🚗
Collision repair and auto body shops
Caliber Collision, Gerber Collision & Glass, Maaco
Automotive Body and Related Repairers
These workers repair vehicles after dents, collisions, rust, and broken body parts, then shape and finish the surfaces so the car looks and fits right again. The job is distinct because it mixes heavy hands-on repair with fine cosmetic work: one hour might involve pulling a frame back into alignment, and the next might involve sanding a repaired panel smooth enough for paint. The tradeoff is clear—good results depend on patience and precision, but the work is physical, messy, and often under deadline pressure.
Also known as Collision Repair TechnicianAuto Body TechnicianBody Shop TechnicianCollision TechnicianAuto Body Repair Technician
Median Salary
$51,680
Mean $58,830
U.S. Workforce
~155K
14.6K openings per year
10-Year Growth
+1.6%
172.6K to 175.4K
Entry Education
High school diploma or equivalent
+ None experience
What This Role Looks Like in Practice
Automotive Body and Related Repairers sits in the Trades category. In practical terms, this role combines day-to-day execution, cross-team coordination, and consistent decision-making under real business constraints.
U.S. employment is currently about ~155K workers, with a median annual pay of $51,680 and roughly 14.6K openings each year. Based on BLS projections, total employment is expected to grow from 172.6 K in 2024 to 175.4K in 2034.
Most hiring paths start with High school diploma or equivalent, and employers typically expect none of related experience. Many careers in this track begin around Auto Body Repair Assistant and can progress toward Collision Repair Shop Lead. High-value skills usually include Repairing, Troubleshooting, and Frame Alignment Machines & Measuring Systems, paired with soft skills such as Active listening, Clear verbal communication, and Critical thinking.
Core Responsibilities
- Adjust headlights, wheels, and brakes so the vehicle tracks and operates correctly after repairs.
- Heat, reshape, and rebuild warped plastic panels and other damaged body parts.
- Use alignment machines and clamps to pull bent frames and sections back into place.
- Clean up damaged material, dust, and repair debris from the work area before and after the job.
Keep exploring: more Trades careers or browse all job titles.
A Day in the Life
01 Adjust headlights, wheels, and brakes so the vehicle tracks and operates correctly after repairs.
02 Heat, reshape, and rebuild warped plastic panels and other damaged body parts.
03 Use alignment machines and clamps to pull bent frames and sections back into place.
04 Clean up damaged material, dust, and repair debris from the work area before and after the job.
05 Protect nearby surfaces, then sand, grind, and smooth repaired areas so they are ready for paint or finishing.
06 Fill small dents and reinstall windows, trim, roofs, and other body parts so everything fits tightly.
Industries That Hire
🏬
Auto dealerships and service centers
AutoNation, Lithia Motors, Penske Automotive Group
🧰
Rental car fleet maintenance
Enterprise, Hertz, Avis Budget Group
🚚
Commercial fleet repair
Ryder, Penske Truck Leasing, UPS
🛡️
Insurance repair networks
State Farm, GEICO, Allstate
Pros and Cons
Advantages
+
You can enter the field with a high school diploma, and many workers learn through long-term on-the-job training instead of years of college.
+
The pay is solid for a hands-on trade, with a median annual wage of $51,680 and a mean of $58,830.
+
Job volume is steady: the occupation is projected to add about 14.6 thousand annual openings, mostly from replacements and turnover.
+
The work is concrete and visible, so you can see the difference when a damaged car is straightened, rebuilt, and finished well.
+
There is room to specialize in frame work, plastic repair, or final finishing, which can make you more valuable in a busy shop.
Challenges
-
Growth is slow, at just 1.6% from 2024 to 2034, so this is not a fast-expanding field.
-
The median pay is only $51,680, which can feel limited if you stay in general repair rather than moving into lead, estimating, or management roles.
-
The work is physical and can involve lifting, kneeling, sanding, grinding, fumes, and sharp or hot tools for long periods.
-
The job depends on accident repairs and insurance-driven demand, so busy periods and slower periods can change with the car market and repair cycles.
-
Modern vehicles are becoming more complex, with more sensors, materials, and calibration steps, so workers have to keep retraining to stay current.
Career Progression
Auto Body Repair Assistant
0-2 years
$32K-$40K
Learns shop routines, prepares parts and surfaces, and helps with basic disassembly, cleanup, and finishing tasks.
Automotive Body and Related Repairer
2-6 years
$45K-$62K
Handles dents, frame alignment, panel replacement, surface prep, and finishing work with less supervision.
Senior Collision Repair Technician THIS ROLE
6-10 years
$63K-$78K
Takes on harder structural repairs, more complex material mixes, and tighter quality checks on heavily damaged vehicles.
Collision Repair Shop Lead
10+ years
$79K-$95K
Coordinates jobs, checks repair quality, helps solve difficult damage problems, and keeps work moving through the shop.
Education Paths
High school diploma or equivalent
This is the most common entry point, held by 41.99% of workers in this role.
Post-secondary certificate in collision repair or auto body technology
A common pathway for job seekers with hands-on training, held by 34.65% of workers in this role.
Less than a high school diploma with strong shop experience
A smaller share of workers, 23.35%, entered with less than a high school diploma and learned the trade on the job.
Industry certifications and apprenticeship-style training
ASE or I-CAR style credentials can help you stand out when paired with long-term on-the-job training, especially if you want to move into specialty repair or estimating.
Key Skills
Technical
Repairing 65%
Troubleshooting 62%
Frame Alignment Machines & Measuring Systems 78%
Auto Body Sanding, Grinding & Surface Finishing 76%
Plastic Welding & Heat Reshaping Tools 74%
Body Filler, Dent Repair & Panel Shaping 72%
Quality Control Inspection 60%
Operations Monitoring 60%
MIG Welding & Metal Repair Tools 68%
Soft Skills
Active listeningClear verbal communicationCritical thinkingAttention to detailTime managementTeamwork Job Outlook and Trends
+1.6%
Projected growth (2024-2034)
14.6K
Annual job openings
Employment is projected to rise from 172.6K to 175.4 K over the next decade, representing 1.6% growth. Around 14.6 K openings per year include both newly created roles and replacement hiring from turnover.
Remote availability is currently Rare. Demand remains strongest where employers need practical domain knowledge plus modern workflow and data skills.