SOC 49-3031 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists — Michigan
Michigan · 10 metro areas compared
The median wage for Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists in Michigan is $61,420 per year, close to the national median of $61,770 for the same occupation.
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
- +2.4%
- Openings per year
- 26,500
- Typical entry-level education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- On-the-job training
- Long-term on-the-job training
Includes jobs opened by workers leaving the occupation, not only new positions.
6.8% 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 Michigan.
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 Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists in Michigan is $61,420 per year, close to the national median of $61,770 for the same occupation. Half of workers earn between $51,280 and $67,460. Beyond that band, the tenth percentile sits at $45,240 and the ninetieth at $81,010.
Employment stands at 9,020, or 2.0 jobs per thousand held locally. Michigan ranks number 25th out of 51 states by median pay for this occupation. Within the state, Ann Arbor records the highest median at $65,770. Of the 774 occupations with published wages in this area, it sits 354th.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $45,240 | −26.8% |
| 25th | $51,280 | −17.0% |
| Median (50th) | $61,420 | −0.6% |
| 75th | $67,460 | +9.2% |
| 90th | $81,010 | +31.1% |
| Mean | $62,140 | +0.6% |
Highest-paying metro areas in Michigan
| # | Metro area | Median | Jobs | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ann Arbor | $65,770 | 220 | |
| 2 | Detroit | $63,360 | 3,820 | |
| 3 | Traverse City | $63,240 | 150 | |
| 4 | Jackson | $63,030 | 90 | |
| 5 | Flint | $61,780 | 170 | |
| 6 | Lansing | $61,740 | 400 | |
| 7 | Midland | $61,380 | 40 | |
| 8 | Grand Rapids | $61,240 | 1,550 | |
| 9 | Bay City | $60,530 | 90 | |
| 10 | Kalamazoo | $60,200 | 230 |
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in Michigan run 3.8% below the national average, so the median of $61,420 goes as far as $63,846 would elsewhere in the country. Measured that way it compares to the national median at 3.4% above the national median in real terms.
Published median
$61,420as reported by BLSLocal price level
96.2US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$63,846US average = 100 · BEA 2024Why the state that pays most is usually not where pay goes furthest
Key takeaways
- Median pay is $61,420 a year, 0.6% below the national median.
- Published pay spans $45,240 to $81,010 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- The area has 9,020 jobs in this occupation.
- It ranks 25th of 51 states for this occupation.
- The highest-paying metro area covered is Ann Arbor, at $65,770.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists in Michigan?
The median annual wage is $61,420, or $29.53 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 $61,770, so pay in Michigan is 0.6% 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 Michigan earns more than $81,010 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $45,240 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 Ann Arbor, at $65,770 per year.
How many jobs are there in this occupation here?
The survey estimates 9,020 jobs in this occupation in Michigan. 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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