← All careers

Skilled Trades

Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists

Diagnose, adjust, repair, or overhaul buses and trucks, or maintain and repair any type of diesel engines. Includes mechanics working primarily with automobile or marine diesel engines.

Median salary (BLS)

$61,770

10th–90th percentile (BLS)

$45k – $89k

Job outlook

+2% (about average)

AI exposure

Early-career check: graduates of the matching programs below typically earn $70,000 ten years after starting college — an early-career figure, vs. the all-experience BLS median above. Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard.

Plan a path to Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists

Qualification costsStack incomeBest cities/statesSchool ROIJob-posting fitTailored resume

Education

Typical entry: No degree (trade/license)

Plan my path to this →

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 "Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists" — 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 Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists

    Entry / Junior

    $44,530

    ~2 yrs to advance

  2. Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists

    Established

    $61,770

    ~3 yrs to advance

  3. Senior Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists

    Senior

    $75,255

Key skills

A typical day

  • •Use handtools, such as screwdrivers, pliers, wrenches, pressure gauges, or precision instruments, as well as power tools, such as pneumatic wrenches, lathes, welding equipment, or jacks and hoists.
  • •Inspect brake systems, steering mechanisms, wheel bearings, and other important parts to ensure that they are in proper operating condition.
  • •Raise trucks, buses, and heavy parts or equipment using hydraulic jacks or hoists.
  • •Adjust and reline brakes, align wheels, tighten bolts and screws, and reassemble equipment.
  • •Attach test instruments to equipment, and read dials and gauges to diagnose malfunctions.

Fields of study

Any field

Top colleges for Skilled Trades

Explore all

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