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Skilled Trades

Automotive Body and Related Repairers

Repair and refinish automotive vehicle bodies and straighten vehicle frames.

Median salary (BLS)

$54,890

10th–90th percentile (BLS)

$37k – $88k

Job outlook

+2% (about average)

AI exposure

Plan a path to Automotive Body and Related Repairers

Qualification costsStack incomeBest cities/statesSchool ROIJob-posting fitTailored resume

Education

Typical entry: No degree required

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How to qualify

EstimateLicense required

Cost to qualify

$100–$2,600

Time to qualify

3.1 yr

Renewal

$50/yr

  1. 1

    Registered apprenticeship (paid)

    Experience

    Earn-while-you-learn training — apprentices are paid during the program; fees are tools/books, not tuition.

    $0–$2,000 · 36 months · varies by state source

  2. 2

    Journeyman exam & state/local license

    License

    Most states and municipalities test and license journeyman-level trades workers.

    $100–$600 · 1 months · varies by state · renews every 2 yr source

Estimated typical U.S. route for "Automotive Body and Related Repairers" — built from BLS education requirements and College Board 2024–25 average published prices (public, in-state tuition + fees + books). Not yet verified against a specific state's licensing rules — confirm with your state licensing board or program.

Typical progression

  1. Junior Automotive Body and Related Repairers

    Entry / Junior

    $36,910

    ~2 yrs to advance

  2. Automotive Body and Related Repairers

    Established

    $54,890

    ~3 yrs to advance

  3. Senior Automotive Body and Related Repairers

    Senior

    $71,415

Key skills

A typical day

  • •File, grind, sand, and smooth filled or repaired surfaces, using power tools and hand tools.
  • •Inspect repaired vehicles for proper functioning, completion of work, dimensional accuracy, and overall appearance of paint job, and test-drive vehicles to ensure proper alignment and handling.
  • •Fit and weld replacement parts into place, using wrenches and welding equipment, and grind down welds to smooth them, using power grinders and other tools.
  • •Prime and paint repaired surfaces, using paint sprayguns and motorized sanders.
  • •Follow supervisors' instructions as to which parts to restore or replace and how much time the job should take.

Fields of study

Any field

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Reputation-based selection; stats shown are outcome data per school.