Automotive Service Technician and Mechanic Salary in Columbus, OH
Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics in the Columbus, OH metro area earn a median $56,150 a year — 11% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $46,535 take-home, or $3,878 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median automotive service technician and mechanic salary in Columbus, OH. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$4,558
- Social Security (6.2%)$3,481
- Medicare (1.45%)$814
- Ohio income tax$762
- Take-home pay$46,535
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 2.75% state
Living in Columbus? City residents also pay Columbus’s city income tax — about $1,404 a year on this salary — which lowers take-home pay to $45,131 ($3,761 a month). Choose “Columbus” 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 Columbus, OH
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $34,420 | $16.55 | $29,672 | $2,473 |
| 25th percentile | $38,310 | $18.42 | $32,691 | $2,724 |
| Median (50th) | $56,150 | $27.00 | $46,535 | $3,878 |
| 75th percentile | $70,720 | $34.00 | $57,419 | $4,785 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $85,590 | $41.15 | $67,471 | $5,623 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Ohio resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $56,150 buys in Columbus, OH
Prices in Columbus, OH are 4.5% lower than the U.S. average (housing costs are 12% below the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median automotive service technician and mechanic's $46,535 take-home pay has the buying power of $48,743 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 less concentrated in Columbus, OH than nationally (location quotient 0.78), so openings may be scarcer.
Best-paying cities for automotive service technicians and mechanics, adjusted for cost of living
Columbus, OH ranks #8 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 |
*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 Ohio
- Cleveland, OH — $50,260
- Cincinnati, OH — $49,090
Frequently asked questions
How much does a automotive service technician and mechanic make in Columbus, OH?
The median automotive service technician and mechanic salary in the Columbus, OH metro area is $56,150 a year, or about $27.00 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $38,310 and $70,720.
What is a automotive service technician and mechanic’s take-home pay in Columbus, OH?
On the median $56,150 salary, a single filer living in Ohio takes home about $46,535 a year ($3,878 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $762 in Ohio taxes in 2026.
Is Columbus, OH 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 4.5% below the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $48,743 would in a typical U.S. city. Columbus, OH ranks #8 of 51 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a automotive service technician and mechanic afford rent in Columbus, OH?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Columbus, OH is $1,179 a month ($1,416 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 Columbus, OH
- First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers — $80,800
- Industrial Machinery Mechanic — $70,410
- Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers — $64,440
- Bus and Truck Mechanic and Diesel Engine Specialist — $62,190
- Maintenance and Repair Workers, General — $52,800