Updated May 2026 · BLS OEWS 2024
Auto Mechanic Salary in Chicago
2024 BLS OEWS Data · Automotive · COL Index: 107
Auto Mechanics in Chicago, IL earn a median annual wage of $58,340 per 2024 BLS OEWS data, with the 10th percentile at $34,960 and the 90th at $91,670. After cost of living, that translates to $54,523 in U.S.-average purchasing power. Trade Pay Score: D (51/100).
What Auto Mechanics Take Home in Chicago
The $56,710 spread between entry-level and top-decile auto mechanics in Chicago is around 97% of the median — a typical range for skilled trades. Workers can roughly double their entry pay through a combination of experience, certifications, union membership, and moving from helper to journeyman to foreman roles.
Chicago's cost-of-living index of 107 is within a few points of the U.S. average, so the $58,340 median for auto mechanics here translates almost directly into real purchasing power — roughly $54,523 in U.S.-average terms. What you see is what you take home, with no significant adjustment up or down.
With a Trade Pay Score of 51 (D), this trade-city pairing is below average. That typically reflects either weak nominal wages, sluggish 5-year wage growth, a high cost of living that hollows out real pay, or some combination. Workers should examine both the per-trade page (other cities for the same trade) and the per-city page (other trades in the same metro) to find a stronger fit.
Salary Distribution
Percentile Breakdown
| Level | Salary | COL-Adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| 10th Percentile (Apprentice / Entry) | $34,960 | $32,673 |
| 25th Percentile (Early Career) | $39,340 | $36,766 |
| 50th Percentile (Journeyman / Median) | $58,340 | $54,523 |
| 75th Percentile (Experienced) | $79,230 | $74,047 |
| 90th Percentile (Master / Foreman) | $91,670 | $85,673 |
How These Numbers Are Calculated
Every wage figure here comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program at bls.gov/oes — a survey of about 1.2 million employers per release covering more than 800 occupations and every U.S. metropolitan statistical area. The Trade Pay Score combines raw median pay (30%), 5-year wage growth (25%), employment depth (25%), and cost-of-living-adjusted purchasing power (20%) into a single 0-100 grade. Read the full methodology.
Career outlook detail — projected 2032 employment levels for auto mechanics, typical entry-level requirements, on-the-job training expectations — comes from the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook at bls.gov/ooh. Apprenticeship programs in Chicago are listed at apprenticeship.gov. All three are public-domain federal data sources.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does a Auto Mechanic make in Chicago?
Per 2024 BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics data, the median auto mechanic salary in Chicago, IL is $58,340. The 10th percentile is $34,960 (typical for entry-level or apprentice-tier positions); the 90th percentile reaches $91,670 (master, foreman, or specialty roles).
How does Chicago pay compare for Auto Mechanics?
With a Trade Pay Score of 51/100 and a grade of D, the Chicago-Auto Mechanic pairing is below average — workers should consider whether a different metro for the same trade might deliver a higher grade.
What is the apprenticeship path for Auto Mechanics in Chicago?
Auto Mechanics typically complete a 2-year registered apprenticeship before reaching journeyman pay, starting around the 10th percentile ($34,960) and progressing toward the median. Registered apprenticeship programs in the area are listed at https://www.apprenticeship.gov/.
How does cost of living affect Auto Mechanic pay in Chicago?
Chicago has a cost-of-living index of 107. The median auto mechanic salary of $58,340 translates to $54,523 in U.S.-average purchasing power — a downward adjustment because the metro is more expensive than average.
Where does this salary data come from?
Every wage figure on this page is a real BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics median or percentile from the 2024 release at https://www.bls.gov/oes/, which surveys roughly 1.2 million U.S. employers per release. Career outlook context (projected employment growth through 2032) comes from the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook at https://www.bls.gov/ooh/. Both are public-domain U.S. government data sources.
Auto Mechanics in Chicago, IL earn a median annual wage of $58,340 per 2024 BLS OEWS data, with the 10th percentile at $34,960 and the 90th at $91,670. After cost of living, that translates to $54,523 in U.S.-average purchasing power. Trade Pay Score: D (51/100).
For this entity, the underlying data on this page comes from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey. The breakdown above is the federal record; the paragraphs below add the per-entity context that makes the headline numbers usable for a real decision rather than just a data lookup.
Every number on this page links back to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey; the methodology page describes the inputs, refresh cadence, and known limitations of the underlying data product.
Practical use of this page is in combination with the comparison and ranking pages elsewhere on the site, which surface the same data for this entity’s peers within U.S. trades, cities, and states. A single-entity reading without peer context can be misleading when an entity is an outlier on one axis but typical on another.