Updated May 2026 · BLS OEWS 2024
Diesel Mechanic Salary in Denver
2024 BLS OEWS Data · Automotive · COL Index: 128
Diesel Mechanics in Denver, CO earn a median annual wage of $71,080 per 2024 BLS OEWS data, with the 10th percentile at $50,490 and the 90th at $99,030. After cost of living, that translates to $55,531 in U.S.-average purchasing power. Trade Pay Score: C (58/100).
What Diesel Mechanics Take Home in Denver
The $48,540 spread between entry-level and top-decile diesel mechanics in Denver is relatively narrow — about 68% of the median. That tight band usually signals a trade where pay scales primarily with experience rather than employer or specialization. New entrants can expect to climb steadily toward median pay over their first 5-10 years.
With Denver's cost-of-living index of 128, a diesel mechanic earning $71,080 here translates to about $55,531 in U.S.-average purchasing power. That is a meaningful but manageable adjustment — the metro's higher pay typically clears the cost-of-living gap with room to spare in skilled trades.
With a Trade Pay Score of 58 (C), diesel mechanics in Denver are mid-tier — neither standout strong nor materially weak. The combination earns a reasonable nominal wage but is dragged down by either flatter wage growth, a higher cost of living that erodes purchasing power, or thinner employment depth. Workers should compare the per-trade pages to see if a different metro improves the grade.
Salary Distribution
Percentile Breakdown
| Level | Salary | COL-Adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| 10th Percentile (Apprentice / Entry) | $50,490 | $39,445 |
| 25th Percentile (Early Career) | $59,240 | $46,281 |
| 50th Percentile (Journeyman / Median) | $71,080 | $55,531 |
| 75th Percentile (Experienced) | $82,660 | $64,578 |
| 90th Percentile (Master / Foreman) | $99,030 | $77,367 |
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 diesel mechanics, typical entry-level requirements, on-the-job training expectations — comes from the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook at bls.gov/ooh. Apprenticeship programs in Denver are listed at apprenticeship.gov. All three are public-domain federal data sources.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does a Diesel Mechanic make in Denver?
Per 2024 BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics data, the median diesel mechanic salary in Denver, CO is $71,080. The 10th percentile is $50,490 (typical for entry-level or apprentice-tier positions); the 90th percentile reaches $99,030 (master, foreman, or specialty roles).
How does Denver pay compare for Diesel Mechanics?
With a Trade Pay Score of 58/100 and a grade of C, the Denver-Diesel Mechanic pairing is a mid-tier combination that is neither standout strong nor materially weak.
What is the apprenticeship path for Diesel Mechanics in Denver?
Diesel Mechanics typically complete a 3-year registered apprenticeship before reaching journeyman pay, starting around the 10th percentile ($50,490) and progressing toward the median. Registered apprenticeship programs in the area are listed at https://www.apprenticeship.gov/.
How does cost of living affect Diesel Mechanic pay in Denver?
Denver has a cost-of-living index of 128. The median diesel mechanic salary of $71,080 translates to $55,531 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.
Diesel Mechanics in Denver, CO earn a median annual wage of $71,080 per 2024 BLS OEWS data, with the 10th percentile at $50,490 and the 90th at $99,030. After cost of living, that translates to $55,531 in U.S.-average purchasing power. Trade Pay Score: C (58/100).
this entity is one of the data points covered by this site’s U.S. skilled-trade wage data dataset. The detail above comes directly from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey; the context that follows situates the headline numbers against the broader distribution across U.S. trades, cities, and states.
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.