Mechanic Salary in Australia: How Much Do Mechanics Earn?
If you love working on cars, becoming a mechanic can turn that interest into a full-time trade.
But let's get to the important question.
How much do mechanics actually earn in Australia?
The answer depends heavily on what type of mechanic you become.
A light vehicle mechanic servicing cars at a suburban workshop can have a very different income from a diesel mechanic maintaining trucks, a mobile plant technician working on heavy machinery or a FIFO mechanic maintaining mining equipment.
Experience, location, overtime and specialist skills can all make a significant difference.
How Much Do Mechanics Earn in Australia?
As a broad benchmark, Jobs and Skills Australia currently reports median full-time earnings of $1,622 per week before tax for Motor Mechanics, with median hourly earnings of approximately $40 per hour.
That works out to roughly $84,000 a year if you simply annualise the weekly figure across 52 weeks.
It's important to understand what that number represents.
The Motor Mechanics occupation group includes:
- General motor mechanics
- Diesel motor mechanics
- Motorcycle mechanics
- Small engine mechanics
So it shouldn't be interpreted as saying every light vehicle mechanic earns exactly $84,000.
It's a useful industry benchmark rather than a guaranteed salary.
How Much Does a Qualified Light Vehicle Mechanic Earn?
Qualified light vehicle mechanics can earn very different salaries depending on the workshop and their experience.
Your earning potential can be affected by:
- Years of experience
- Diagnostic ability
- Vehicle brands
- Location
- Dealership or independent workshop
- Overtime
- Specialist knowledge
- Supervisory responsibilities
A newly qualified mechanic is unlikely to command the same salary as an experienced diagnostic technician who's spent 15 years dealing with difficult faults.
Your trade qualification gets you through the door.
Experience increases your value afterwards.
What Is the Minimum Award Rate for a Qualified Mechanic?
Many mechanics working in vehicle repair and servicing are covered by the Vehicle Repair, Services and Retail Award.
As of July 2026, the award lists a minimum ordinary rate of $29.45 per hour for a Level R6 tradesperson or equivalent Level I and $32.22 per hour for a Level R7 tradesperson or equivalent Level II.
These are minimum award rates rather than typical market salaries.
An employer can pay considerably more.
Enterprise agreements and other employment arrangements can also provide different rates and conditions.
Why Do Some Mechanic Jobs Pay Much More?
"Mechanic" covers a huge range of work.
Consider the difference between someone servicing passenger cars and someone maintaining a giant piece of mining equipment worth millions of dollars.
They're both mechanical trades.
The commercial consequences of the equipment being broken are completely different.
Specialisation, responsibility and working conditions can therefore have a major impact on pay.
Does Experience Increase a Mechanic's Salary?
Generally, yes.
An experienced mechanic should be capable of completing work faster and diagnosing more difficult problems.
Fault finding is particularly important.
Anyone can eventually learn to replace a component.
The valuable skill is figuring out which component actually needs replacing.
Experienced technicians build knowledge from seeing thousands of vehicles and faults throughout their careers.
Eventually, a customer describes a problem and you've already got several likely causes running through your head.
That experience has value.
Diagnostic Technicians
Modern cars contain complicated electrical and electronic systems.
A strong diagnostic technician might need to understand:
- Mechanical systems
- Electrical circuits
- Sensors
- Vehicle networks
- Electronic control modules
- Scan tools
- Diagnostic software
The ability to solve difficult faults can make you considerably more valuable than someone who only performs straightforward servicing.
Modern automotive work increasingly rewards technicians who are comfortable with both mechanical and electrical systems.
Dealership Mechanic Salaries
Dealership technicians generally specialise in vehicles from a particular manufacturer or group of manufacturers.
That can provide extensive experience with:
- Manufacturer diagnostic equipment
- Common vehicle faults
- Technical service information
- Warranty procedures
- New vehicle technology
Dealerships can also provide clearer career progression into senior technician, foreman and workshop management positions.
Some workplaces may also offer bonuses or productivity-based incentives.
Independent Workshop Salaries
Independent mechanics generally work across a much wider range of vehicles.
You might see several completely different manufacturers in one day.
That variety can help develop broad diagnostic and repair skills.
Experienced mechanics working in busy independent workshops can earn good money, particularly if they're capable of handling difficult jobs without needing constant assistance.
European Vehicle Specialists
Specialising in European vehicles can be another pathway.
Workshops may focus on brands such as:
- BMW
- Mercedes-Benz
- Volkswagen
- Audi
- Porsche
- Volvo
These vehicles can require specialised diagnostic equipment and technical knowledge.
Technicians who become genuinely good with particular brands can become highly valuable to specialist workshops.
Especially when the car has decided to produce seven warning lights and none of them appear remotely related to the customer's original complaint.
Performance Mechanics
Performance workshops can specialise in:
- Engine modifications
- Tuning
- Turbocharging
- Suspension
- Exhaust systems
- Motorsport preparation
For someone genuinely passionate about cars, this can sound like the dream.
But don't automatically assume performance work pays more.
Specialist skills can be valuable, but pay still depends on the employer, your experience and the commercial side of the business.
Sometimes the coolest job isn't the highest-paying one.
Diesel Mechanic Salaries
Diesel mechanics can have access to higher-paying industries than general light vehicle technicians.
They may work on:
- Trucks
- Buses
- Commercial vehicles
- Industrial engines
- Equipment
Large commercial vehicles need to remain operational because downtime costs businesses money.
That can make experienced diesel technicians valuable.
Heavy Vehicle Mechanic Salaries
Heavy vehicle mechanics maintain and repair trucks, buses and other heavy commercial vehicles.
The work can involve:
- Diesel engines
- Brakes
- Suspension
- Driveline systems
- Electrical systems
- Diagnostics
Heavy vehicle maintenance can provide attractive earning opportunities, particularly where workshops operate extended hours.
Trucks don't conveniently stop needing repairs at 5pm.
Mobile Plant Mechanic Salaries
If earning potential is a major priority, mobile plant is worth knowing about.
Mobile plant technicians can work on equipment such as:
- Excavators
- Loaders
- Bulldozers
- Graders
- Mining equipment
- Construction machinery
This can take mechanics into construction, civil infrastructure and resources.
The machinery is bigger.
The systems can be complicated.
And equipment downtime can be extremely expensive.
All of those factors can contribute to stronger earning potential.
FIFO Mechanic Salaries
FIFO and remote mechanical work can provide some of the highest earning opportunities within the broader automotive and mechanical trades.
Mining operations require technicians to keep equipment operating reliably.
Roles can involve:
- Heavy vehicles
- Mobile plant
- Diesel equipment
- Mining machinery
- Field service
Higher salaries can reflect the working conditions.
You may be working long shifts and spending significant periods away from home.
Always compare the roster rather than looking only at the annual salary.
A huge salary attached to enormous working hours can look considerably less spectacular when converted to an hourly rate.
Field Service Mechanics
Field service technicians travel to equipment rather than waiting for it to arrive at a workshop.
This is particularly common with:
- Trucks
- Construction machinery
- Agricultural equipment
- Mining equipment
Experienced field service technicians need to work independently.
You can't necessarily walk across the workshop and ask another mechanic for help.
That independence and technical ability can increase your value.
Automotive Electrician Salaries
Automotive electrical is technically a separate trade, but it's closely connected to mechanical work.
Automotive electricians specialise in vehicle electrical and electronic systems.
As vehicles become more electronically complicated, these skills are increasingly important.
Modern vehicles can contain enormous numbers of sensors, control modules and electrical systems.
Electric and hybrid vehicles will only increase the importance of electrical knowledge.
Electric Vehicle Skills
The Australian vehicle fleet will continue incorporating more hybrid and electric vehicles.
That means technicians entering the industry now are likely to spend an increasing amount of their careers working around electrified drivetrains.
Additional skills in areas such as:
- High-voltage systems
- Battery systems
- Electric drivetrains
- Vehicle electronics
- Diagnostics
could become increasingly valuable.
The mechanic of the future is going to need to be comfortable with considerably more than engines and gearboxes.
Apprentice Mechanic Wages
Before earning qualified mechanic money, you'll generally need to complete an apprenticeship.
Mechanic apprentice wages depend on factors including:
- Age
- Apprenticeship stage
- Whether you've completed Year 12
- Applicable award
- Enterprise agreement
- Overtime
Under the Vehicle Repair, Services and Retail Award, apprentice rates increase as you progress through your apprenticeship.
For junior apprentices, the minimum weekly rate also differs depending on whether Year 12 has been completed.
First-Year Apprentice Mechanic Pay
Under the current Vehicle Repair, Services and Retail Award, a junior first-year apprentice who hasn't completed Year 12 has a minimum ordinary rate of $14.73 per hour.
For a junior first-year apprentice who has completed Year 12, the minimum is $16.20 per hour.
These are award minimums.
Employers can pay above award, and different arrangements may apply under an enterprise agreement.
Mature-Age Apprentice Mechanic Pay
Adult apprentice rates are higher.
Under the current award, someone who is over 21 when commencing their apprenticeship is treated as an adult apprentice.
The current minimum ordinary hourly rates progress from approximately:
- First year: $23.56
- Second year: $25.74
- Third year: $26.44
- Fourth year: $27.08
These rates can change, so anyone actually checking their entitlement should use current Fair Work information rather than relying permanently on figures in an article.
Do Mechanics Get Overtime?
They can.
The amount depends heavily on the workplace.
Opportunities can be more common in industries involving:
- Heavy vehicles
- Fleet maintenance
- Mining
- Field service
- Commercial transport
Overtime and penalty rates can significantly increase total annual earnings.
This is another reason two mechanics with similar base hourly rates can finish the year with very different incomes.
Can Mechanics Earn $100,000 a Year?
Yes.
Six-figure earnings are certainly possible within the mechanical trades.
However, they're more likely where you have some combination of:
- Specialist skills
- Heavy vehicle experience
- Mobile plant experience
- Mining work
- Remote work
- Overtime
- Field service
- Supervisory responsibility
A standard weekday light vehicle mechanic role may have a lower earning ceiling than some of these specialised sectors.
That doesn't make it a bad career.
It simply means there are different pathways depending on your priorities.
Can Mechanics Earn $150,000?
Yes, but you're moving away from what would be considered typical general light vehicle mechanic earnings.
Income at this level is more likely in areas such as:
- FIFO mining
- Heavy mobile plant
- Remote field service
- Specialist equipment
- Significant overtime
- Supervisory roles
The exact salary isn't the only consideration.
Someone earning $150,000 while working long FIFO shifts has a completely different lifestyle from someone earning less at a local workshop and going home every afternoon.
Does Location Affect Mechanic Salaries?
Yes.
Mechanic salaries can vary between cities and regional areas.
Some regional and remote employers may need to offer stronger packages to attract experienced technicians.
The biggest differences can appear when moving into resources and remote work.
But don't look at salary in isolation.
Housing costs, travel, rosters and working hours all matter.
Workshop Foreman Salary
Experienced mechanics can progress into workshop foreman positions.
A foreman may:
- Support technicians
- Diagnose difficult faults
- Allocate work
- Check repairs
- Assist apprentices
- Manage workflow
This combines technical knowledge with leadership.
You remain closely connected to the workshop without necessarily spending every minute physically repairing vehicles.
Workshop Manager Salary
Workshop managers take on broader responsibility.
They can oversee:
- Staff
- Scheduling
- Productivity
- Customers
- Equipment
- Workshop performance
Management roles can increase earning potential and provide a pathway away from physically demanding mechanical work.
Your trade experience remains valuable because you understand what the technicians are actually dealing with.
Service Manager Salary
Dealerships and larger automotive businesses often employ service managers.
These positions can involve responsibility for:
- Service advisors
- Technicians
- Customer satisfaction
- Workshop performance
- Revenue
- Scheduling
The role becomes significantly more commercial and managerial.
For mechanics who are good with both vehicles and people, it can provide another long-term career pathway.
Can Mechanics Start Their Own Business?
Yes.
Opening your own mechanical workshop can significantly increase your earning ceiling.
A workshop can generate income through:
- Servicing
- Repairs
- Diagnostics
- Inspections
- Tyres
- Fleet servicing
- Specialist work
You can eventually employ other mechanics and apprentices.
That means the business can generate revenue from work you're not personally performing.
Does Owning a Workshop Make You Rich?
Not automatically.
A workshop has plenty of expenses.
These can include:
- Rent
- Wages
- Superannuation
- Equipment
- Diagnostic subscriptions
- Insurance
- Tools
- Utilities
- Administration
- Waste disposal
A workshop producing $1 million in annual revenue isn't putting $1 million into the owner's bank account.
Revenue and profit are very different things.
Still, a well-run workshop can provide significantly more earning potential than remaining an employee.
Light Vehicle vs Heavy Vehicle: Which Pays More?
Heavy vehicle work can provide higher earning opportunities, particularly when combined with shift work, overtime or field service.
Light vehicle mechanics can still earn good money, particularly through:
- Diagnostics
- Specialisation
- Management
- Business ownership
If maximum employee income is your main goal, it's worth exploring the heavy vehicle and mobile plant pathways rather than automatically assuming passenger cars are your only option.
Mechanic vs Electrician: Which Pays More?
Electricians often have access to strong salaries across construction, industrial and infrastructure work.
Mechanics can also earn excellent money, particularly in heavy equipment and mining.
There's no universal winner.
The industry and specialisation matter enormously.
A suburban light vehicle mechanic and a FIFO mobile plant technician technically both work in mechanical trades, but their salaries could be worlds apart.
How Can a Mechanic Earn More?
There are several ways to increase your earning potential throughout your career.
Become Excellent at Diagnostics
Strong fault-finding ability makes you more valuable.
Don't just learn how to replace parts.
Learn how to determine why they failed.
Learn Electrical Systems
Cars are increasingly electronic.
Mechanics who are comfortable with electrical diagnosis have a major advantage.
Develop EV and Hybrid Skills
Electric and hybrid vehicle knowledge should become increasingly useful as the vehicle fleet changes.
Consider Heavy Vehicles
Truck and bus maintenance can open up different employment opportunities.
Consider Mobile Plant
Construction and mining equipment can provide access to higher-paying industries.
Look at Field Service
Independent field technicians can be valuable because they diagnose and repair equipment away from the workshop.
Move Into Mining
If you're comfortable with FIFO or remote work, resources can dramatically increase earning potential.
Move Into Management
Foreman, workshop manager and service manager roles can increase your salary while reducing the physical demands of the job.
Start a Business
For mechanics with the right technical and business skills, workshop ownership provides a much higher potential ceiling.
Is Being a Mechanic Good Money?
It can be.
If your plan is to become a general light vehicle mechanic and stay in the same type of suburban workshop role forever, there are other trades with higher typical earning potential.
But automotive gives you plenty of directions to move.
You can become a diagnostic specialist.
You can learn automotive electrical.
You can move into heavy vehicles.
You can work on mobile plant.
You can go into field service.
You can work in mining.
You can move into management.
Or you can eventually own the workshop.
The broad Motor Mechanics occupation currently has median full-time earnings of around $1,622 per week before tax, but that's only a starting benchmark.
Where you take the trade from there can make a much bigger difference.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a mechanic earn in Australia?
Jobs and Skills Australia reports median full-time earnings of $1,622 per week before tax for the broader Motor Mechanics occupation group, equivalent to roughly $84,000 annually when simply annualised.
What is the hourly rate for a mechanic in Australia?
Jobs and Skills Australia reports median hourly earnings of approximately $40 for Motor Mechanics. Actual hourly rates vary significantly depending on experience and specialisation.
Can mechanics earn $100,000 a year?
Yes. Six-figure earnings are possible, particularly in heavy vehicle, mobile plant, field service, mining and specialist mechanical roles.
Can mechanics earn $150,000?
Some specialised and remote mechanical roles can reach $150,000 or more, particularly in mining and heavy equipment. These jobs may also involve FIFO rosters, long shifts or substantial overtime.
Do diesel mechanics earn more than car mechanics?
Diesel and heavy vehicle mechanics can have access to higher-paying industries such as transport, mining and heavy equipment, although actual earnings depend on the individual role.
What type of mechanic can earn the most?
Some of the strongest employee earning opportunities are found in mobile plant, mining, heavy equipment, remote field service and specialised mechanical work. Business ownership can provide an even higher potential ceiling.