Builds, prepares and repairs race cars for a racing team, rebuilding them between events and keeping them ready at the track. BLS does not publish separate figures for automotive service technicians and mechanics; it counts them within automotive service technician and mechanic (SOC 49-3023), whose median pay is $50,620 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Typical entry-level education: Postsecondary nondegree award.
- SOC 49-3023
- Installation, Maintenance, and Repair
- Last updated October 9, 2026
At a glance
Race Car Mechanic in four numbers
- Median pay
- $50,620a year, or $24.34/hrBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $35KTop 10% $82K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- +5.0%Faster than averageBLS EP, 2025–2035This career+5%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career +5% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 66,200825,800 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 2025825.8K
- Projected 2035866.7K
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 825.8K Projected 2035 866.7K - Typical education
- Certificateneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
Also advertised as: Motorsport Mechanic, Race Mechanic, Race Car Technician, Car Chief, Race Team Fabricator.
Pay
How much do Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics make?
Every race car mechanic in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$50,620
Middle half earn $38,900 to $70,430
- 10th
- $34,660
- 25th
- $38,900
- 75th
- $70,430
- 90th
- $81,790
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $34,660 |
| 25th | $38,900 |
| Median | $50,620 |
| 75th | $70,430 |
| 90th | $81,790 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage
- $50,620
- Median hourly wage
- $24.34/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $56,420
- People employed
- 704,640
Versus all US occupations
At $50,620, the median for Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics sits in line with the $50,980 median across all US occupations.
Versus installation, maintenance, and repair occupations
Inside the Installation, Maintenance, and Repair group, where the middle occupation pays $61,150, this is 17% below the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $81,790 or more while the bottom 10% earn $34,660, a gap of 2.4×. That is a typical spread for a US occupation.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 23% of the 1,741 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Cost of living
District of Columbia posts the highest raw median ($68,660), but once local prices are taken into account North Dakota leads at $64,479 in national-average dollars.
Pay by state
Which states pay Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1District of Columbia | $68,660 | $62,474 | 310 |
| 2California | $64,980 | $58,689 | 65,420 |
| 3Colorado | $61,280 | $59,465 | 12,300 |
| 4Alaska | $60,840 | $59,438 | 1,420 |
| 5Massachusetts | $60,760 | $57,452 | 12,710 |
| 6Connecticut | $60,220 | $58,122 | 6,960 |
| 7Virginia | $59,330 | $58,682 | 17,880 |
| 8New Hampshire | $59,020 | $56,660 | 4,840 |
| 9Montana | $58,740 | $62,064 | 2,900 |
| 10Oregon | $58,520 | $56,617 | 6,990 |
Job outlook
Is Race Car Mechanic a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
Faster than average. +5.0% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics | +5% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
Faster than average
BLS projects employment of Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics to change 5.0% over 2025–2035, against 3.5% projected for all occupations. That is 40,900 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 66,200 openings are projected each year, 8.0% of the 825,800 jobs that existed in 2025. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Getting in
How to become a Race Car Mechanic
Many race mechanics start with automotive technician training at a community college or technical school, sometimes in a motorsports program, and earn ASE certifications. Welding and fabrication skills are especially valuable.
Most people break in by volunteering on club racing teams through groups like SCCA, working at race shops, or joining Formula SAE teams, then moving up to professional teams through contacts. Reliability, attention to detail and a willingness to travel matter as much as credentials.
- 1
Typical entry-level education
Postsecondary nondegree award
- 2
Work experience in a related occupation
None
- 3
Typical on-the-job training
Short-term on-the-job training
- 4
Preparation needed (O*NET job zone)
Some preparation
BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035; job zone from O*NET 31.0 Database.
The work
What does a Race Car Mechanic do?
Race car mechanics do the hands-on work that keeps a team's cars running. Between events they strip cars down, inspect and replace parts, rebuild suspensions, gearboxes and brakes, and assemble cars to precise specifications. At the track they make setup changes the engineers call for, fix damage after crashes and keep the car legal for technical inspection.
Specialists include fabricators who weld and build chassis parts, engine builders, and car chiefs who lead the crew on one car. Mechanics work for professional teams in NASCAR, IndyCar, IMSA and drag racing, for shops that prepare cars for amateur racers, and for manufacturers' racing programs.
Day-to-day tasks
- Disassemble, inspect and rebuild race cars between events
- Assemble suspensions, brakes and drivetrains to specification
- Make setup changes at the track as directed by engineers
- Repair crash damage under tight deadlines
- Fabricate and weld chassis and bodywork parts
- Prepare cars for technical inspection
- Maintain spare parts inventories and transport equipment
Typical tasks, researched by NueCareer from the sources below.
Working conditions and hours
Race mechanics work in team shops and at race tracks, with heavy travel and long hours during the season, often including most weekends. The work is physical and fast-paced, in hot, loud garages and pit lanes. Deadlines between races are tight, especially after crash damage.
Where the work happens
Indoors, climate-controlled
NeverEvery dayOutdoors 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 dayFace-to-face discussions every day.
Dealing 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
- Critical Thinking3.5
- Active Listening3.3
- Monitoring3.1
- Speaking3.0
- Active Learning3.0
- Reading Comprehension2.9
- Writing2.6
- Learning Strategies2.6
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Critical Thinking | 3.5 |
| Active Listening | 3.3 |
| Monitoring | 3.1 |
| Speaking | 3.0 |
| Active Learning | 3.0 |
| Reading Comprehension | 2.9 |
| Writing | 2.6 |
| Learning Strategies | 2.6 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Troubleshooting3.9
- Repairing3.9
- Equipment Maintenance3.8
- Operations Monitoring3.4
- Complex Problem Solving3.3
- Installation3.3
- Operation and Control3.3
- Quality Control Analysis3.3
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Troubleshooting | 3.9 |
| Repairing | 3.9 |
| Equipment Maintenance | 3.8 |
| Operations Monitoring | 3.4 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 3.3 |
| Installation | 3.3 |
| Operation and Control | 3.3 |
| Quality Control Analysis | 3.3 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Tools and software
- Electronic mail software · in demand
- Enterprise resource planning ERP software · in demand
- Internet browser software · in demand
- Office suite software · in demand
- Operating system software · in demand
- Spreadsheet software · in demand
- Word processing software · in demand
- Analytical or scientific software
- Billing and invoicing software
- Calendar and scheduling software
- Data base reporting software
- Data base user interface and query 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 Race Car Mechanic?
NueCareer estimate (Holland code RIC) built on O*NET's Automotive Service Technician and Mechanic profile, scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Race Car Mechanic |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 7 |
| Investigative | 4 |
| Artistic | 1 |
| Social | 1 |
| Enterprising | 2 |
| Conventional | 5 |
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
- Conventional4.8
- Investigative4.4
- Enterprising1.6
- Social1.4
- Artistic1.0
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 Race Car Mechanic
O*NET related occupations
- 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
- Installation, Maintenance, and Repair
Bus and Truck Mechanic and Diesel Engine Specialist
$61,770median a year
Most earn $45K to $89K
+3.6%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 - Installation, Maintenance, and Repair
- Production
More installation, maintenance, and repair careers
Median annual pay, with automotive service technicians and mechanics 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
- Automotive Service Technician and Mechanic$50,620
- Race Car 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 |
| Automotive Service Technician and Mechanic | $50,620 |
| Race Car Mechanic | $50,620 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lists Race Car Mechanic appears on
Questions
Race Car Mechanic: frequently asked questions
How much do Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics make?
BLS does not publish a separate wage for automotive service technicians and mechanics. It counts them within automotive service technician and mechanic, whose median pay is $50,620 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The middle half of that occupation earn between $38,900 and $70,430, and the top 10% earn $81,790 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a Race Car Mechanic?
Not a degree, but you do need credentialed training: BLS lists a postsecondary non-degree award (a certificate or license program) as the typical entry route for Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics. BLS also lists short-term on-the-job training as typical on-the-job training.
Is Race Car Mechanic a growing career?
Yes. Employment is projected to grow 5.0% over 2025–2035, faster than the 3.5% average for all occupations (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 66,200 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a Race Car Mechanic do?
Race car mechanics do the hands-on work that keeps a team's cars running. A typical task: disassemble, inspect and rebuild race cars between events. Employers most often ask for Electronic mail software, Enterprise resource planning ERP software, Internet browser software.
Which states pay Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics the most?
The highest state medians for Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics are District of Columbia ($68,660), California ($64,980), Colorado ($61,280) (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Adjusted for local prices using BEA Regional Price Parities, North Dakota moves to the top at $64,479.
What personality type suits a Race Car Mechanic?
O*NET scores Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics highest on the Realistic, Conventional and Investigative 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 that lines up most closely with ISTJ personalities. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 1,731 careers in the bank.