Automotive Body and Related Repairers
Repair and refinish automotive vehicle bodies and straighten vehicle frames.
- Median pay
- $54,890
- Doing it now
- 163,200
- By 2035
- Up 3.7%
- Usually needs
- High school diploma or equivalent
a year
across the country
12,600 openings a year
to get in
What the work involves
- File, grind, sand, and smooth filled or repaired surfaces, using power tools and hand tools.
- Sand body areas to be painted and cover bumpers, windows, and trim with masking tape or paper to protect them from the paint.
- Follow supervisors' instructions as to which parts to restore or replace and how much time the job should take.
- Remove damaged sections of vehicles using metal-cutting guns, air grinders and wrenches, and install replacement parts using wrenches or welding equipment.
- Cut and tape plastic separating film to outside repair areas to avoid damaging surrounding surfaces during repair procedure and remove tape and wash surfaces after repairs are complete.
- Prime and paint repaired surfaces, using paint sprayguns and motorized sanders.
- Mix polyester resins and hardeners to be used in restoring damaged areas.
What to study
The fields of study the Department of Education links to this occupation, most widely taught first.
- Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies/TechniciansSee 24 colleges that teach it
Who it suits
O*NET scores every occupation on six interest dimensions. This one leans hardest on these three.
Hands-on and practical
Organised and precise
Analytical and curious
Careers like this one
- Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$48,250
- Bicycle Repairers$42,780
- Automotive Glass Installers and Repairers$47,630
- Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers$65,380
- Outdoor Power Equipment and Other Small Engine Mechanics$47,880
- Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers$39,150
Where this comes from: the description and the task list are O*NET, which the Department of Labor maintains. Pay, workforce size, outlook and the education normally needed are the Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections programme, 2025 wages and 2025 to 2035 projections. Half of them earn more than $54,890 a year, which means half earn less, and what you would earn depends on where you work and how long you have been doing it. The fields of study come from the National Center for Education Statistics crosswalk.