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Post by ridesbikes on Jan 29, 2017 12:07:09 GMT -6
I just finished browsing the job postings on PBMA and saw quite a few positions with $14+/hr wages and also paid vacations and health insurance. Are these normal wages for a FT mechanic with more than a few years of experience? I'm just finishing up my first year in a shop and was questioning if I'll ever be able to make a livable wage in this profession. I really enjoy what I'm doing, but it would be cool to make more than near minimum wage and receive some sort of health benefits/vacation. What would you say is a wage that a mechanic can earn with 2-5 years experience? I know an area's cost of living plays a factor, but there's the post for a job in Alabama that pays $15+/hr!
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BikeTechTed
New Member
24 years turning the spanners
Posts: 9
Shop / Company: Chain Reaction Bicycles - Evans GA
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Post by BikeTechTed on Jan 30, 2017 5:47:27 GMT -6
In my opinion, with 2-5 years experience, you should expect anywhere from $8-12 per hour.
I've been a mechanic for over 24 years and "Expect" $14+ per hour based on experience and training.
I'm not saying these shops won't pay that much, but the national average is what it is.
Hopefully these shops are bucking the current trend of struggling to make ends meet and can afford to pay more for mechanics or they aren't giving the full picture like saying pay is based off of commission and what they advertise is "potential" income.
Oh and BTW, I have to provide my own insurance, have no 401k program with my employer, and don't get paid for vacation.
But I do get to work on bikes for a living, sooooo.....
Livable wages coincide with quality of life expectations and where one lives.
I've got a wife (thankfully with an annual income higher than mine), 1 house, 1 child, 1 cat, and 1 fish. So as long as I live within my means, I can afford to live....which brings me to this....
You can get paid $8-16/hr and live comfortably in Alabama, or you can get paid $8-16/hr and struggle in Santa Cruz CA.
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gregor
PBMA Mechanic Member
Posts: 2
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Post by gregor on Jan 30, 2017 16:00:59 GMT -6
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics accumulates all sorts of wage data. Bike Mechanics are called “Bicycle Repairers” listed under the general category “Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Occupations.”
In 2015, The median wage for “Bicycle Repairers” in the USA was $13.20/hr. That means half of us earned less than $13.20 and half of us earned more. The median was a little more in high cost of living areas, like $14.63 in CA. A little less in lower wage states line AR at $11.05/hr.
The national percentile breakdown is:
10th Percentile = $9.16
25th Percentile = $10.65
50th Percentile = $13.20
75th Percentile = $15.91
90th Percentile = $18.32
So 90% of us earn more than $9.16/hr and only about 10% of us earn more than $18.32/hr.
The wage percentile numbers are about 15% more in high wage states and about 15% less in lower wage states.
Just for kicks, I picked four other occupations in the same “Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Occupations” category that I thought might require about the same skill and responsibility as a bike mechanic, or maybe even a little less: Automotive Glass Installers and Repairers; Mechanical Door Repairers; Locksmiths and Safe Repairers; Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers. The average median wage for these four jobs was $18.57/hr, or $5.37/hr more than a bicycle mechanic.
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Post by Admin on Feb 2, 2017 9:33:19 GMT -6
Thanks for looking all this up and posting. This is really interesting information! The US Bureau of Labor Statistics accumulates all sorts of wage data. Bike Mechanics are called “Bicycle Repairers” listed under the general category “Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Occupations.” In 2015, The median wage for “Bicycle Repairers” in the USA was $13.20/hr. That means half of us earned less than $13.20 and half of us earned more. The median was a little more in high cost of living areas, like $14.63 in CA. A little less in lower wage states line AR at $11.05/hr. The national percentile breakdown is: 10th Percentile = $9.16 25th Percentile = $10.65 50th Percentile = $13.20 75th Percentile = $15.91 90th Percentile = $18.32 So 90% of us earn more than $9.16/hr and only about 10% of us earn more than $18.32/hr. The wage percentile numbers are about 15% more in high wage states and about 15% less in lower wage states. Just for kicks, I picked four other occupations in the same “Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Occupations” category that I thought might require about the same skill and responsibility as a bike mechanic, or maybe even a little less: Automotive Glass Installers and Repairers; Mechanical Door Repairers; Locksmiths and Safe Repairers; Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers. The average median wage for these four jobs was $18.57/hr, or $5.37/hr more than a bicycle mechanic. |
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brentssc
Race Mechanic
SSC
Posts: 41 
First Name: Brent
Last Name: Davis
Location: earth
Shop / Company: Neutral Race Service
Bio: started in the 80's
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Post by brentssc on Feb 2, 2017 13:03:14 GMT -6
The issue of wages is directly related to what most shops do with labor rates in usually under valuating it away , most shops have far too low of a shop labor rate an easy way to gauge it is to go around to dealerships and garages. It is also highly dependent on location for pay scale it should go along with the local cost of living. Sadly again shops give away labor and force out their top mechanics buy underpaying them because of their low labor rates.
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mrl
PBMA Mechanic Member
Posts: 13 
First Name: Marielle
Last Name: Levine
Location: Montreal
Shop / Company: Cycles Gervais Rioux
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Post by mrl on Feb 4, 2017 18:15:43 GMT -6
I'm in Montreal, Canada. As far as I can tell, there are a few dozen bike shops here, many inexperienced minimum-wage-earning mechanics, many low-paid experienced mechanics, and relatively few decently-paid very experienced mechanics. My wages have gone up by roughly $2/hr every 3 years that I've been a mechanic. Most of the places I've worked, there has been a less experienced or more recently hired mechanic who made more than me. Most of my big jumps in pay have been the result of changing shops.
I've been a mechanic for 11 years, and I "expect" to be paid enough for my housing expenses to be less than 30% of my income in the same neighbourhood as the shop.
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