures and refinishing exterior surfaces. The daily routine involves inspecting equipment and vehicles, identifying damage, and solving mechanical problems to plan the necessary repairs. Repairers operate specialized mechanized devices and vehicles to complete their work.

    Success in this field requires strong troubleshooting and repairing skills, alongside active listening to understand customer needs. Workers must monitor operations and perform quality control analysis to ensure all repairs meet safety standards. This role is highly suited for individuals with realistic interests who enjoy practical, hands-on activities. Key knowledge areas include mechanical systems, transportation, production processes, and public safety. To perform the work safely and effectively, repairers must show great attention to detail, dependability, cautiousness, and perseverance under stressful shop conditions.

    How to get there

    Entering this career typically requires a high school diploma. Because this occupation is classified under moderate preparation, most workers also need some on-the-job training or previous experience to become fully proficient.

    Students interested in this field often pursue college majors in vehicle maintenance and repair technologies or technician programs. While learning the trade, individuals can seek certifications such as the Collision Repair for Career-Technical Education (Safety and Pollution Prevention) credential. Depending on where you plan to work, some states also list a license for this type of vehicle repair work.

    Pay and outlook explained

    In 2025, the median annual pay for automotive body and related repairers was $54,890. Earnings can vary significantly based on experience and location; the lowest 10% of workers earn less than $36,910, while the highest 10% earn more than $87,940.

    There are 149,310 people employed in this field. Between 2025 and 2035, employment is projected to grow by 3.7%, which is as fast as the average for all occupations. Job seekers can expect about 12,600 openings each year during this ten-year period.

    Interest profile

    Realistic (R) · strongest
    100 / 100
    Investigative (I)
    10 / 100
    Artistic (A)
    7 / 100
    Social (S)
    1 / 100
    Enterprising (E)
    8 / 100
    Conventional (C)
    39 / 100
    How strongly each interest area describes the work, from O*NET (scores rescaled to 0–100). The interest code lists the strongest areas in order.

    Interest code RCI. Compare it with yours

    What you'd do

    Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
    78
    Getting Information
    77
    Making Decisions and Solving Problems
    76
    Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment
    73
    Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
    72
    Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work
    72
    Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials
    72
    Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards
    70
    Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
    70
    Processing Information
    70
    Work activities rated by importance for this occupation, O*NET (0–100).

    Skills and strengths

    Skills

    • Repairing
    • Troubleshooting
    • Active Listening
    • Critical Thinking
    • Monitoring
    • Operations Monitoring
    • Quality Control Analysis
    • Speaking
    • Time Management
    • Active Learning

    Knowledge

    • Mechanical
    • Customer and Personal Service
    • Production and Processing
    • Mathematics
    • English Language
    • Transportation
    • Engineering and Technology
    • Public Safety and Security
    • Education and Training
    • Administration and Management

    Abilities

    • Arm-Hand Steadiness
    • Manual Dexterity
    • Visualization
    • Finger Dexterity
    • Information Ordering
    • Near Vision
    • Oral Comprehension
    • Problem Sensitivity
    • Visual Color Discrimination
    • Category Flexibility

    Work styles

    • Attention to Detail
    • Dependability
    • Cautiousness
    • Perseverance
    • Stress Tolerance
    • Achievement Orientation
    • Integrity
    • Self-Confidence
    • Self-Control
    • Adaptability

    Also called

    Auto Body Customizer · Auto Body Detailer · Auto Body Estimator (Automotive Body Estimator) · Auto Body Man · Auto Body Mechanic · Auto Body Paint Prepper (Automotive Body Paint Prepper) · Auto Body Paint Tech (Automotive Body Paint Technician) · Auto Body Repair Technician (Auto Body Repair Tech) · Auto Body Repairer · Auto Body Repairman

    Career pathway

    From your interests to automotive body and related repairers

    Interests that fit the work, the career, majors that lead there and colleges whose graduates in those majors earn the most. Hover or focus a step to follow one path.

    1. Interests

    2. This career

      • Automotive Body and Related Repairers$54,890 median pay

    3. Majors

    4. Colleges

    College Scorecard program outcomes

    Colleges with strong outcomes

    Programs that lead to this career, ranked by what their graduates earn four years after finishing. Earnings are for graduates who received federal aid.

    1. 1
      Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Worldwide

      Daytona Beach, FL · Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      $77,491
      4 yrs after
      $87,797
      Median debt
      $21,986
    2. 2SUNY Morrisville logo
      SUNY Morrisville

      Morrisville, NY · Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      $51,819
      4 yrs after
      $61,351
      Median debt
      Not reported

    Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard field-of-study data, 2025. Programs with few graduates are not listed.

    NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk

    Majors that lead here

    Related programs by four-digit CIP code. They are common routes in, not the only ones.

    CareerOneStop

    Certifications, licenses and pay by state

    What automotive body and related repairers may need beyond a degree, where a license is required, and what the work pays in each state.

    Certifications

    Core certifications employers recognise for this work.

    Search all certifications on CareerOneStop

    Training

    Programs of study that prepare people for this work.

    • Autobody/Collision and Repair Technology/Technician

    Find training near you on CareerOneStop

    Licenses by state

    2 states list a license for this work. Open your state for the license and the agency that issues it.

    Check license requirements on CareerOneStop

    Data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor (Employment and Training Administration, with the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development). Retrieved November 9, 2026.

    Your plan

    Build my pathway plan

    Courses, majors, colleges, scholarships and a timeline for this career, built from your profile.

    Related careers

    Careers with similar work, interests or skills.

    All careers

    Questions about automotive body and related repairers

    Written with AI from the BLS, O*NET and CareerOneStop data on this page. Every figure is checked against that data before it is published.

    What are some common alternative job titles for this career?

    Workers in this field are also called auto body repair technicians, auto body mechanics, auto body paint preppers, auto body customizers, and auto body estimators.

    What level of education is typically required to start?

    A high school diploma is the typical education needed to enter the field. Some on-the-job training or experience is also usually required to prepare for the work.

    Are there any specific certifications or licenses available?

    Yes, workers can obtain the Collision Repair for Career-Technical Education (Safety and Pollution Prevention) certification. Additionally, some states list a license for this work.

    Sources and attribution

    Every figure on this page comes from these public datasets. Missing values are shown as not reported, never estimated.

    O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. CollegesRef has modified all or some of this information.

    Data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor (Employment and Training Administration, with the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development). Retrieved November 9, 2026.

    Page data updated November 5, 2026.