Automotive Body and Related Repairers

Repair and refinish automotive vehicle bodies and straighten vehicle frames.

What you'd actually do

• File, grind, sand, and smooth filled or repaired surfaces, using power tools and hand tools.
• 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.
• 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.
• Prime and paint repaired surfaces, using paint sprayguns and motorized sanders.
• Follow supervisors' instructions as to which parts to restore or replace and how much time the job should take.
• Sand body areas to be painted and cover bumpers, windows, and trim with masking tape or paper to protect them from the paint.

How you get there

Typical entry-level education: High school diploma. Overall preparation: some preparation (Job Zone 2 of 5).

The feel of the work

Much of the day is spent working solo; time pressure is a real part of the job. (Compared against the other 818 careers in the guide.)

Working for yourself

About 9.9% of automotive body and related repairers are self-employed.

Who it tends to fit

This work tends to fit people who are hands-on and organized and detail-focused.

Related careers

• Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line Installers
• Industrial Machinery Mechanics
• Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines
• Millwrights
• Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Commercial and Industrial Equipment
• Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers

Quick questions

How much does a automotive body and related repairer make?

The median pay is $26.39 per hour — roughly $55,000 a year, with the real range running from about $17.74/hr (10th percentile) to $42.28/hr (90th percentile). Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Do you need a degree to be a automotive body and related repairer?

The typical entry-level education is: High school diploma. Overall preparation level: some preparation (Job Zone 2 of 5).

What does a automotive body and related repairer actually do all day?

File, grind, sand, and smooth filled or repaired surfaces, using power tools and hand tools. 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. 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.