Installation, Maintenance, and Repair
Automotive Body and Related Repairers
Repair and refinish automotive vehicle bodies and straighten vehicle frames.
MAY 2025 · OCCUPATIONAL WAGES
A wage reference for United States.
Published wage percentiles describe a distribution within the source occupation group. They provide context for a career decision; employer packages and job offers have their own terms.
Source wage group: Automotive Body and Related Repairers
This wage group may include multiple detailed occupations. The figures are for the source group, which may be broader than Automotive Body and Related Repairers. They are not an exact-title, employer, experience or seniority match.
May 2025 · USD · United States. Annual and hourly figures are shown only when the source publishes them; neither is calculated from the other.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics occupational wage data, distributed through the O*NET® OnLine service.
Median annual wage$54,890USD per year · Published 50th percentile
Median hourly wage$26.39USD per hour · Published 50th percentile
Annual wage thresholds
USD per year
Hourly wage thresholds
USD per hour
| Percentile | Annual wage (USD/year) | Hourly wage (USD/hour) |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $36,910 | $17.74 |
| 25th | $45,750 | $21.99 |
| 50th · Median | $54,890 | $26.39 |
| 75th | $69,200 | $33.27 |
| 90th | $87,940 | $42.28 |
“≥” means at least the published amount; “≤” means at most that amount. These are bounds, not exact values. “Not published” means the source did not provide that figure. Occupational wages follow the source definition and do not establish an employer’s base salary, equity or total compensation.
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THE WORK BEHIND THE TITLE
What this career involves.
Occupation definitions describe common work. Responsibilities and requirements vary by employer and specific job.
Selected title examples
Auto Body CustomizerAuto Body DetailerAuto Body Estimator (Automotive Body Estimator)Auto Body ManAuto Body MechanicAuto 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 RepairerAuto Body RepairmanAuto Body Service MechanicAuto Body Shop Tech (Automotive Body Shop Technician)
Expand more title examples (48)
Auto Body StraightenerAuto Body WorkerAuto Bumper MechanicAuto Bumper StraightenerAuto Detailer (Automotive Detailer)Auto Manufacturing Service Mechanic (Automotive Manufacturing Service Mechanic)Auto RebuilderAuto RefinisherAuto Repair Tech (Automotive Repair Technician)Auto Seat Cover InstallerAuto Slip Cover InstallerAuto Vinyl Top InstallerAutobody TechnicianAutomobile Body CustomizerAutomobile Body RepairerAutomobile RepairerAutomotive Body Technician (Auto Body Tech)Automotive MetalsmithAutomotive Technician (Auto Tech)Body ManBody MechanicBody SanderBody Shop EstimatorBody Shop FloorpersonBody Shop PainterBody Shop Tech (Body Shop Technician)Body Shop WorkerBody SpecialistBody StraightenerBody Technician (Body Tech)Body Work Auto TrimmerBody WorkerBumper StraightenerCar Body MechanicCar CustomizerCar RefinisherCollision Body Tech (Collision Body Technician)Collision MechanicCollision Repair Technician (Collision Repair Tech)Collision Technician (Collision Tech)Collision WorkerCustom Car BuilderFender MechanicFender RepairerFender WorkerFiberglass Autobody RepairerFrame ManFrame Straightener
Typical tasks
- File, grind, sand, and smooth filled or repaired surfaces, using power tools and hand tools.
- Inspect repaired vehicles for proper functioning, completion of work, dimensional accuracy, and overall appearance of paint job, and test-drive vehicles to ensure proper alignment and handling.
- Fit and weld replacement parts into place, using wrenches and welding equipment, and grind down welds to smooth them, using power grinders and other tools.
- Prime and paint repaired surfaces, using paint sprayguns and motorized sanders.
- Follow supervisors' instructions as to which parts to restore or replace and how much time the job should take.
- Sand body areas to be painted and cover bumpers, windows, and trim with masking tape or paper to protect them from the paint.
Expand more tasks (19)
- Chain or clamp frames and sections to alignment machines that use hydraulic pressure to align damaged components.
- Position dolly blocks against surfaces of dented areas and beat opposite surfaces to remove dents, using hammers.
- Cut and tape plastic separating film to outside repair areas to avoid damaging surrounding surfaces during repair procedure and remove tape and wash surfaces after repairs are complete.
- Review damage reports, prepare or review repair cost estimates, and plan work to be performed.
- Fill small dents that cannot be worked out with plastic or solder.
- Remove damaged sections of vehicles using metal-cutting guns, air grinders and wrenches, and install replacement parts using wrenches or welding equipment.
- Remove small pits and dimples in body metal, using pick hammers and punches.
- Remove upholstery, accessories, electrical window-and-seat-operating equipment, and trim to gain access to vehicle bodies and fenders.
- Mix polyester resins and hardeners to be used in restoring damaged areas.
- Fit and secure windows, vinyl roofs, and metal trim to vehicle bodies, using caulking guns, adhesive brushes, and mallets.
- Adjust or align headlights, wheels, and brake systems.
- Replace damaged glass on vehicles.
- Remove damaged panels, and identify the family and properties of the plastic used on a vehicle.
- Apply heat to plastic panels, using hot-air welding guns or immersion in hot water, and press the softened panels back into shape by hand.
- Clean work areas, using air hoses, to remove damaged material and discarded fiberglass strips used in repair procedures.
- Soak fiberglass matting in resin mixtures and apply layers of matting over repair areas to specified thicknesses.
- Read specifications or confer with customers to determine the desired custom modifications for altering the appearance of vehicles.
- Cut openings in vehicle bodies for the installation of customized windows, using templates and power shears or chisels.
- Measure and mark vinyl material and cut material to size for roof installation, using rules, straightedges, and hand shears.
Skills used in this work
- Repairing
- Repairing machines or systems using the needed tools.
- Troubleshooting
- Determining causes of operating errors and deciding what to do about it.
- Active Listening
- Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
- Critical Thinking
- Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
- Monitoring
- Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
- Operations Monitoring
- Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
Expand more skills (29)
- Quality Control Analysis
- Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
- Speaking
- Talking to others to convey information effectively.
- Time Management
- Managing one's own time and the time of others.
- Active Learning
- Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
- Complex Problem Solving
- Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
- Coordination
- Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
- Judgment and Decision Making
- Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
- Operation and Control
- Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
- Reading Comprehension
- Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
- Service Orientation
- Actively looking for ways to help people.
- Social Perceptiveness
- Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
- Equipment Selection
- Determining the kind of tools and equipment needed to do a job.
- Equipment Maintenance
- Performing routine maintenance on equipment and determining when and what kind of maintenance is needed.
- Persuasion
- Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.
- Writing
- Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
- Instructing
- Teaching others how to do something.
- Learning Strategies
- Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
- Negotiation
- Bringing others together and trying to reconcile differences.
- Management of Personnel Resources
- Motivating, developing, and directing people as they work, identifying the best people for the job.
- Mathematics
- Using mathematics to solve problems.
- Systems Analysis
- Determining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes.
- Systems Evaluation
- Identifying measures or indicators of system performance and the actions needed to improve or correct performance, relative to the goals of the system.
- Installation
- Installing equipment, machines, wiring, or programs to meet specifications.
- Operations Analysis
- Analyzing needs and product requirements to create a design.
- Management of Financial Resources
- Determining how money will be spent to get the work done, and accounting for these expenditures.
- Management of Material Resources
- Obtaining and seeing to the appropriate use of equipment, facilities, and materials needed to do certain work.
- Technology Design
- Generating or adapting equipment and technology to serve user needs.
- Programming
- Writing computer programs for various purposes.
- Science
- Using scientific rules and methods to solve problems.
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