Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists

OverviewSalaryAboutEducationWhere are the jobsEmploymentGenderRace/Origin

Overview

Diagnose, adjust, repair, or overhaul buses and trucks, or maintain and repair any type of diesel engines. Includes mechanics working primarily with automobile or marine diesel engines.

Explore Pathways

Titles for this career often contain these words

SOURCES:

2018 SOC codes

2020 CareerOneStop

25.2 O*NET

Fewer details

Responsibilities and activities

Diesel service technicians and mechanics typically do the following:

Consult with customers, read work orders, and determine work required
Plan work procedures, using technical charts and manuals
Inspect brake systems, steering mechanisms, transmissions, engines, and other parts of vehicles
Follow checklists to ensure that all critical parts are examined
Read and interpret diagnostic test results to identify mechanical problems
Repair or replace malfunctioning components, parts, and other mechanical or electrical equipment
Perform basic care and maintenance, including changing oil, checking fluid levels, and rotating tires
Test-drive vehicles to ensure that they run smoothly

Because of their efficiency and durability, diesel engines have become the standard in powering trucks and buses. Other heavy vehicles and mobile equipment, including bulldozers and cranes, also are powered by diesel engines, as are many commercial boats and some passenger vehicles and pickups.

Diesel technicians make major and minor engine repairs, and work on a vehicle’s electrical and exhaust systems to comply with pollution regulations.

Diesel engine maintenance and repair is becoming more complex as engines and other components use more electronic systems to control their operation. For example, fuel injection and engine timing systems rely on microprocessors to maximize fuel efficiency and minimize harmful emissions. In most shops, workers often use hand-held or laptop computers to diagnose problems and adjust engine functions.

Diesel technicians also use a variety of power and machine tools, such as pneumatic wrenches, lathes, grinding machines, and welding equipment. Hand tools, including pliers, sockets and ratchets, and screwdrivers, are commonly used.

Employers typically provide expensive power tools and computerized equipment, but workers generally acquire their own hand tools over time.

Technicians and mechanics who work primarily on automobiles are described in the profile on automotive service technicians and mechanics.

Technicians and mechanics who work primarily on farm equipment, construction vehicles, and railcars, are described in the profile on heavy vehicle and mobile equipment service technicians.

Technicians and mechanics who work primarily on motorboats, motorcycles, and small all-terrain vehicles are described in the small engine mechanics profile.

SOURCES:

2020 Occupational Outlook Handbook

Salary

Median salary: $50,200 annually

Half of those employed in this career earn between $40,180 and $62,290.

SOURCES:

2019 BLS Occupational Employment

Context: Median Salary

How do salaries for this career compare to other jobs' salaries?

SOURCES:

2019 BLS Occupational Employment

Fewer details

Salary growth for bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists

Is this job likely to reward you for sticking with it through pay raises and promotions? The higher a job’s “experience quotient,” the more you are likely to get as you stay there.

Experience quotient percentile

Take a minute to look at how much you might expect your salary to increase with each five years' experience, as well as how the numbers working at each age change. Does this seem to be a job for the young or the old, or could it be a career offering steady salary growth for many years?

Salary distribution

Number employed

SOURCES:

2019 ACS microdata

About Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists

How do benefits for this career compare to other jobs? The availability of health care, especially employer provided health care, and pension plans can add significantly to the value of compensation you receive in a career. These charts compare how this career compares to other careers with regard to health care and pension plans.

Employee has health insurance

Employer is providing health insurance

Employer-provided pension plan is available

SOURCES:

2018-2020 CPS

2019 ACS microdata

Worker concerns

Some jobs are more stressful than others, and some are just plain dangerous. The following list gives the percentages of bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists who report hazardous or difficult situations typically occurring at least once a week.

Exposed to Contaminants (89%)
Minor Burns, Cuts, Bites (80%)
Hazardous Equipment (75%)
Time Pressure (64%)
Responsible for Others' Health (58%)
Unpleasant or Angry People (53%)
High Conflict Frequency (47%)
Exposed to Whole Body Vibration (42%)
Hazardous Conditions (38%)
Consequence of Error (35%)

SOURCES:

25.2 O*NET

Fewer details

Personality and skills

Can you see yourself in the ranks of Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists? Here are the skills and traits that could lead to success.

Customer-service skills

Diesel technicians frequently discuss automotive problems and necessary repairs with their customers. They must be courteous, good listeners, and ready to answer customers’ questions.

Detail oriented

Diesel technicians must be aware of small details when inspecting or repairing engines and components, because mechanical and electronic malfunctions are often due to misalignments and other easy-to-miss causes.

Dexterity

Mechanics need a steady hand and good hand–eye coordination for many tasks, such as disassembling engine parts, connecting or attaching components, and using hand tools.

Mechanical skills

Diesel technicians must be familiar with engine components and systems and know how they interact with each other. They often disassemble major parts for repairs, and they must be able to put them back together properly.

Organizational skills

Diesel technicians must keep workspaces clean and organized in order to maintain safety and accountability for parts.

Physical strength

Diesel technicians often lift heavy parts and tools, such as exhaust system components and pneumatic wrenches.

Troubleshooting skills

Diesel technicians use diagnostic equipment on engine systems and components in order to identify and fix problems in mechanical and electronic systems. They must be familiar with electronic control systems and the appropriate tools needed to fix and maintain them.

SOURCES:

2020 Occupational Outlook Handbook

Injury and Illness

About 159 bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists become injured or ill for every 10,000 workers, making this job more dangerous than 90% of other careers. The most common specific illnesses or injuries are detailed following.

Heat (thermal) burns

Soreness and pain

All multiple traumatic injuries

SOURCES:

2019 BLS Injuries, Illnesses, and Fatalities

Education pathways to this career

Education attained by bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists typically hold a high school diploma or equivalent.

Sometimes the typical education identified by the BLS differs a bit from the reality of the how much education current workers actually have. The donut shows the education level held by people currently working as bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists as reported in responses to the American Community Survey.

Details: Education and training recommended for bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists

Most employers require a high school diploma or equivalent. High school or postsecondary courses in automotive repair, electronics, and mathematics provide a strong educational background for a career as a diesel technician.

Some employers prefer to hire workers with postsecondary education in diesel engine repair. Many community colleges and trade and vocational schools offer certificate or degree programs in diesel engine repair.

These degree programs mix classroom instruction with hands-on training and include learning the basics of diesel technology, repair techniques and equipment, and practical exercises. Students also learn how to interpret technical manuals and electronic diagnostic reports.

Details: Licensing and certification recommended for bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists

Certification from the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) is the standard credential for diesel and other automotive service technicians and mechanics. Although not required, this certification demonstrates a diesel technician’s competence and experience to potential employers and clients, and often brings higher pay.

Diesel technicians may be certified in specific repair areas, such as drivetrains, electronic systems, and preventative maintenance and inspection. To earn certification, technicians must have 2 years of work experience and pass one or more ASE exams. To remain certified, diesel technicians must pass a recertification exam every 5 years.

Many diesel technicians are required to have a commercial driver’s license so that they may test-drive buses and large trucks.

SOURCES:

2019 ACS microdata

Education level of Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists

Only 3% of bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists have a bachelor's degree or higher.

Education attained by bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists

None

High School

Some College

Associate's Degree

Bachelor's Degree

Master's Degree

Professional Degree

Doctorate

SOURCES:

2021 Ididio: Award levels

2019 ACS microdata

Fewer details

Programs recommended by the Department of Education

The Department of Education recommends the following college degree programs as preparation for this career. You can click a program row to learn more about the program and explore a list of schools that offer the program.

Diesel Mechanics Technology

Medium and Heavy Vehicle and Truck Technology

9,513

2,541

SOURCES:

2010 CIP Codes

Where are the jobs

State-by-state employment numbers

Some careers tend to be centered in specific parts of the country. For example, most jobs in fashion are in New York or California. Let's see if your dream job is easy to find in your dream location! We have a few choices for viewing the data that can help you get a full employment picture.

Select a state to see local area details

Number of Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists per 1,000 workers (ACS)

SOURCES:

2019 ACS microdata

Fewer details

Job density versus job count

Which states hire the most bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists? We wonder if that's a fair question since states come in all sizes, so instead let's start with the question of which states have the highest density of people working as bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists. You can choose to view the number of jobs per state if you prefer.

Salaries by state

Let's get a feel for where bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists earn the highest salaries. There are several choices for which data we consider and how we view that data, and each can lead to different conclusions, so please read on...

Median salary versus state ratio

We use two methods to compare salaries across states:

In-state comparisons: the ratio of median (middle) salaries for bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists compared to the median salary for all people working in each state, or
Median salary: the unaltered median salaries for bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists.

We hope the ratio allows perspective about how salaries may compare to the regional cost-of-living.

The darkest shading corresponds to states in which bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists earn the highest salary when compared to other jobs in the state. We think this figure might be a better indicator than the actual salary for your buying power as a state resident.

Select a state to see local area details

Location-adjusted median salary for Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists (ACS)

SOURCES:

2019 BLS Occupational Employment

2019 BEA Regional Price Parities

Employment

4% of Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists are working part time.

We’ve found that some jobs have a huge number of part-time workers, and typically that is because they are unable to find full-time work or the job itself can’t provide full-time hours. With 4% part-time workers, this occupation has a lower percentage of part-time workers than 83% of careers.

SOURCES:

2019 ACS microdata

Employer types

This donut shares the break-down of workers by employer type, giving us a picture of what employers most typically hire for this career.

Employers of undefined (ACS)

Private for-profit

Private not-for-profit

Local government

State government

Federal government

Self-employed incorporated

Self-employed not incorporated

Working without pay

SOURCES:

2021 Ididio: Comparing employment

2019 ACS microdata

Fewer details

Distribution: Salaries of bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists by type of employer

Here are the salary distributions based on employer type.

SOURCES:

2021 Ididio: Comparing employment

2019 ACS microdata

Gender

Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists and gender

With 2% women, this occupation has a lower percentage of women than 94% of careers.

Gender of Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists

Men (99%)

Women (2%)

SOURCES:

2019 ACS microdata

Distribution: salaries by gender

Does gender greatly influence your salary in this career? The closer the bars are, the less discrepancy there is.

We only include salary data when the survey error is less than 20%, so you may see only partial information for some categories.

SOURCES:

2019 ACS microdata

Fewer details

Context: Women in the workforce

How does this career compare to other careers with regard to the percentage of women in the career.

SOURCES:

2019 ACS microdata

Context: Salary inequity

The median salary for all full-time male workers in the US exceeds the full-time median salary for women by 19%. The situation is a little better for bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists, with the median salary for men 11% higher than the median salary for women.

SOURCES:

2019 ACS microdata

Race/Origin

Race and origin of Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists

This donut shows the distribution of race and origin among those employed as Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists.

Race/origin of bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists

White (83% )

Black (8% )

Other (4% )

Multiracial (2% )

Asian (2% )

American Indian (1% )

Hispanic (1% )

Pacific Islander (0% )

SOURCES:

2019 ACS microdata

Distribution: salaries by race/origin

Some careers might have a pay disparity based on race or origin, the closer the below bars are the less of a discrepancy is present.

We only include salary data when the survey error is less than 20%, so you may see only partial information for some categories.

SOURCES:

2019 ACS microdata