Updated October 28, 2026. Wage data year: May 2025 (BLS). Employment projections: 2025 to 2035.
How much do auto glass technicians make?
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics puts the median pay for automotive glass installers and repairers at $47,630 a year (May 2025).[1] Half of them earned more, and half earned less. The lowest-paid 10 percent earned under $35,390 and the highest-paid 10 percent earned over $70,650.[1]
The numbers at a glance
| Group | Median pay |
|---|---|
| Vehicle and mobile equipment mechanics, installers, and repairers | $58,240 |
| Automotive body and related repairers | $54,890 |
| Automotive body and glass repairers (combined group) | $52,530 |
| All occupations | $50,980 |
| Automotive glass installers and repairers | $47,630 |
For the combined body-and-glass group, the Handbook lists a median of $25.25 an hour.[1] Glass installers alone are listed on an annual basis only.
| Measure | Annual wage |
|---|---|
| Lowest 10 percent earned less than | $35,390 |
| Median | $47,630 |
| Highest 10 percent earned more than | $70,650 |
| Median in body, paint, interior, and glass repair shops (77% of jobs) | $47,650 |
| Median in construction (2% of jobs) | $45,760 |
What shops are advertising right now
Federal wage data lags by months. Here are hourly ranges that employers published on their own careers pages when we checked in October 2026. These are single postings, not averages, and the ranges change.
- Glass Doctor, San Antonio, TX, auto glass technician: $18 to $24 an hour.[2]
- Portland Glass, Portland, ME, auto glass technician: $20 to $28 an hour.[3]
- Quality Auto Glass, South Plainfield, NJ, experienced or apprentice technician: $18.50 to $33 an hour.[5]
- Calibright, Mundelein, IL, ADAS technician: $25 to $35 an hour.[4]
Current listings with pay are on the jobs board, and you can filter to auto glass technician or ADAS calibration roles.
How shops pay
The Handbook says most repair shops and auto dealers pay body and glass repairers on an incentive basis: a guaranteed base plus a set amount for each task completed, so earnings depend on how much work you are assigned and how fast you finish it.[1] Most work full time, and overtime is common when a shop has a backlog, often evenings and weekends.[1] Glass installers often travel to the customer's location, which is how mobile technician roles work.[1]
What moves your pay
- Experience. BLS says basic glass installation and repair can be learned in as little as 6 months, and becoming fully independent can take up to a year of training.[1] Earnings rise with experience.[1]
- Certification. BLS says certification is not required but is recommended because it shows competence and usually brings higher pay, and in some cases it is required to advance beyond entry level.[1] A few states require a license to install or repair auto glass.[1]
- Newer vehicle technology. The Handbook notes that new vehicles increasingly carry collision-avoidance safety systems, and that repair work takes more time around the growing number of cameras and sensors.[1] See our guide to the ADAS calibration technician job.
- Location and employer type. National medians hide a lot of local variation. The Handbook links to BLS state and metro data for your area.[1]
Limits of these numbers
- The BLS pay table does not include self-employed workers.[1] About 10 percent of automotive glass installers and repairers are self-employed.[1]
- Wage figures are medians for the whole country in May 2025. They are not a promise for any one job or region.
- BLS notes that automotive glass installers and repairers have one of the highest injury and illness rates of all occupations; following safety practice such as proper lifting and eye and skin protection matters.[1]
Is the job growing?
BLS counted about 22,600 automotive glass installers and repairers in 2025 and projects 23,900 by 2035, growth of 6 percent, against 3 percent for all occupations.[1]
Sources
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook: Automotive Body and Glass Repairers (pay figures are May 2025 OEWS data; employment projections are 2025-35). https://www.bls.gov/ooh/installation-maintenance-and-repair/automotive-body-and-glass-repairers.htm
- Glass Doctor careers: Auto Glass Technician posting (San Antonio, TX), pay range as published, checked October 2026. https://jobs.glassdoctor.com/auto-glass-technician/job/F70FAB4F202F134393E0ED2849CBF93E
- Portland Glass careers: Auto Glass Technician posting (Portland, ME), pay range as published, checked October 2026. https://jobs.portlandglass.com/auto-glass-technician/job/P1-7132610-0
- Calibright careers: ADAS Technician posting (Mundelein, IL), pay range as published, checked October 2026. https://job-boards.greenhouse.io/calibright/jobs/5156717007
- Quality Auto Glass careers: Automotive Glass Technician posting (South Plainfield, NJ), pay range as published, checked October 2026. https://quality-auto-glass.careerplug.com/jobs/3411480/apps/new