Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does an auto mechanic make in Hickory-Lenoir, NC?

In the Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC metropolitan area, auto mechanics earned a median of $46,860 a year ($22.53 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 950 of these jobs there. That is 4% above the $45,220 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $31,200 and $77,400; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and North Carolina tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $38,471 in take-home pay.

Auto mechanic pay in Hickory-Lenoir, NC at a glance

Median salary

$46,860$22.53 per hour · $3,905 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$31,200$15.00/hr
25th percentile$36,020$17.32/hr
75th percentile$60,310$29.00/hr
90th percentile$77,400$37.21/hr
Jobs in this metro950Location quotient 1.36 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here4% aboveAll-jobs median $45,220
Against North Carolina3% belowStatewide median $48,200
Against the U.S.7% belowNational median $50,620

Run the numbers on your own pay

Same U.S. tax tables as the rest of the site. Change the salary, state, or filing status.

Auto mechanic salary in Hickory-Lenoir, NC after taxes

$46,860
$15,000$95,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$46,860
Net 82%
Fed 7%
NC 3%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$38,471After all taxes
Monthly deposit$3,206Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,480Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate17.9%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$3,443 / yr
North Carolina state income tax$1,361 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$3,585 / yr

Auto mechanics pay range in Hickory-Lenoir, NC, hourly and yearly

BLS May 2025 estimates for the Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC metropolitan statistical area. Monthly and take-home figures are ours, computed from the annual wage.

What auto mechanics earned in the Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (NC)
10th percentile$15.00/hr$2,600$31,200$26,513
25th percentile$17.32/hr$3,002$36,020$30,194
MedianMedian$22.53/hr$3,905$46,860$38,471
75th percentile$29.00/hr$5,026$60,310$48,741
90th percentile$37.21/hr$6,450$77,400$60,701

Is $46,860 a good salary in Hickory-Lenoir, NC?

It depends on what else people there earn and what things cost. Here is the median for auto mechanics next to both.

Median household income$62,787Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)88.511.5% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household74.6%of area median income

The same job statewide and nationally, and a calculator for your own paycheck.

Auto mechanic pay in Hickory-Lenoir, NC: common questions

What is the median salary for auto mechanics in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC?

The BLS median annual wage for auto mechanics in the Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC metro area was $46,860 in May 2025, about $3,905 a month or $22.53 an hour. Statewide, the North Carolina median for this job is $48,200, so the metro pays 3% below the state.

What is the hourly pay for auto mechanics in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC?

The median hourly wage for auto mechanics in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC was $22.53 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $15.00 an hour and one in ten earned more than $37.21.

How many auto mechanics work in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC?

BLS estimated 950 jobs for auto mechanics in the metro in May 2025, or 6.2 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 1.36 means the job is more concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for auto mechanics in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC?

BLS wage estimates for auto mechanics in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC run from $31,200 at the 10th percentile to $36,020 at the 25th, $60,310 at the 75th, and $77,400 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do auto mechanics take home after taxes in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC?

On a median gross salary of $46,860, an estimated $38,471 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,480 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in North Carolina in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $8,389 (an effective rate of 17.9%).

How much do auto mechanics make per month in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC?

On the median annual salary of $46,860, gross monthly income is $3,905. After federal, FICA, and North Carolina state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $3,206 per month (or $1,480 every two weeks).

Is $46,860 a good salary in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC?

At $46,860, the median salary for auto mechanics is 74.6% of the Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC median household income ($62,787). It is 4% above the $45,220 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 88.5, so prices here run 11.5% below the U.S. average.