# Automotive Body and Related Repairers

US SOC code 49-3021. Markdown version of https://futurehistory.earth/timeline/49-3021

Also called: Auto body tech, Collision repair technician, Body man, Collision tech, Auto body painter.

## In brief

In May 2025, [BLS](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm25nat.zip) counted **149,310** US automotive body and related repairers, with median pay of **$54,890** a year. Of the BLS counts since 2003, the highest was **173,590**, in May 2003. The earliest figure here is [an estimate](https://www.shopmonkey.io/blog/history-of-the-auto-repair-industry-shopmonkey) of **50,000** from 1929, not measured the same way as today's count. The last full technology era for automotive body and related repairers: Advanced high-strength steel + aluminum repair protocols, 2010 to 2022.

## What the sources say

### Official outlook

BLS projects employment to grow 3.7% from 2025 to 2035. Source: [BLS Employment Projections 2025-35](https://data.bls.gov/projections/nationalMatrix?queryParams=49-3021&ioType=o).

### AI exposure studies

- **4.3%** of this job's tasks are exposed to large language models. Not a forecast of job losses. [Eloundou and others, 2023](https://github.com/openai/GPTs-are-GPTs/blob/main/data/occ_level.csv)

Data as of BLS OEWS May 2025; BLS Employment Projections 2025-35. BLS publishes these counts as yearly survey snapshots and cautions against reading them as a precise trend. In May 2021 BLS changed how it estimates these counts (a model-based method using three years of survey data) and moved fully to the 2018 occupation codes, so part of a change across 2021 can come from the method rather than the work.

## Automotive Body and Related Repairers employment and pay by year

- On record since: 1908
- Latest US employment: 149,310 (May 2025). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 [5]
- Latest US median pay: $54,890 (May 2025). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 [11]
- Outlook: +3.7% by 2035. Source: BLS Employment Projections 2025-35 [31]

### In other countries

The latest figure each country's statistics agency publishes for this job. Each uses its own occupation definition, survey basis and currency, so the numbers are not directly comparable with each other or with the US figures.

- **Canada** (NOC 72411)
  - Employment, 2020: 28,690. Source: Statistics Canada Census 2021 [8]. Statistics Canada Census of Population 2021: number of persons with employment income in NOC 72411 Auto body collision, refinishing and glass technicians and damage repair estimators, Canada, reference year 2020. A recipients basis (anyone with employment income during the year), slightly broader than a point-in-time employed count. Statistics Canada Open Licence.
  - Median pay, 2020: C$53,600. Source: Statistics Canada Census 2021 [14]. Statistics Canada Census of Population 2021 (Table 98-10-0586): median employment income for NOC 72411 Auto body collision, refinishing and glass technicians and damage repair estimators, Canada, reference year 2020, full-year full-time workers (the basis comparable to the US OEWS full-time median). Statistics Canada Open Licence.

### All 28 years of cited US data

| Year | US employment | Annual pay (median unless marked) | Source |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1929 | 50,000 (estimate) | n/a | Est., Shopmonkey [1] |
| 1950 | 100,000 (estimate) | n/a | Est., IPUMS USA [2] |
| 1970 | n/a | $7,800 (estimate) | Est., University of Missouri Libraries [9] |
| 1984 | 177,000 (estimate) | n/a | Est., Christian Science Monitor [3] |
| 2000 | 168,170 | $31,190 | BLS OEWS 2000 [4] |
| 2003 | 173,590 | $33,140 | BLS OEWS May 2003 [5] |
| 2004 | 162,820 | $34,690 | BLS OEWS May 2004 [5] |
| 2005 | 158,160 | $34,810 | BLS OEWS May 2005 [5] |
| 2006 | 155,500 | $35,180 | BLS OEWS May 2006 [5] |
| 2007 | 152,790 | $35,690 | BLS OEWS May 2007 [5] |
| 2008 | 147,200 | $37,040 | BLS OEWS May 2008 [5] |
| 2009 | 133,290 | $37,980 | BLS OEWS May 2009 [5] |
| 2010 | 129,730 | $38,130 | BLS OEWS May 2010 [5] |
| 2011 | 131,040 | $38,180 | BLS OEWS May 2011 [5] |
| 2012 | 135,610 | $38,380 | BLS OEWS May 2012 [5] |
| 2013 | 134,650 | $38,850 | BLS OEWS May 2013 [5] |
| 2014 | 137,140 | $40,320 | BLS OEWS May 2014 [5] |
| 2015 | 143,040 | $40,970 | BLS OEWS May 2015 [5] |
| 2016 | 143,940 | $41,540 | BLS OEWS May 2016 [5] |
| 2017 | 144,320 | $41,970 | BLS OEWS May 2017 [5] |
| 2018 | 142,060 | $42,730 | BLS OEWS May 2018 [5] |
| 2019 | 144,180 | $43,580 | BLS OEWS May 2019 [5] |
| 2020 | 137,120 | $45,350 | BLS OEWS May 2020 [5] |
| 2021 | 137,300 | $47,270 | BLS OEWS May 2021 [5] |
| 2022 | 138,760 | $47,670 | BLS OEWS May 2022 [5] |
| 2023 | 151,910 | $48,740 | BLS OEWS May 2023 [5] |
| 2024 | 155,220 | $51,680 | BLS OEWS May 2024 [5] |
| 2025 | 149,310 | $54,890 | BLS OEWS May 2025 [5] |

## Sources (92)

### Employment series

1. [Shopmonkey / History of the Auto Repair Industry — over 60,000 service shops by the 1920s; Rustblasters "A Brief History of Auto Body Repair" (Model T era demand)](https://www.shopmonkey.io/blog/history-of-the-auto-repair-industry-shopmonkey), Shopmonkey
2. [IPUMS USA — Occupation and Industry Codes and Documentation (1950 Census automobile mechanics and repairers classification, OCC1950)](https://usa.ipums.org/usa/volii/occ_ind.shtml), IPUMS / University of Minnesota
3. [Christian Science Monitor — "New unibody autos are safer - but more expensive to repair" (July 3, 1984): shortage of trained technicians; over 80% of US vehicles are unibody by 1984](https://www.csmonitor.com/1984/0703/070315.html), Christian Science Monitor
4. [BLS OES 2000 national estimates (flat file)](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oes00nat.zip), Bureau of Labor Statistics
5. BLS OEWS, national cross-industry estimates (flat file), Bureau of Labor Statistics. Editions: [2003](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm03nat.zip), [2004](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm04nat.zip), [2005](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm05nat.zip), [2006](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm06nat.zip), [2007](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm07nat.zip), [2008](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm08nat.zip), [2009](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm09nat.zip), [2010](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm10nat.zip), [2011](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm11nat.zip), [2012](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm12nat.zip), [2013](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm13nat.zip), [2014](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm14nat.zip), [2015](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm15nat.zip), [2016](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm16nat.zip), [2017](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm17nat.zip), [2018](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm18nat.zip), [2019](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm19nat.zip), [2020](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm20nat.zip), [2021](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm21nat.zip), [2022](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm22nat.zip), [2023](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm23nat.zip), [2024](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm24nat.zip), [2025](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm25nat.zip)
6. [Statistics Canada, Census of Population 2006, Table 97-563-XCB2006069 (Wage and salary statistics by occupation, NOC-S 2006), income reference year 2005](https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2006/dp-pd/tbt/Rp-eng.cfm?LANG=E&PID=96285), Statistics Canada
7. [Statistics Canada, Census of Population 2016, Table 98-400-X2016356 (Occupation by employment income statistics, NOC 2016), income reference year 2015](https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/en/catalogue/98-400-X2016356), Statistics Canada
8. [Statistics Canada, Census of Population 2021, Table 98-10-0586 (Employment income statistics by occupation unit group, NOC 2021), income reference year 2020](https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=9810058601), Statistics Canada

### Wage series

9. [University of Missouri Libraries — "Prices and Wages by Decade: 1970-1979" (BLS industry wage survey references for automotive trades)](https://libraryguides.missouri.edu/pricesandwages/1970-1979), University of Missouri Libraries / BLS historical sources
10. [BLS OES 2000 national estimates (flat file)](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oes00nat.zip), Bureau of Labor Statistics
11. BLS OEWS, national cross-industry estimates (flat file), Bureau of Labor Statistics. Editions: [2003](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm03nat.zip), [2004](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm04nat.zip), [2005](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm05nat.zip), [2006](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm06nat.zip), [2007](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm07nat.zip), [2008](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm08nat.zip), [2009](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm09nat.zip), [2010](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm10nat.zip), [2011](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm11nat.zip), [2012](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm12nat.zip), [2013](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm13nat.zip), [2014](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm14nat.zip), [2015](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm15nat.zip), [2016](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm16nat.zip), [2017](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm17nat.zip), [2018](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm18nat.zip), [2019](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm19nat.zip), [2020](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm20nat.zip), [2021](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm21nat.zip), [2022](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm22nat.zip), [2023](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm23nat.zip), [2024](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm24nat.zip), [2025](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm25nat.zip)
12. [Statistics Canada, Census of Population 2006, Table 97-563-XCB2006069 (Wage and salary statistics by occupation, NOC-S 2006), income reference year 2005](https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2006/dp-pd/tbt/Rp-eng.cfm?LANG=E&PID=96285), Statistics Canada
13. [Statistics Canada, Census of Population 2016, Table 98-400-X2016356 (Occupation by employment income statistics, NOC 2016), income reference year 2015](https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/en/catalogue/98-400-X2016356), Statistics Canada
14. [Statistics Canada, Census of Population 2021, Table 98-10-0586 (Employment income statistics by occupation unit group, NOC 2021), income reference year 2020](https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=9810058601), Statistics Canada

### Tool eras

15. [Smithsonian National Museum of American History — "Building and Fixing Cars" (early automobile repair history, coachbuilder tools)](https://americanhistory.si.edu/explore/exhibitions/america-on-the-move/online/americans-adopt-auto/building-fixing-cars), Smithsonian Institution
16. [Rustblasters — "A Brief History of Auto Body Repair" (1908 Model T era origins, coachbuilder lineage)](https://www.rustblasters.com/single-post/2016/07/08/a-brief-history-of-auto-body-repair), Rustblasters
17. [Science History Institute — "True Blue: DuPont and the Color Revolution" (Duco lacquer introduction 1924, Oakland Motor Car, DeVilbiss spray gun)](https://www.sciencehistory.org/stories/magazine/true-blue-dupont-and-the-color-revolution/), Science History Institute
18. [FenderBender — YesterWreck Column #4: The Collision Repair Industry in the 1920s (DuPont Duco, paint booth emergence)](https://www.fenderbender.com/columns/article/55251402/yesterwreck-the-column-the-collision-repair-industry-1920-1929), FenderBender Magazine
19. [Stillarc Site Services — "The History of MIG Welding: From Innovation to Industrial Standard" (short-circuit transfer 1960s, automotive adoption)](https://www.stillarcsiteservices.co.uk/blog/the-history-of-mig-welding-from-innovation-to-industrial-standard), Stillarc Site Services
20. [SwitchWeld — "The Complete History of MIG Welding: From Creation to Cobots" (1960s automotive industry adoption, thin-sheet capability)](https://switchweld.com/the-complete-history-of-mig-welding-from-creation-to-cobots/), SwitchWeld
21. [Car-O-Liner — "About Car-O-Liner" (first universal alignment bench and mechanical measuring system launched 1973)](https://www.crashtools.com/why-car-o-liner), Car-O-Liner / Pacific Collision
22. [Christian Science Monitor — "New unibody autos are safer - but more expensive to repair" (July 3, 1984): 80%+ of US cars unibody, shortage of qualified technicians](https://www.csmonitor.com/1984/0703/070315.html), Christian Science Monitor
23. [I-CAR — "I-CAR Celebrates 35 Years of Serving Auto Collision Repair Industry" (founded 1979 in response to unibody vehicle technology shift)](https://info.i-car.com/press-room/2014/i-car-celebrates-35-years-of-serving-auto-collisio), I-CAR
24. [American Coatings Association — "A Brief History of Automotive Coatings Technology" (1980s basecoat/clearcoat systems, 1990s waterborne)](https://web.archive.org/web/20260804232218/https://www.paint.org/coatingstech-magazine/articles/brief-history-automotive-coatings-technology/), American Coatings Association
25. [Grafton History — "From Classic to Custom: The Evolution of Auto Body Craftsmanship Over the Decades" (computerized paint systems 1980s-1990s)](https://graftonhistory.org/from-classic-to-custom-the-evolution-of-auto-body-craftsmanship-over-the-decades/), Grafton History
26. [BLS OOH — Automotive Body and Glass Repairers: technicians must know advanced materials including AHSS and aluminum in newer vehicles](https://www.bls.gov/ooh/installation-maintenance-and-repair/automotive-body-and-glass-repairers.htm), Bureau of Labor Statistics
27. [O\*NET 49-3021.00 — task descriptions including AHSS welding and OEM structural repair procedures](https://www.onetonline.org/link/summary/49-3021.00), O\*NET / BLS
28. [Autobody News — "AI in Collision Repair: Applications, Challenges and Efficiencies" (CCC pre-populates 82%, Mitchell 70% of estimate lines)](https://www.autobodynews.com/news/ai-in-collision-repair-applications-challenges-and-efficiencies), Autobody News
29. [Body Shop Business — "ASE Announces Development of New ADAS Calibration Technician Credential" (2025)](https://www.bodyshopbusiness.com/ase-announces-development-of-new-adas-calibration-technician-credential/), Body Shop Business
30. [IIHS — Advanced Driver Assistance Technologies (20 automakers representing 99% of US light vehicle sales committed to front crash prevention as standard; automatic emergency braking activated in 93% of surveyed new vehicles in 2023)](https://www.iihs.org/topics/advanced-driver-assistance), Insurance Institute for Highway Safety

### Forecasts and exposure studies

31. [BLS Employment Projections 2025-35, National Employment Matrix: 49-3021 Automotive body and related repairers (2025: 163.2 thousand; 2035: 169.3 thousand; +3.7%)](https://data.bls.gov/projections/nationalMatrix?queryParams=49-3021&ioType=o), Bureau of Labor Statistics
32. [Eloundou, Manning, Mishkin & Rock (2023), "GPTs are GPTs", occupation-level exposure data occ\_level.csv (O\*NET-SOC 49-3021.00, human-rated β 0.043)](https://github.com/openai/GPTs-are-GPTs/blob/main/data/occ_level.csv), OpenAI

### Historical notes

33. [Rustblasters — "A Brief History of Auto Body Repair" (Model T 1908, auto registrations growth)](https://www.rustblasters.com/single-post/2016/07/08/a-brief-history-of-auto-body-repair), Rustblasters
34. [Science History Institute — "True Blue: DuPont and the Color Revolution" (1924 Oakland, Duco introduction, 30-day to 2-hour refinishing)](https://www.sciencehistory.org/stories/magazine/true-blue-dupont-and-the-color-revolution/), Science History Institute
35. [I-CAR — "I-CAR Celebrates 35 Years of Serving Auto Collision Repair Industry" (founded 1979, unibody vehicle technology rationale)](https://info.i-car.com/press-room/2014/i-car-celebrates-35-years-of-serving-auto-collisio), I-CAR
36. [Christian Science Monitor — "New unibody autos are safer - but more expensive to repair" (July 3, 1984)](https://www.csmonitor.com/1984/0703/070315.html), Christian Science Monitor
37. [BLS OOH — Automotive Body and Glass Repairers: technicians must know advanced materials in newer vehicles, including aluminum and AHSS](https://www.bls.gov/ooh/installation-maintenance-and-repair/automotive-body-and-glass-repairers.htm), Bureau of Labor Statistics
38. [CCC Intelligent Solutions / Aftermarket Matters — "How electric vehicles are changing collision repair in 2026"; EV repair cost premium, labor hours data, sector readiness](https://www.aftermarketmatters.com/national-news/how-electric-vehicles-are-changing-collision-repair-in-2026/), Aftermarket Matters / CCC Intelligent Solutions

### Predecessors & successors

39. [Shopmonkey — History of the Auto Repair Industry (blacksmith shops became first auto repair and body shops)](https://www.shopmonkey.io/blog/history-of-the-auto-repair-industry-shopmonkey), Shopmonkey
40. [Rustblasters — "A Brief History of Auto Body Repair" (machinists and bicycle repair shops handled early automobile work)](https://www.rustblasters.com/single-post/2016/07/08/a-brief-history-of-auto-body-repair), Rustblasters

### Present-day analysis

- [O\*NET 30.3 — Automotive Body and Related Repairers (49-3021.00): tasks, technology skills, tools, 172,600 employed, median $51,680](https://www.onetonline.org/link/summary/49-3021.00), accessed 2026-06-05
- [BLS OOH — Automotive Body and Glass Repairers: 172,600 employed, median $51,680 (May 2024), +2% projected growth 2024-2034, ~16,000 annual openings](https://www.bls.gov/ooh/installation-maintenance-and-repair/automotive-body-and-glass-repairers.htm), accessed 2026-06-05
- [Eloundou et al. 2024 — GPTs are GPTs (Science)](https://arxiv.org/abs/2303.10130), accessed 2026-06-05
- [Autobody News — AI in Collision Repair: Applications, Challenges and Efficiencies (2025)](https://www.autobodynews.com/news/ai-in-collision-repair-applications-challenges-and-efficiencies), accessed 2026-06-05
- [Autobody News — More Providers of AI-Based Assessments, Pre-Estimates Want to Expand in Collision Repair](https://www.autobodynews.com/news/more-providers-of-ai-based-assessments-pre-estimates-want-to-expand-in-collision-repair), accessed 2026-06-05
- [Autobody News — Shop Owners Have Options in Adding Collision Repair AI](https://www.autobodynews.com/news/shop-owners-have-options-in-adding-collision-repair-ai), accessed 2026-06-05
- [Body Shop Business — Axalta Introduces Irus Mix: automated 3-step scan-match-mix system with 4 million color variants](https://www.bodyshopbusiness.com/axalta-introduces-iris-mix-automated-mixing-machine/), accessed 2026-06-05
- [PPG LINQ — cloud-based MagicBox wireless paint-mixing system with humidity and temperature sensors](https://www.ppg.com/en-US/refinish/color/color-applications/paintmanager-xi), accessed 2026-06-05

How to read these figures: https://futurehistory.earth/methodology. Every figure links to its own source; gaps stay gaps.