Automotive Service Technician and Mechanic Salary in Detroit, MI
Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics in the Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI metro area earn a median $56,000 a year — 11% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $45,047 take-home, or $3,754 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median automotive service technician and mechanic salary in Detroit, MI. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$4,540
- Social Security (6.2%)$3,472
- Medicare (1.45%)$812
- Michigan income tax$2,129
- Take-home pay$45,047
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 4.25% state
Living in Detroit? City residents also pay Detroit’s city income tax — about $1,344 a year on this salary — which lowers take-home pay to $43,703 ($3,642 a month). Choose “Detroit” under City income tax in the calculator. Suburban residents usually don’t pay it.
Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →
Automotive Service Technician and Mechanic pay by experience in Detroit, MI
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $37,080 | $17.83 | $30,649 | $2,554 |
| 25th percentile | $46,600 | $22.40 | $37,893 | $3,158 |
| Median (50th) | $56,000 | $26.92 | $45,047 | $3,754 |
| 75th percentile | $72,040 | $34.63 | $56,699 | $4,725 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $81,240 | $39.06 | $62,780 | $5,232 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Michigan resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $56,000 buys in Detroit, MI
Prices in Detroit, MI are 0.3% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 5% below the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median automotive service technician and mechanic's $45,047 take-home pay has the buying power of $44,913 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Automotive Service Technician and Mechanic jobs are about as common in Detroit, MI as in the U.S. overall (location quotient 1.10).
Best-paying cities for automotive service technicians and mechanics, adjusted for cost of living
Detroit, MI ranks #19 of 51 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose, CA | $77,840 | $59,563 | $53,941 |
| 2 | Sacramento, CA | $72,020 | $56,010 | $52,508 |
| 3 | Milwaukee, WI | $62,530 | $50,453 | $52,047 |
| 4 | Nashville, TN | $58,700 | $49,345 | $51,221 |
| 5 | San Francisco, CA | $76,030 | $58,458 | $50,564 |
| 6 | Richmond, VA | $61,510 | $48,881 | $49,950 |
| 7 | St. Louis, MO | $58,190 | $47,138 | $49,573 |
| 8 | Columbus, OH | $56,150 | $46,535 | $48,743 |
| 19 | Detroit, MI | $56,000 | $45,047 | $44,913 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 51 metros →
About the job: automotive service technicians and mechanics
Diagnose, adjust, repair, or overhaul automotive vehicles.
- Typical education
- Postsecondary nondegree award
- Work experience
- None required
- On-the-job training
- Short-term on-the-job training
- Job outlook, 2025–35
- +5.0% (faster than average)
Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.
Automotive Service Technician and Mechanic salaries elsewhere in Michigan
- Grand Rapids, MI — $49,310
Frequently asked questions
How much does a automotive service technician and mechanic make in Detroit, MI?
The median automotive service technician and mechanic salary in the Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI metro area is $56,000 a year, or about $26.92 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $46,600 and $72,040.
What is a automotive service technician and mechanic’s take-home pay in Detroit, MI?
On the median $56,000 salary, a single filer living in Michigan takes home about $45,047 a year ($3,754 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $2,129 in Michigan taxes in 2026.
Is Detroit, MI a good place to work as a automotive service technician and mechanic?
Pay here is 11% above the national median of $50,620. Local prices are 0.3% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $44,913 would in a typical U.S. city. Detroit, MI ranks #19 of 51 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a automotive service technician and mechanic afford rent in Detroit, MI?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Detroit, MI is $1,128 a month ($1,413 for two bedrooms) — 30% of a median automotive service technician and mechanic’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Detroit, MI
- First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers — $79,200
- Industrial Machinery Mechanic — $71,100
- Bus and Truck Mechanic and Diesel Engine Specialist — $63,360
- Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers — $63,170
- Maintenance and Repair Workers, General — $48,380
- Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers, All Other — $47,450
- Tire Repairer and Changer — $37,610