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Role hub · Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists

Diesel Mechanic: what the job is, what it pays, and how to get hired.

The work, the skills that matter, the tools in demand and the pay range, from U.S. government data, plus every TryHired page for the role.

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Updated Oct 24, 2026 · Data: BLS OEWS May 2025 · O*NET 31.0
Pay ladder · select a percentile
Median percentile pay

Half of diesel mechanics earn more than this and half earn less.

Annual
$61,770
Hourly
$29.70
Source
BLS May 2025
Quick answer

Diesel Mechanics diagnose, adjust, repair, or overhaul buses and trucks, or maintain and repair any type of diesel engines. The median pay is $61,770 a year ($29.70 an hour) (BLS, May 2025). The most commonly reported education requirement is a post-secondary certificate (39% of workers surveyed by O*NET).

Median pay
$61,770
BLS May 2025
Employed in the U.S.
289,960
BLS May 2025
Preparation
Job Zone 3 of 5
medium preparation
Most common education
Post-Secondary Certificate
39% of workers

Data Government data groups this job as Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists (O*NET-SOC 49-3031.00). Figures on this page are for that occupation.

Explore the role

Every page for Diesel Mechanics

SalaryDiesel Mechanic salary

Pay by percentile, state and metro, with a negotiation script.

Open →How to becomeDiesel Mechanic how to become

Education, training and the skills to build first.

Open →Career changeDiesel Mechanic career change

Where these skills transfer, with skill match and pay change.

Open →Free toolCheck your resume

Parsed text, evidence per bullet, fixes first.

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The work

What diesel mechanics do day to day

Data Core tasks rated most important by workers in the role (O*NET).

  1. Use handtools, such as screwdrivers, pliers, wrenches, pressure gauges, or precision instruments, as well as power tools, such as pneumatic wrenches, lathes, welding equipment, or jacks and hoists.
  2. Inspect brake systems, steering mechanisms, wheel bearings, and other important parts to ensure that they are in proper operating condition.
  3. Raise trucks, buses, and heavy parts or equipment using hydraulic jacks or hoists.
  4. Adjust and reline brakes, align wheels, tighten bolts and screws, and reassemble equipment.
  5. Attach test instruments to equipment, and read dials and gauges to diagnose malfunctions.
  6. Perform routine maintenance such as changing oil, checking batteries, and lubricating equipment and machinery.
  7. Examine and adjust protective guards, loose bolts, and specified safety devices.
  8. Inspect, test, and listen to defective equipment to diagnose malfunctions, using test instruments such as handheld computers, motor analyzers, chassis charts, or pressure gauges.
Skills that matter

Ranked by importance to the job

Data O*NET importance ratings. The first three are core.

TroubleshootingcoreRepairingcoreOperations MonitoringcoreEquipment MaintenanceQuality Control AnalysisCritical ThinkingEquipment SelectionJudgment and Decision MakingSpeaking

Knowledge areas: Mechanical, Transportation, Education and Training, English Language, Public Safety and Security, Mathematics.

Tools and technology

Software diesel mechanics use

Data Examples reported for the role; employer demand flags from O*NET.

  • Autodesk AutoCADComputer aided design CAD softwareHot technology
  • Dassault Systemes SolidWorksComputer aided design CAD softwareHot technology
  • Computerized maintenance management system software CMMSFacilities management software
  • Cummins INSITEAnalytical or scientific software
  • Dassault Systemes CATIAComputer aided design CAD software
  • Engine diagnostic softwareAnalytical or scientific software
  • Fleet management softwareMaterials requirements planning logistics and supply chain software
  • Inventory tracking softwareInventory management software
  • Shop management softwareFacilities management software
  • Microsoft ExcelSpreadsheet softwareHot technology
  • Microsoft Office softwareOffice suite softwareHot technology
  • Microsoft WordWord processing softwareHot technology

Also called: Bus Mechanic, Diesel Technician (Diesel Tech), Fleet Mechanic, General Repair Mechanic, Heavy Truck Mechanic.

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Method

How this page is built

Tasks, skills, tools, education and related roles come from O*NET 31.0. Pay and employment come from the BLS OEWS May 2025 national estimates. The skill-match score is our calculation: Skill match is the correlation between the two occupations' skill profiles: for each of 35 O*NET skills (10 essential, 25 transferable) we multiply importance by level, subtract the average across all occupations, and correlate the two profiles. 100 means identical shape; 0 or below means unrelated. Only occupations that O*NET itself lists as related are compared.

What this page can't tell you
  • How a specific employer defines the job.
  • Pay for self-employed workers (OEWS covers employees).
  • Your own chances: data describes the occupation, not you.
Sources
  1. O*NET 31.0 Database, U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. TryHired selected, ranked and combined the data; O*NET is not responsible for these pages.
  2. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates (public domain).