Brings classic and antique cars back to original or better condition, repairing metal, engines, interiors, paint and trim by hand. BLS does not publish separate figures for automotive body and related repairers; it counts them within automotive body and related repairer (SOC 49-3021), whose median pay is $54,890 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent.
- SOC 49-3021
- Installation, Maintenance, and Repair
- Last updated October 9, 2026
At a glance
Classic Car Restorer in four numbers
- Median pay
- $54,890a year, or $26.39/hrBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $37KTop 10% $88K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- +3.7%About as fast as averageBLS EP, 2025–2035This career+3.7%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career +3.7% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 12,600163,200 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 2025163.2K
- Projected 2035169.3K
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 163.2K Projected 2035 169.3K - Typical education
- High schoolneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
- Less than high school23.4%
- High school42%
- Certificate34.7%
Highest education held by automotive body and related repairers Segment Value Less than high school 23.4% High school 42% Certificate 34.7%
Also advertised as: Automotive Restoration Technician, Vintage Car Restorer, Restoration Mechanic, Antique Auto Restorer, Restoration Specialist (Automotive).
Pay
How much do Automotive Body and Related Repairers make?
Every classic car restorer in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$54,890
Middle half earn $45,750 to $69,200
- 10th
- $36,910
- 25th
- $45,750
- 75th
- $69,200
- 90th
- $87,940
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $36,910 |
| 25th | $45,750 |
| Median | $54,890 |
| 75th | $69,200 |
| 90th | $87,940 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage
- $54,890
- Median hourly wage
- $26.39/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $59,690
- People employed
- 149,310
Versus all US occupations
At $54,890, Automotive Body and Related Repairers earn 8% above the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $3,910 a year.
Versus installation, maintenance, and repair occupations
Inside the Installation, Maintenance, and Repair group, where the middle occupation pays $61,150, this is 10% below the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $87,940 or more while the bottom 10% earn $36,910, a gap of 2.4×. That is a typical spread for a US occupation.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 27% of the 1,741 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Highest-paying state
Rhode Island pays the most at $72,490, and still leads at $70,874 once local prices are taken into account.
Pay by state
Which states pay Automotive Body and Related Repairers the most?
State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1Rhode Island | $72,490 | $70,874 | 800 |
| 2California | $66,860 | $60,387 | 14,050 |
| 3District of Columbia | $62,640 | $56,997 | 30 |
| 4New Jersey | $62,400 | $57,350 | 3,720 |
| 5Alaska | $61,680 | $60,259 | 270 |
| 6Minnesota | $60,970 | $61,823 | 2,910 |
| 7Hawaii | $60,540 | $55,061 | 450 |
| 8Missouri | $60,540 | $66,662 | 4,350 |
| 9Nevada | $60,520 | $60,533 | 1,020 |
| 10Oregon | $60,000 | $58,049 | 1,660 |
Job outlook
Is Classic Car Restorer a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
About as fast as average. +3.7% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Automotive Body and Related Repairers | +3.7% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
About as fast as average
BLS projects employment of Automotive Body and Related Repairers to change 3.7% over 2025–2035, against 3.5% projected for all occupations. That is 6,100 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 12,600 openings are projected each year, 7.7% of the 163,200 jobs that existed in 2025. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Getting in
How to become a Classic Car Restorer
Many restorers learn through auto body or automotive technician programs and years of apprenticeship in restoration shops. McPherson College in Kansas offers a bachelor's degree in automotive restoration, a program that dates back decades and combines technical skills with business and history.
Useful credentials include ASE certifications and welding certifications, and skills in metal shaping, paint, upholstery or machining open doors. Building a portfolio of documented projects and connecting through car clubs and collector events helps people find shop jobs.
- 1
Typical entry-level education
High school diploma or equivalent
- 2
Work experience in a related occupation
None
- 3
Typical on-the-job training
Long-term on-the-job training
- 4
Preparation needed (O*NET job zone)
Little or no preparation
BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035; job zone from O*NET 31.0 Database.
What education people in the job have
O*NET incumbent survey: the highest level of education reported by people already working as automotive body and related repairers.
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)42%
- Post-Secondary Certificate34.7%
- Less than a High School Diploma23.4%
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) | 42% |
| Post-Secondary Certificate | 34.7% |
| Less than a High School Diploma | 23.4% |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
The work
What does a Classic Car Restorer do?
Classic car restorers take cars that may be decades old and rebuild them, often to show standard. The work begins with research into how the car was originally built, then disassembly and documentation of every part. Restorers repair rust and accident damage by shaping and welding metal, rebuild engines, transmissions and suspensions, rewire electrical systems, and source or fabricate parts that are no longer made.
Specialists focus on bodywork and paint, upholstery and trim, wood framing, or mechanical systems. Restorers work at independent restoration shops, museums, private collections and dealers in collector cars, and some run their own businesses. Top restorations are judged at concours events such as Pebble Beach.
Day-to-day tasks
- Research original specifications and documentation for each vehicle
- Disassemble and catalog cars before restoration
- Repair rust and damage by shaping and welding sheet metal
- Rebuild engines, transmissions, brakes and suspensions
- Fabricate or source parts that are no longer manufactured
- Prepare and paint bodies to show quality
- Restore interiors, trim and electrical systems
Typical tasks, researched by NueCareer from the sources below.
Working conditions and hours
Restorers work in shops with lifts, welding equipment, paint booths and fabrication tools. The work is physical, dusty and noisy at times, with exposure to paint chemicals and solvents that require protective equipment. Projects take months, and some restorers travel to car shows, auctions and concours events.
Where the work happens
Indoors, climate-controlled
NeverEvery dayRarely works in a climate-controlled indoor space.
Outdoors in all weather
NeverEvery day
Physical demands
Sitting
NeverAlmost all the timeStanding
NeverAlmost all the timeOn their feet more than half the working day.
Bending or twisting
NeverAlmost all the timeRegular bending or twisting.
Working with people
Contact with other people
NoneConstantFace-to-face discussions
NeverEvery dayDealing with the public
Not importantExtremely important
Pressure and stakes
Strict deadlines
NeverEvery dayMeeting strict deadlines at least weekly.
Conflict situations
NeverEvery dayCost of a mistake
Not seriousExtremely serious
Autonomy
Freedom to decide
NoneA lotA lot of freedom to make decisions without checking first.
Conditions: O*NET Work Context survey. Each item has its own scale, so each dot is read against the two answers that end its own line.
Core skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Active Listening3.0
- Speaking3.0
- Critical Thinking3.0
- Monitoring3.0
- Reading Comprehension2.9
- Active Learning2.9
- Writing2.4
- Learning Strategies2.3
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Active Listening | 3.0 |
| Speaking | 3.0 |
| Critical Thinking | 3.0 |
| Monitoring | 3.0 |
| Reading Comprehension | 2.9 |
| Active Learning | 2.9 |
| Writing | 2.4 |
| Learning Strategies | 2.3 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Repairing3.3
- Troubleshooting3.1
- Operations Monitoring3.0
- Quality Control Analysis3.0
- Time Management3.0
- Social Perceptiveness2.9
- Coordination2.9
- Service Orientation2.9
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Repairing | 3.3 |
| Troubleshooting | 3.1 |
| Operations Monitoring | 3.0 |
| Quality Control Analysis | 3.0 |
| Time Management | 3.0 |
| Social Perceptiveness | 2.9 |
| Coordination | 2.9 |
| Service Orientation | 2.9 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Tools and software
- Electronic mail software · in demand
- Office suite software · in demand
- Operating system software · in demand
- Spreadsheet software · in demand
- Word processing software · in demand
- Accounting software
- Analytical or scientific software
- Calendar and scheduling software
- Data base user interface and query software
- Inventory management software
- Point of sale POS software
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
Personality fit
What personality type suits a Classic Car Restorer?
NueCareer estimate (Holland code RAI) built on O*NET's Automotive Body and Related Repairer profile, scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Classic Car Restorer |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 7 |
| Investigative | 3 |
| Artistic | 3 |
| Social | 1 |
| Enterprising | 1 |
| Conventional | 3 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
What the work is built around
Day to day this is work built around hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors, combined with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data.
- Realistic7.0
- Conventional3.3
- Artistic2.9
- Investigative2.9
- Enterprising1.4
- Social1.1
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Explore further
Careers related to Classic Car Restorer
O*NET related occupations
- Installation, Maintenance, and Repair
- Installation, Maintenance, and Repair
Automotive Service Technician and Mechanic
$50,620median a year
Most earn $35K to $82K
+5.0%Certificate - Installation, Maintenance, and Repair
- Production
- Production
Aircraft Structure, Surface, Rigging, and Systems Assembler
$65,380median a year
Most earn $47K to $108K
−5.6%High school - Installation, Maintenance, and Repair
Electric Motor, Power Tool, and Related Repairer
$56,210median a year
Most earn $37K to $85K
+4.4%High school
More installation, maintenance, and repair careers
Median annual pay, with automotive body and related repairers highlighted
- Aircraft Mechanic$79,870
- Millwright$65,700
- Industrial Machinery Mechanic$64,520
- Bus and Truck Mechanic and Diesel Engine Specialist$61,770
- Medical Equipment Repairer$61,660
- Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanic and Installer$61,010
- Automotive Body and Related Repairer$54,890
- Classic Car Restorer$54,890
- Automotive Service Technician and Mechanic$50,620
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Aircraft Mechanic | $79,870 |
| Millwright | $65,700 |
| Industrial Machinery Mechanic | $64,520 |
| Bus and Truck Mechanic and Diesel Engine Specialist | $61,770 |
| Medical Equipment Repairer | $61,660 |
| Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanic and Installer | $61,010 |
| Automotive Body and Related Repairer | $54,890 |
| Classic Car Restorer | $54,890 |
| Automotive Service Technician and Mechanic | $50,620 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lists Classic Car Restorer appears on
Questions
Classic Car Restorer: frequently asked questions
How much do Automotive Body and Related Repairers make?
BLS does not publish a separate wage for automotive body and related repairers. It counts them within automotive body and related repairer, whose median pay is $54,890 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The middle half of that occupation earn between $45,750 and $69,200, and the top 10% earn $87,940 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a Classic Car Restorer?
No. A bachelor's degree is not the norm: BLS reports a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education for Automotive Body and Related Repairers. BLS also lists long-term on-the-job training as typical on-the-job training. In O*NET's survey of people already doing the job, 42.0% hold high school diploma or the equivalent (such as a ged).
Is Classic Car Restorer a growing career?
It is stable rather than fast-growing: employment is projected to change 3.7% over 2025–2035, about the same as the 3.5% projected across all occupations (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 12,600 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a Classic Car Restorer do?
Classic car restorers take cars that may be decades old and rebuild them, often to show standard. A typical task: research original specifications and documentation for each vehicle. Employers most often ask for Electronic mail software, Office suite software, Operating system software.
Which states pay Automotive Body and Related Repairers the most?
The highest state medians for Automotive Body and Related Repairers are Rhode Island ($72,490), California ($66,860), District of Columbia ($62,640) (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
What personality type suits a Classic Car Restorer?
O*NET scores Automotive Body and Related Repairers highest on the Realistic and Conventional interest areas, so the work mixes hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping the closest types are ISTJ, ISTP. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 1,731 careers in the bank.