SOC 49-3023 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics — Huntington
Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH · 6 metro areas compared
The median wage for Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics in Huntington, WV is $37,240 per year, substantially below the national median of $50,620 — a gap of 26.4%.
Wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
How pay has moved
The next ten years
Projected to grow about as fast as average
- Change in jobs, 2024 to 2034
- +4.2%
- Openings per year
- 70,000
- Typical entry-level education
- Postsecondary nondegree award
- On-the-job training
- Short-term on-the-job training
Includes jobs opened by workers leaving the occupation, not only new positions.
13.8% of people in this occupation work for themselves.
Projections are published nationally only. This is the outlook for the occupation across the United States, not a measurement for Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH.
Projections are based on 2024 employment and run to 2034. The wages above are from the May 2025 survey, a separate BLS programme on a different release cycle, so the two are not two views of one dataset.
Salary overview
The median wage for Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics in Huntington, WV is $37,240 per year, substantially below the national median of $50,620 — a gap of 26.4%. Half of workers earn between $30,610 and $49,560. Beyond that band, the tenth percentile sits at $27,840 and the ninetieth at $64,650.
Employment stands at 920, or 6.5 jobs per thousand held locally. Within the state, Wheeling records the highest median at $42,030. Of the 380 occupations with published wages in this area, it sits 292nd.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $27,840 | −45.0% |
| 25th | $30,610 | −39.5% |
| Median (50th) | $37,240 | −26.4% |
| 75th | $49,560 | −2.1% |
| 90th | $64,650 | +27.7% |
| Mean | $42,990 | −15.1% |
Other metro areas in West Virginia
| # | Metro area | Median | Jobs | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wheeling | $42,030 | 400 | |
| 2 | Charleston | $41,390 | 690 | |
| 3 | Weirton | $40,670 | 170 | |
| 4 | Beckley | $37,340 | 380 | |
| 5 | Parkersburg | $37,250 | 330 | |
| 6 | Morgantown | $37,060 | 360 |
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in Huntington run 11.6% below the national average, so the median of $37,240 goes as far as $42,127 would elsewhere in the country. Measured that way it compares to the national median at 16.8% below the national median in real terms.
Published median
$37,240as reported by BLSLocal price level
88.4US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$42,127US average = 100 · BEA 2024Why the state that pays most is usually not where pay goes furthest
Key takeaways
- Median pay is $37,240 a year, 26.4% below the national median.
- Published pay spans $27,840 to $64,650 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- The area has 920 jobs in this occupation.
- The highest-paying metro area covered is Wheeling, at $42,030.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics in Huntington, WV?
The median annual wage is $37,240, or $17.90 per hour, as of May 2025. Half of the workers in this occupation earn more than that and half earn less.
Is that higher than the national average?
The national median for this occupation is $50,620, so pay in Huntington, WV is 26.4% lower. These figures are medians, not averages: half of workers fall on each side.
What do the top earners make?
The top tenth of this occupation in Huntington, WV earns more than $64,650 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $27,840 per year. The survey measures wages actually paid rather than experience level, so this reflects the lowest-paid tenth rather than entry-level pay specifically.
Which area nearby pays the most?
The highest median for this occupation among the metro areas covered is in Wheeling, at $42,030 per year.
How many jobs are there in this occupation here?
The survey estimates 920 jobs in this occupation in Huntington, WV. Self-employed workers are not included.
Source and methodology
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 Wages are for wage-and-salary workers; self-employed workers are not included. Salary Explorer is an independent project. It is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics or any government agency. Full methodology.
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