AUTO MECHANIC
Repairs cars and light trucks. The 'easiest entry, hardest to top out' trade. New Hampshire is not a right-to-work state — union density is higher than average and prevailing wage rules cover most public projects.
The License.
Check with New Hampshire directly — licensing for auto mechanicvaries by municipality in this state. There is no single state board that we can point to with confidence for this trade. Contact your local city or county building department, or check the state labor department's website.
The Money.
Pay data for this trade in New Hampshire. BLS metro-level data was not available for this combination. National medians shown below.
| Stage | Hourly range | Approx. annual |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 apprentice | $15–$20/hr | $30,000 – $40,000 |
| Journeyman scale | $22–$38/hr | $44,000 – $76,000 |
| BLS national median | — | $47,770 |
| BLS top 10% | — | $75,100 |
New Hampshire is NOT a right-to-work state. Union scale in New Hampshire's major metros typically runs 20–40% above the national median. Prevailing wage laws apply to most public-sector projects.
The Path.
New Hampshire is a State Apprenticeship Agency (SAA) state — it administers its own apprenticeship programs separately from the federal RAPIDS system. Contact the state labor department directly or visit apprenticeship.gov and filter by state.
The Exam.
Automotive and diesel technician licensing is not universally required by state — ASE certification is the industry standard and is portable across states. Some municipalities require shop licenses even where state licensing is absent. Prevailing wage requirements in New Hampshire apply to most public-sector projects, which ties exam and licensure to wage scale compliance for contractors.
Be honest about pass rates. Many licensing boards do not publish them. When they do, first-time pass rates for journeyman exams in the trades typically run 50–75%. Preparation time varies — most serious candidates spend 60–120 hours on exam prep. Use code books from the correct edition, not what's currently in print.
What recruiters won't tell you.
- 01Tool debt is real — many mechanics finance $30K+ in Snap-On tools.
- 02Flat-rate pay punishes slow days. New mechanics often clear less than minimum wage on slow weeks.
- 03EV transition will reshape this trade over the next decade. OEM EV training is the moat.
- 04UTI and Lincoln Tech auto programs have been investigated for misleading employment claims.