Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does an auto mechanic make in Washington-Arlington, DC?

In the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metropolitan area, auto mechanics earned a median of $61,860 a year ($29.74 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 12,030 of these jobs there. That is 13% below the $71,060 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $38,110 and $97,460; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and District of Columbia tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $49,239 in take-home pay.

Auto mechanic pay in Washington-Arlington, DC at a glance

Median salary

$61,860$29.74 per hour · $5,155 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$38,110$18.32/hr
25th percentile$47,050$22.62/hr
75th percentile$80,190$38.55/hr
90th percentile$97,460$46.86/hr
Jobs in this metro12,030Location quotient 0.85 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here13% belowAll-jobs median $71,060
Against District of Columbia10% belowStatewide median $68,660
Against the U.S.22% aboveNational 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 Washington-Arlington, DC after taxes

$61,860
$20,000$125,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$61,860
Net 80%
Fed 8%
DC 4%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$49,239After all taxes
Monthly deposit$4,103Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,894Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate20.4%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$5,243 / yr
District of Columbia state income tax$2,646 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$4,732 / yr

Auto mechanics pay range in Washington-Arlington, DC, hourly and yearly

BLS May 2025 estimates for the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metropolitan statistical area. Monthly and take-home figures are ours, computed from the annual wage.

What auto mechanics earned in the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (DC)
10th percentile$18.32/hr$3,176$38,110$31,615
25th percentile$22.62/hr$3,921$47,050$38,262
MedianMedian$29.74/hr$5,155$61,860$49,239
75th percentile$38.55/hr$6,683$80,190$61,303
90th percentile$46.86/hr$8,122$97,460$71,984

Is $61,860 a good salary in Washington-Arlington, DC?

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$126,684Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)108.98.9% above national average
One paycheck vs. a household48.8%of area median income

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

Auto mechanic pay in Washington-Arlington, DC: common questions

What is the median salary for auto mechanics in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV?

The BLS median annual wage for auto mechanics in the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area was $61,860 in May 2025, about $5,155 a month or $29.74 an hour. Statewide, the District of Columbia median for this job is $68,660, so the metro pays 10% below the state.

What is the hourly pay for auto mechanics in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV?

The median hourly wage for auto mechanics in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV was $29.74 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $18.32 an hour and one in ten earned more than $46.86.

How many auto mechanics work in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV?

BLS estimated 12,030 jobs for auto mechanics in the metro in May 2025, or 3.8 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 0.85 means the job is less concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for auto mechanics in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV?

BLS wage estimates for auto mechanics in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV run from $38,110 at the 10th percentile to $47,050 at the 25th, $80,190 at the 75th, and $97,460 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do auto mechanics take home after taxes in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV?

On a median gross salary of $61,860, an estimated $49,239 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,894 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in District of Columbia in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $12,621 (an effective rate of 20.4%).

How much do auto mechanics make per month in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV?

On the median annual salary of $61,860, gross monthly income is $5,155. After federal, FICA, and District of Columbia state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $4,103 per month (or $1,894 every two weeks).

Is $61,860 a good salary in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV?

At $61,860, the median salary for auto mechanics is 48.8% of the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV median household income ($126,684). It is 13% below the $71,060 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 108.9, so prices here run 8.9% above the U.S. average.