Ranked list · 33 careers
33 Jobs With Cars, Ranked by Fit and Pay (2026)
Autonomous Vehicle Software Engineer tops this list at $135,980 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025), with +10.2% projected employment change over 2025–2035. Below are 33 careers that meet the criteria, each with its real median wage, outlook and entry requirement.
- Careers on this list
- 33From 1,731 in the bank
- Median pay on the list
- $63,190BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Projected to grow
- 29 of 33BLS EP, 2025–2035
- Openings a year
- 1,035,400Combined, BLS EP
Method
How we built this list
Careers designing, building, repairing and selling vehicles, from automotive engineers and EV technicians to body repair, motorsport and dealership roles. Careers centred on this field come first, then the ones that touch it, each group ranked by national median pay from BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. Specialty careers, which BLS reports inside a broader occupation, show that occupation’s figures and are labelled on their pages.
- Careers designing, building, repairing and selling vehicles, from automotive engineers and EV technicians to body repair, motorsport and dealership roles. Careers centred on this field come first, then the ones that touch it, each group ranked by national median pay from BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. Specialty careers, which BLS reports inside a broader occupation, show that occupation’s figures and are labelled on their pages.
- Occupations with no BLS wage or projection data are excluded rather than estimated.
- The list is regenerated from source data on every bank refresh. It is not hand-picked and no editorial ranking is applied.
The list
The top 33 jobs with cars
100% of these careers already have a full profile page; the rest publish with the next tranche and show the same bank data here in the meantime.
- 1
1. Autonomous Vehicle Software Engineer
Specialty within software developer
- Median pay
- $135,980median (parent occupation)
- Growth
- +10.2%
- Openings / yr
- 95,300
- Education
- Bachelor's
Writes the software that lets self-driving cars, trucks and robots perceive their surroundings, predict others' moves and plan safe paths.
- 2
2. Automotive Calibration Engineer
Specialty within automotive engineer
- Median pay
- $104,110median (parent occupation)
- Growth
- +11.2%
- Openings / yr
- 17,800
- Education
- Bachelor's
Tunes the software parameters in engine, transmission and electric drive controllers so vehicles meet emissions, fuel economy and drivability targets.
- 3
3. Automotive Engineer
Architecture and Engineering
- Median pay
- $104,110median a year
- Growth
- +11.2%
- Openings / yr
- 17,800
- Education
- Bachelor's
Develop new or improved designs for vehicle structural members, engines, transmissions, or other vehicle systems, using computer-assisted design technology.
- 4
4. Crash Test Engineer
Specialty within automotive engineer
- Median pay
- $104,110median (parent occupation)
- Growth
- +11.2%
- Openings / yr
- 17,800
- Education
- Bachelor's
Designs, simulates and runs vehicle crash tests to make sure cars protect occupants and meet federal safety standards and ratings.
- 5
5. Race Engineer
Specialty within mechanical engineer
- Median pay
- $104,110median (parent occupation)
- Growth
- +11.2%
- Openings / yr
- 17,800
- Education
- Bachelor's
Sets up race cars, analyzes on-track data and works with drivers to find speed within the rules of series like NASCAR, IndyCar and IMSA.
- 6
6. Vehicle Dynamics Engineer
Specialty within automotive engineer
- Median pay
- $104,110median (parent occupation)
- Growth
- +11.2%
- Openings / yr
- 17,800
- Education
- Bachelor's
Designs and tunes suspension, steering and tires so a vehicle rides comfortably, handles predictably and stays stable in emergencies.
- 7
7. Automotive Designer
Specialty within commercial and industrial designer
- Median pay
- $83,910median (parent occupation)
- Growth
- +2.4%
- Openings / yr
- 2,800
- Education
- Bachelor's
Creates the look and feel of cars, trucks and motorcycles, from early sketches and digital models to the final shapes of exteriors and interiors.
- 8
8. Last-Mile Operations Manager
Specialty within logistician
- Median pay
- $82,320median (parent occupation)
- Growth
- +17.6%
- Openings / yr
- 26,600
- Education
- Bachelor's
Runs the final leg of delivery, managing drivers, routes and delivery stations that get packages from local hubs to customers' doors.
- 9
9. Insurance Appraiser, Auto Damage
Business and Financial Operations
- Median pay
- $78,240median a year
- Growth
- −8.7%
- Openings / yr
- 700
- Education
- Certificate
Appraise automobile or other vehicle damage to determine repair costs for insurance claim settlement.
- 10
10. Automotive Engineering Technician
Architecture and Engineering
- Median pay
- $74,510median a year
- Growth
- +1.3%
- Openings / yr
- 3,100
- Education
- Associate's
Assist engineers in determining the practicality of proposed product design changes and plan and carry out tests on experimental test devices or equipment for performance, durability, or efficiency.
- 11
11. EV Charging Technician
Specialty within electrician
- Median pay
- $63,190median (parent occupation)
- Growth
- +9.2%
- Openings / yr
- 72,700
- Education
- High school
Installs, commissions and repairs electric vehicle chargers, from home wall units to high-power fast-charging stations along highways.
- 12
12. Tire Builder
Production
- Median pay
- $57,390median a year
- Growth
- +0.8%
- Openings / yr
- 1,900
- Education
- High school
Operate machines to build tires.
- 13
13. Automotive Clay Modeler
Specialty within fine artist, including painters, sculptors, and illustrators
- Median pay
- $55,490median (parent occupation)
- Growth
- −2.9%
- Openings / yr
- 2,200
- Education
- Bachelor's
Sculpts full-size and scale clay models of new vehicles by hand and machine so designers can see and refine shapes in three dimensions.
- 14
14. Automotive Body and Related Repairer
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair
- Median pay
- $54,890median a year
- Growth
- +3.7%
- Openings / yr
- 12,600
- Education
- High school
Repair and refinish automotive vehicle bodies and straighten vehicle frames.
- 15
15. Classic Car Restorer
Specialty within automotive body and related repairer
- Median pay
- $54,890median (parent occupation)
- Growth
- +3.7%
- Openings / yr
- 12,600
- Education
- High school
Brings classic and antique cars back to original or better condition, repairing metal, engines, interiors, paint and trim by hand.
- 16
16. Automotive Service Technician and Mechanic
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair
- Median pay
- $50,620median a year
- Growth
- +5.0%
- Openings / yr
- 66,200
- Education
- Certificate
Diagnose, adjust, repair, or overhaul automotive vehicles.
- 17
17. Electric Vehicle Technician
Specialty within automotive service technician and mechanic
- Median pay
- $50,620median (parent occupation)
- Growth
- +5.0%
- Openings / yr
- 66,200
- Education
- Certificate
Diagnoses and repairs hybrid and battery-electric vehicles, including high-voltage batteries, electric motors, inverters and charging systems.
- 18
18. Pit Crew Member
Specialty within automotive service technician and mechanic
- Median pay
- $50,620median (parent occupation)
- Growth
- +5.0%
- Openings / yr
- 66,200
- Education
- High school
Services a race car during pit stops, changing tires, jacking the car and refueling in a few seconds as part of a choreographed crew.
- 19
19. Race Car Mechanic
Specialty within automotive service technician and mechanic
- Median pay
- $50,620median (parent occupation)
- Growth
- +5.0%
- Openings / yr
- 66,200
- Education
- Certificate
Builds, prepares and repairs race cars for a racing team, rebuilding them between events and keeping them ready at the track.
- 20
20. Autonomous Vehicle Remote Assistance Operator
Specialty within dispatcher
- Median pay
- $50,340median (parent occupation)
- Growth
- −0.7%
- Openings / yr
- 16,000
- Education
- High school
Monitors fleets of driverless robotaxis from an operations center and gives vehicles guidance when they meet a situation they cannot resolve on their own.
- 21
21. Motorcycle Mechanic
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair
- Median pay
- $48,580median a year
- Growth
- +2.1%
- Openings / yr
- 1,400
- Education
- Certificate
Diagnose, adjust, repair, or overhaul motorcycles, scooters, mopeds, dirt bikes, or similar motorized vehicles.
- 22
22. Electronic Equipment Installer and Repairer, Motor Vehicles
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair
- Median pay
- $48,420median a year
- Growth
- −14.5%
- Openings / yr
- 400
- Education
- High school
Install, diagnose, or repair communications, sound, security, or navigation equipment in motor vehicles.
- 23
23. Automotive Glass Installer and Repairer
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair
- Median pay
- $47,630median a year
- Growth
- +5.7%
- Openings / yr
- 1,300
- Education
- High school
Replace or repair broken windshields and window glass in motor vehicles.
- 24
24. Autonomous Vehicle Test Operator
Specialty within light truck driver
- Median pay
- $44,860median (parent occupation)
- Growth
- +6.3%
- Openings / yr
- 107,200
- Education
- High school
Sits behind the wheel of self-driving test vehicles, ready to take control, while recording how the autonomous system handles real traffic.
- 25
25. Parts Salesperson
Sales and Related
- Median pay
- $38,630median a year
- Growth
- +3.0%
- Openings / yr
- 30,000
- Education
- No formal credential
Sell spare and replacement parts and equipment in repair shop or parts store.
- 26
26. Tire Repairer and Changer
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair
- Median pay
- $37,710median a year
- Growth
- +3.4%
- Openings / yr
- 12,900
- Education
- High school
Repair and replace tires.
- 27
27. Automotive and Watercraft Service Attendant
Transportation and Material Moving
- Median pay
- $35,670median a year
- Growth
- +3.8%
- Openings / yr
- 12,900
- Education
- No formal credential
Service automobiles, buses, trucks, boats, and other automotive or marine vehicles with fuel, lubricants, and accessories.
- 28
28. Autonomous Vehicle Research Scientist
Specialty within computer and information research scientist
- Median pay
- $373,250typical, Levels.fyi (Waymo company page)
- Growth
- +21.8%
- Openings / yr
- 2,900
- Education
- Master's
Researches the perception, prediction and planning methods that let self-driving cars and trucks drive safely without a human.
- 29
29. Computer Vision Engineer
Specialty within software developer
- Median pay
- $135,980median (parent occupation)
- Growth
- +10.2%
- Openings / yr
- 95,300
- Education
- Bachelor's
Builds software that lets machines interpret images and video, used in self-driving cars, medical imaging, factory inspection and phone cameras.
- 30
30. Embedded Software Engineer
Specialty within software developer
- Median pay
- $135,980median (parent occupation)
- Growth
- +10.2%
- Openings / yr
- 95,300
- Education
- Bachelor's
Writes low-level software and firmware that runs inside devices such as cars, medical equipment, appliances, drones and industrial controllers.
- 31
31. Battery Engineer
Specialty within materials engineer
- Median pay
- $112,860median (parent occupation)
- Growth
- +7.5%
- Openings / yr
- 1,300
- Education
- Bachelor's
Designs, tests and improves battery cells and packs for electric vehicles, grid storage and electronics.
- 32
32. Traffic Engineer
Specialty within transportation engineer
- Median pay
- $100,840median (parent occupation)
- Growth
- +6.4%
- Openings / yr
- 22,700
- Education
- Bachelor's
Designs traffic signals, intersections, signs and street layouts that move people safely and keep congestion and crashes down.
- 33
33. Accident Reconstructionist
Specialty within police officer
- Median pay
- $76,210median (parent occupation)
- Growth
- +3.5%
- Openings / yr
- 51,500
- Education
- High school
Analyzes serious traffic crashes using physics, scene evidence and vehicle data to determine speeds, positions and causes.
Questions
Jobs With Cars: FAQ
What is the top career on the jobs with cars list?
Autonomous Vehicle Software Engineer leads the list with a median wage of $135,980 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025) and projected employment change of +10.2% over 2025–2035. Typical entry-level education is bachelor's.
How was this list put together?
Careers designing, building, repairing and selling vehicles, from automotive engineers and EV technicians to body repair, motorsport and dealership roles. Careers centred on this field come first, then the ones that touch it, each group ranked by national median pay from BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. Specialty careers, which BLS reports inside a broader occupation, show that occupation’s figures and are labelled on their pages. Careers designing, building, repairing and selling vehicles, from automotive engineers and EV technicians to body repair, motorsport and dealership roles. Careers centred on this field come first, then the ones that touch it, each group ranked by national median pay from BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. Specialty careers, which BLS reports inside a broader occupation, show that occupation’s figures and are labelled on their pages. Every figure comes from BLS OEWS May 2025, BLS Employment Projections 2025–2035 and O*NET 31.0 Database.
How much do jobs with cars pay?
Across the 33 careers on this list the middle occupation pays $63,190 a year, from $35,670 at the bottom to $373,250 at the top (BLS OEWS May 2025 and the industry compensation sources cited on each career page). The median across all US occupations is $50,980.
How many of these careers can you enter without a degree?
18 of the 33 careers on this list have a typical entry requirement below an associate's degree: a high school diploma, a postsecondary certificate, or no formal credential (BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035).