The median annual wage of automotive body and related repairers was $38,130 in May 2010. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $22,990, and the top 10 percent earned more than $64,320.
The median annual wage of automotive glass installers and repairers was $33,160 in May 2010. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $20,660, and the top 10 percent earned more than $49,960.
The majority of repair shops and auto dealers pay repair technicians on an incentive basis. In addition to receiving a guaranteed base salary, employers pay workers a set amount for completing various tasks. Their earnings depend on both the amount of work assigned and how fast they complete it.
Trainees typically earn between 30 percent and 60 percent of skilled workers’ pay. They are paid by the hour until they are competent enough to be paid on an incentive basis.
Although they vary by employer, benefits such as paid leave, health insurance, and retirement assistance are becoming more common.
Most repair technicians work full time. When shops have to complete a backlog of work, overtime is common, which often includes repair technicians working evenings and weekends.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2012-13 Edition