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Average pay for a mechanic in NY is $52K. Average nationwide is about $49K. Average nationwide salary by some estimates is $59,428. Plus, it's a job that isn't

Average pay for a mechanic in NY is $52K. Average nationwide is about $49K. Average nationwide salary by some estimates is $59,428. Plus, it's a job that isn't considered "cool" or "attractive" to anyone but teenage boys. Yet somehow we still get articles like this that are basically saying "wow, the top 1% of a mediocre-paying field gets 6 figs, why oh why are people not clamoring to work? So tired of this low-intelligence conversation.

FirmwareBurner 3y ago
>So tired of this low-intelligence conversation. It's more like propaganda to attract more people into the field.
Manuel_D 3y ago
The US median income is 31,133 USD. So these mechanics are making ~2x average income. Furthermore, the growth over recent years has been significant 12-15% over the last couple years. Yes, it's attention-grabbing to focus on the top few percent, but it's equally low-effort to dismiss the the core message of the article.
- robcohen 3y ago
  https://www.ssa.gov/oact/cola/AWI.html https://www.ssa.gov/oact/cola/AWI.html It’s not that low, it’s higher according to many sources.
  - Manuel_D 3y ago
    "Average wage index" sounds like it's measuring mean, not median.
    - robcohen 3y ago
      I mean there’s more sources but ok.
AngryData 3y ago
And you also have to consider the amount of money they put into their tools too. Mechanics need to be holding tens of thousands of dollars in tools, they aren't given tools by their employer to use. And if they work for more than a few years in that job there are health issues that arise. My mechanic father for example needed both shoulders replaced, has nerve damage from tool vibration, and his hands are basically permenant claws that can still pull a wrench but prevent him from opening a jar or bottle of pop without a tool to help grip it.
- tomcam 3y ago
  > And you also have to consider the amount of money they put into their tools too. And training. One of the smartest people I know spent $50K to get trained as a certified Ford mechanic, then another $50K on tools. He became a general contractor because working on houses used the exact same principles but everything is way easier because it's at a far larger scale. And sorry about your dad. A lot of these guys sacrifice their knees as well.
  - badpun 3y ago
    > He became a general contractor because working on houses used the exact same principles but everything is way easier because it's at a far larger scale. There's way more lifting and carrying of heavy things when dealing with houses. Apartments without elevators are the worst, since you need to carry the heavy stuff up and down the stairs.
- solarman5000 3y ago
  Tools are a lot cheaper if you don't listen to the hype from the snap-on guy
csteubs 3y ago
I'm not sure what aspect of this conversation is "low intelligence", but automotive technician salary data doesn't often match reality where techs can (and often do) make close to double their "official" salary in side jobs. I'm a full-time engineering manager at a startup in LA, and I do repair gigs in my garage during the evenings and on weekends--all word-of-mouth referrals from former and returning customers. I've made a shade over $30k after expenses this year doing 2-3 jobs a week. Most are catalytic converter replacements that I charge a flat $500 for on $145 in parts; takes me an hour per. I've done everything from rear main seals to fuel pump replacements to in-and-out oil/filter changes. What your comment and sentiment misses, I think, is that a significant percentage of mechanics do shade-tree jobs that won't ever be accounted for in official reports. Dealers and shops have become extremely hit-and-miss, part quality fell dramatically during the pandemic (ask me how I know), and thrifty consumers are more inclined to spend money on independent mechanics that work out of a small shop; there's a ton of money not being accounted for in the process. Maybe not "cool" or "attractive" to you, but I'd love to never have to touch a keyboard again and spend my time working on cars, boats, and fabrication.
- gumballindie 3y ago
  > consumers are more inclined to spend money on independent mechanics that work out of a small shop; I’d love to have this option in the UK. Everything being over regulated the type of service is all but extinct.
  - badpun 3y ago
    These guys aren't legit. It's usually just a guy fixing cars and taking money into his pocket in exchange.
- sokka_h2otribe 3y ago
  Catalytic converter replacements? Are you talking about when they get removed or when they get genuinely replaced?
  - csteubs 3y ago

FirmwareBurner 3y ago

>So tired of this low-intelligence conversation. It's more like propaganda to attract more people into the field.

Manuel_D 3y ago

The US median income is 31,133 USD. So these mechanics are making ~2x average income. Furthermore, the growth over recent years has been significant 12-15% over the last couple years. Yes, it's attention-grabbing to focus on the top few percent, but it's equally low-effort to dismiss the the core message of the article.

robcohen 3y ago
https://www.ssa.gov/oact/cola/AWI.html https://www.ssa.gov/oact/cola/AWI.html It’s not that low, it’s higher according to many sources.
- Manuel_D 3y ago
  "Average wage index" sounds like it's measuring mean, not median.
  - robcohen 3y ago
    I mean there’s more sources but ok.

AngryData 3y ago

And you also have to consider the amount of money they put into their tools too. Mechanics need to be holding tens of thousands of dollars in tools, they aren't given tools by their employer to use. And if they work for more than a few years in that job there are health issues that arise. My mechanic father for example needed both shoulders replaced, has nerve damage from tool vibration, and his hands are basically permenant claws that can still pull a wrench but prevent him from opening a jar or bottle of pop without a tool to help grip it.

tomcam 3y ago
> And you also have to consider the amount of money they put into their tools too. And training. One of the smartest people I know spent $50K to get trained as a certified Ford mechanic, then another $50K on tools. He became a general contractor because working on houses used the exact same principles but everything is way easier because it's at a far larger scale. And sorry about your dad. A lot of these guys sacrifice their knees as well.
- badpun 3y ago
  > He became a general contractor because working on houses used the exact same principles but everything is way easier because it's at a far larger scale. There's way more lifting and carrying of heavy things when dealing with houses. Apartments without elevators are the worst, since you need to carry the heavy stuff up and down the stairs.
solarman5000 3y ago
Tools are a lot cheaper if you don't listen to the hype from the snap-on guy

csteubs 3y ago

I'm not sure what aspect of this conversation is "low intelligence", but automotive technician salary data doesn't often match reality where techs can (and often do) make close to double their "official" salary in side jobs. I'm a full-time engineering manager at a startup in LA, and I do repair gigs in my garage during the evenings and on weekends--all word-of-mouth referrals from former and returning customers. I've made a shade over $30k after expenses this year doing 2-3 jobs a week. Most are catalytic converter replacements that I charge a flat $500 for on $145 in parts; takes me an hour per. I've done everything from rear main seals to fuel pump replacements to in-and-out oil/filter changes. What your comment and sentiment misses, I think, is that a significant percentage of mechanics do shade-tree jobs that won't ever be accounted for in official reports. Dealers and shops have become extremely hit-and-miss, part quality fell dramatically during the pandemic (ask me how I know), and thrifty consumers are more inclined to spend money on independent mechanics that work out of a small shop; there's a ton of money not being accounted for in the process. Maybe not "cool" or "attractive" to you, but I'd love to never have to touch a keyboard again and spend my time working on cars, boats, and fabrication.

gumballindie 3y ago
> consumers are more inclined to spend money on independent mechanics that work out of a small shop; I’d love to have this option in the UK. Everything being over regulated the type of service is all but extinct.
- badpun 3y ago
  These guys aren't legit. It's usually just a guy fixing cars and taking money into his pocket in exchange.
sokka_h2otribe 3y ago
Catalytic converter replacements? Are you talking about when they get removed or when they get genuinely replaced?
- csteubs 3y ago