Automotive Body and Related Repairers
Also called: Auto Body Man, Automotive Body Technician (Auto Body Tech), Body Man, Body Technician (Body Tech)Repair and refinish automotive vehicle bodies and straighten vehicle frames.
On a phone, press and hold a picture to save it to Photos.
opens your phone's share sheet, where you can save both to Photos
What the data says: AI could halve the time on 2 of its 25 tasks, and jobs are projected to grow 3.7% by 2035. How to think about this →
About this projection
BLS builds AI into its projections where the research supports it: “BLS generally applies adjustments based on this research conservatively, where there is convincing evidence for a change.”
It also notes a limit: “BLS projection methods are not designed to capture extremely rapid technological change.”
On its AI exposure groups, BLS says exposure “does not imply job loss.”
Recent conditions
- In 2024, 1.8% of people in this work were unemployed, against 3.8% across all occupations Census ACS 2024
- From Sep 2025 to Aug 2026, 7.7 hires for every 10 job openings in other services, which employs about 74% of people in this work, against 7.3 across all industries BLS JOLTS
One box per opening, filled for each hire; hires beyond the openings are added in a lighter shade. Higher can mean openings get filled, or that people leave often; lower, that jobs go unfilled, or hiring is slow.7.7 this industry7.3 all industries
Median pay by state BLS OEWS May 2025, state estimates
Tap a state for its figures.
Median pay in every state
| State | Median | Middle half earn | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $52,040 | $44,050 to $61,410 | 1,810 |
| Alaska | $61,680 | $57,080 to $75,200 | 270 |
| Arizona | $54,510 | $46,810 to $60,510 | 2,750 |
| Arkansas | $49,310 | $41,160 to $60,680 | 1,140 |
| California | $66,860 | $52,040 to $78,200 | 14,050 |
| Colorado | $59,880 | $46,670 to $76,450 | 3,120 |
| Connecticut | $58,220 | $47,490 to $71,670 | 1,850 |
| Delaware | $48,780 | $43,500 to $63,140 | 340 |
| District of Columbia | $62,640 | $46,480 to $80,080 | 30 |
| Florida | $48,600 | $44,730 to $61,660 | 9,220 |
| Georgia | $51,190 | $45,460 to $61,660 | 4,680 |
| Hawaii | $60,540 | $47,400 to $71,730 | 450 |
| Idaho | $49,200 | $39,260 to $61,710 | 850 |
| Illinois | $52,020 | $48,150 to $60,700 | 5,750 |
| Indiana | $51,160 | $45,890 to $62,450 | 3,780 |
| Iowa | $49,400 | $43,380 to $63,270 | 1,830 |
| Kansas | $48,920 | $44,780 to $61,470 | 1,530 |
| Kentucky | $46,080 | $35,500 to $58,250 | 1,680 |
| Louisiana | $47,150 | $38,330 to $61,170 | 1,660 |
| Maine | $50,350 | $46,300 to $59,090 | 680 |
| Maryland | $56,100 | $45,070 to $63,410 | 2,930 |
| Massachusetts | $59,300 | $46,560 to $70,720 | 3,060 |
| Michigan | $56,880 | $46,550 to $72,850 | 5,010 |
| Minnesota | $60,970 | $49,540 to $74,520 | 2,910 |
| Mississippi | $49,500 | $38,010 to $62,500 | 1,380 |
| Missouri | $60,540 | $46,770 to $77,630 | 4,350 |
| Montana | $57,500 | $37,180 to $60,240 | 500 |
| Nebraska | $54,130 | $45,790 to $57,860 | 1,120 |
| Nevada | $60,520 | $48,880 to $95,480 | 1,020 |
| New Hampshire | $52,790 | $48,150 to $60,670 | 750 |
| New Jersey | $62,400 | $52,450 to $77,940 | 3,720 |
| New Mexico | $48,260 | $38,700 to $59,050 | 810 |
| New York | $47,670 | $41,630 to $60,600 | 8,530 |
| North Carolina | $50,520 | $44,720 to $62,990 | 5,180 |
| North Dakota | $55,160 | $41,600 to $74,640 | 680 |
| Ohio | $49,080 | $45,350 to $62,440 | 5,950 |
| Oklahoma | $48,810 | $44,290 to $59,450 | 2,330 |
| Oregon | $60,000 | $48,570 to $73,200 | 1,660 |
| Pennsylvania | $53,660 | $45,530 to $63,610 | 6,650 |
| Puerto Rico | $30,260 | $21,840 to $41,600 | 650 |
| Rhode Island | $72,490 | $48,140 to $74,530 | 800 |
| South Carolina | $53,290 | $47,220 to $63,080 | 2,140 |
| South Dakota | $49,460 | $46,810 to $61,560 | 800 |
| Tennessee | $47,460 | $38,830 to $56,130 | 3,970 |
| Texas | $51,700 | $45,760 to $61,640 | 14,070 |
| Utah | $50,200 | $39,220 to $61,480 | 1,590 |
| Vermont | $50,900 | $43,780 to $60,620 | 320 |
| Virginia | $57,760 | $47,510 to $89,650 | 3,720 |
| Washington | $58,340 | $46,890 to $95,230 | 2,330 |
| West Virginia | $47,090 | $42,850 to $51,780 | 670 |
| Wisconsin | $56,660 | $47,330 to $61,020 | 2,690 |
| Wyoming | $49,200 | $45,880 to $63,180 | 200 |
Nationally: $54,890. Shades run from the lowest state median to the highest; a territory below that range takes the lightest. How to read this
How AI touches the work
What AI could speed up, task by task, and where people already use it.
AI could halve the time on 2 of its 25 tasks
| AI rating | Its main tasks | Share of Claude conversations May 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Not much | File, grind, sand, and smooth filled or repaired surfaces, using power tools and hand tools. | Not published |
| Not much | Follow supervisors' instructions as to which parts to restore or replace and how much time the job should take. | Not published |
| Not much | Inspect repaired vehicles for proper functioning, completion of work, dimensional accuracy, and overall appearance of paint job, and test-drive vehicles to ensure proper alignment and handling. | Not published |
| Not much | Sand body areas to be painted and cover bumpers, windows, and trim with masking tape or paper to protect them from the paint. | Not published |
| Not much | Fit and weld replacement parts into place, using wrenches and welding equipment, and grind down welds to smooth them, using power grinders and other tools. | Not published |
| Not much | Prime and paint repaired surfaces, using paint sprayguns and motorized sanders. | Not published |
See all 25 tasks
| Not much | Position dolly blocks against surfaces of dented areas and beat opposite surfaces to remove dents, using hammers. | Not published |
| Not much | Remove upholstery, accessories, electrical window-and-seat-operating equipment, and trim to gain access to vehicle bodies and fenders. | Not published |
| Not much | Mix polyester resins and hardeners to be used in restoring damaged areas. | Not published |
| Not much | Remove damaged sections of vehicles using metal-cutting guns, air grinders and wrenches, and install replacement parts using wrenches or welding equipment. | Not published |
| Not much | Remove small pits and dimples in body metal, using pick hammers and punches. | Not published |
| Not much | Adjust or align headlights, wheels, and brake systems. | Not published |
| Not much | Chain or clamp frames and sections to alignment machines that use hydraulic pressure to align damaged components. | Not published |
| AI + software | Review damage reports, prepare or review repair cost estimates, and plan work to be performed. | Not published |
| Not much | Fill small dents that cannot be worked out with plastic or solder. | Not published |
| Not much | Apply heat to plastic panels, using hot-air welding guns or immersion in hot water, and press the softened panels back into shape by hand. | Not published |
| Not much | Clean work areas, using air hoses, to remove damaged material and discarded fiberglass strips used in repair procedures. | Not published |
| Not much | Fit and secure windows, vinyl roofs, and metal trim to vehicle bodies, using caulking guns, adhesive brushes, and mallets. | Not published |
| Not much | Remove damaged panels, and identify the family and properties of the plastic used on a vehicle. | Not published |
| Not much | Replace damaged glass on vehicles. | Not published |
| Not much | Cut and tape plastic separating film to outside repair areas to avoid damaging surrounding surfaces during repair procedure and remove tape and wash surfaces after repairs are complete. | Not published |
| Not much | Soak fiberglass matting in resin mixtures and apply layers of matting over repair areas to specified thicknesses. | Not published |
| AI alone | Read specifications or confer with customers to determine the desired custom modifications for altering the appearance of vehicles. | Not published |
| Not much | Cut openings in vehicle bodies for the installation of customized windows, using templates and power shears or chisels. | Not published |
| Not much | Measure and mark vinyl material and cut material to size for roof installation, using rules, straightedges, and hand shears. | Not published |
Ordered by how important O*NET's respondents rate each task (1 to 5) times the share who say it is part of their job. The ordering is ours. 0 of the 25 have a published share of Claude conversations; “not published” means too few conversations for Anthropic to publish a figure.
Where people already use AI
The tasks above say what AI could speed up. This shows what people are using it for. Its 25 tasks fall under 19 work activities that many occupations share, and Microsoft counted how often each one came up in 200,000 conversations with its Copilot assistant in 2024.
- #8 Read documents or materials to inform work processes
| Work activity | This occupation's tasks under it | People asked AI for help in 10,000 conversations |
AI did it for them in 10,000 conversations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smooth surfaces of objects or equipment | |||
| Cut materials | |||
| Disassemble equipment | |||
| Assemble equipment or components | |||
| Read documents or materials to inform work processes | |||
| Prepare mixtures or solutions | |||
| Set up protective structures or coverings near work areas | |||
| Plan work activities |
Show all 19 activities
| Confer with clients to determine needs or order specifications | |||
| Adjust equipment to ensure adequate performance | |||
| Communicate with others about operational plans or activities | |||
| Measure physical characteristics of materials, products, or equipment | |||
| Inspect completed work or finished products | |||
| Clean tools, equipment, facilities, or work areas | |||
| Apply protective solutions or coatings | |||
| Repair vehicle components | |||
| Position workpieces or materials on equipment | |||
| Prepare industrial materials for processing or use | |||
| Join parts using soldering, welding, or brazing techniques |
How to read this
Work activities come from O*NET, which links every task to the broader activities it involves. Microsoft's figures are for the activity across everyone who used Copilot, not for automotive body and related repairers specifically. Copilot is a general chat assistant; dedicated coding tools are not included, so programming help is under-counted here. Activities are listed by how many of this occupation's tasks fall under them.
The task ratings say whether AI could halve the time a task takes: on its own (“AI alone”), or with software built on it (“AI + software”). They were made by people in 2023 (Eloundou et al.). Claude's share is the task's share of all Claude.ai conversations in May 2026; Anthropic doesn't publish a task with too few conversations. None of these add up to the BLS exposure group, which combines five research measures.
More in the Guide: task ratings · task order · work activities · Copilot figures · Claude
High exposure doesn't mean fewer jobs
BLS projects most occupations in its two most exposed groups to grow: 141 of 206 rated Very high and 165 of 206 rated High. Each dot is one of the 831 occupations BLS rates.
Career moves into and out of this occupation
From moves between occupations found in online resumes, 2002–2016. Career changes only: a first job after school isn't a move.
Where people moved next
of 13,828 moves out
- 1 Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers Moderate +3.8% 6%
- 2 Managers, All Other (2010 group) an older group BLS has since split; no exposure group today 5%
- 3 Maintenance and Repair Workers, General Low +4.2% 4%
- 4 Computer User Support Specialists Very high -3.5% 3%
- 5 Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics Moderate +5.0% 3%
Where people moved in from
of 12,299 moves in
- 1 Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers Moderate +3.8% 4%
- 2 Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand Low +1.8% 4%
- 3 Managers, All Other (2010 group) an older group BLS has since split; no exposure group today 3%
- 4 Maintenance and Repair Workers, General Low +4.2% 3%
- 5 Retail Salespersons Very high -0.3% 3%
Resumes over-represent younger, white-collar job-seekers and moves into management. Schubert, Stansbury and Taska (resume data).
Education and training for the occupation
O*NET survey of workers in this occupation
- 23% less than high school
- 42% high school
- 35% postsecondary certificate
O*NET 31.0 survey of workers in this occupation · 14 people answered.
Census survey (American Community Survey)
- 17% less than high school
- 50% high school
- 20% some college
- 9% associate's
- 4% bachelor's
Census ACS 2024, all workers in this occupation · 1,363 people surveyed.
Why the two can differ
O*NET asks about 20 people in each occupation, which makes its shares uncertain, but it reports the exact occupation and counts certificates. The Census survey reaches thousands, but it groups some occupations together and counts degrees only. More in the Guide
Median pay by highest degree full-time, year-round · Census ACS 2024, all workers in this occupation
1 program: Autobody/Collision and Repair Technology/Technician.
Jobs that require a credential BLS Occupational Requirements Survey 2023
68.9% this occupation
45.3% all occupations
| By kind | This occupation | All occupations |
|---|---|---|
| a license | not published | |
| a certification | not published | |
| an educational certificate | not published |
Share of jobs whose employer requires it. BLS doesn't say which credential. How to read this
Look up certifications, training and licenses U.S. Department of Labor
- Certification Finder ↗ certifications CareerOneStop lists for this occupation
- Training Finder ↗ schools and programs, nationwide; narrow the place there
- License Finder ↗ licenses by state
- Apprenticeship Finder ↗ DOL lists 3 registered apprenticeships in this occupation (Automobile Body Repairer; SERVICE MECHANIC (Auto Mfg); TRUCK BODY BUILDER). Apprenticeship.gov can't be linked to one occupation, so search for “Automotive Body and Related Repairers” there.
These open in a new tab and send only the occupation's public code. More in the Guide
BLS AI exposure categories (Aug 2026) · BLS Employment Projections 2025–35 · O*NET 31.0 · Task ratings: Eloundou et al., Science (2024) · Microsoft "Working with AI" v1.1 · Anthropic Economic Index (2026-06-26) · Schubert, Stansbury and Taska · NCES CIP–SOC · Census ACS 2024 · BLS JOLTS
See it online, and explore any career: https://www.pathmosaic.com/card/49-3021.00