Auto Mechanics in the Arecibo area earn a median of $22,340 a year, 54% below the typical U.S. metro. That ranks #390 of 392 metros for auto mechanics nationwide.
Within driving distance, the same work pays more in Mayaguez and San Juan, but less in Aguadilla.
It's one of 5 Puerto Rico metros with published pay for this trade; see auto mechanic pay in Puerto Rico.
What this means Our calculation
Pay for auto mechanics here is in the bottom 20% of U.S. metros.
Arecibo scorecard for auto mechanics Our calculation
Grades compare Arecibo with every other U.S. metro for this trade (A = top 20%).
Pay Government data
Pay range
Shaded: the middle half of workers.
Pay over time
The median pay for auto mechanics in the Arecibo area went from $19,810 in 2020 to $22,340 in 2025, up 12.8%. Prices rose 25% over the same period, so after inflation that's -10.1% — a real pay cut.
BLS OEWS, May 2020–May 2025; inflation: CPI-U (May to May). Year-to-year changes can include survey noise.
Compared with nearby metros
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Enter a rate to see where it falls among auto mechanics in Arecibo.
Comparing two real offers with overtime and commutes? Use the job offer checker.
Rent in Arecibo
Typical rent is $484 a month for a 1-bedroom and $559 for a 2-bedroom.
What auto mechanics do
Diagnose, adjust, repair, or overhaul automotive vehicles.
Most important day-to-day tasks
- Follow checklists to ensure all important parts are examined, including belts, hoses, steering systems, spark plugs, brake and fuel systems, wheel bearings, and other potentially troublesome areas.
- Test and adjust repaired systems to meet manufacturers' performance specifications.
- Perform routine and scheduled maintenance services, such as oil changes, lubrications, and tune-ups.
- Inspect vehicles for damage and record findings so that necessary repairs can be made.
- Align wheels, axles, frames, torsion bars, and steering mechanisms of automobiles, using special alignment equipment and wheel-balancing machines.
Outlook & getting started
Nationally, auto mechanic jobs are projected to grow 5.0% from 2025 to 2035 (all jobs: 3.5%), with about 66,200 openings a year. About 15% are self-employed.
What the work is like Government data
How often auto mechanics deal with each condition, from surveys of workers in the job.
Getting started usually takes medium preparation (vocational training or an apprenticeship, often 1–2+ years).
O*NET 31.0 Work Context and Job Zones (U.S. Department of Labor), national.
Licensing in Puerto Rico Official source
Check with local authorities in Puerto Rico. Check with the building or licensing office where you plan to work.
Requirements for auto mechanics vary by state and sometimes by city; always confirm with the official agency.
On-the-job safety Government data
Nationally, auto mechanics have 204 injuries or illnesses serious enough to miss work per 10,000 full-time workers, 2.4× the rate for all jobs (87). The most common cause is being struck by or caught in objects and equipment.
BLS Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses, 2023–2024 (national, cases with days away from work).
Highest-paying PR metros for auto mechanics
| Metro | Median | Real pay | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| San JuanPUERTO RICO · PR | $22,760 | — | 2,750 |
| MayaguezPUERTO RICO · PR | $22,400 | — | 220 |
| AreciboPUERTO RICO · PR | $22,340 | — | 200 |
| AguadillaPUERTO RICO · PR | $22,030 | — | 240 |
| PoncePUERTO RICO · PR | $21,920 | — | 250 |
See every metro in Puerto Rico.
How much work is there? Government data
Getting to work
The average commute in the Arecibo area is 27 minutes each way, longer than the typical metro (24 min). 13% of commuters spend 45 minutes or more.
Census American Community Survey, 2024 1-year estimates (table S0801).
New construction
In 2025 the Arecibo area approved permits for 253 new homes (240 single-family), or 1.4 per 1,000 residents, ranking #337 of 393 metros.
Employee vs. working for yourself Your scenario
A model, not a market rate. It shows the break-even rate to match a $22,340 employee salary once you cover what an employer normally pays for (including the employer half of Social Security and Medicare, 7.65%), then adds your profit margin. Change any number.
Break-even rate
With your profit margin
How this calculator works. Weighing a contractor job against a W-2 one? Try the 1099 vs. W-2 comparison. Billable hours are hours you can charge a customer. Driving, quoting, paperwork and slow weeks aren't billable, which is why 1,400 is a common starting point versus 2,080 paid hours as an employee.
Get auto mechanic pricing & estimate templates →Compare Arecibo with another city →
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ToolArecibo budgetMonthly take-home, HUD rent and local prices on this pay.About this data
Local to the Arecibo metro: pay (BLS, May 2025) and pay over time (2020–2025, CPI-adjusted), prices (BEA, 2024), rent (HUD, FY2027), new construction, housing, population and commuting (Census), unemployment (BLS) and business counts (Census, by industry). National: job outlook and training (BLS projections), injury rates (BLS) and duties (O*NET). Jobs are employment estimates, not open positions; grades rank Arecibo against every other metro for auto mechanics. Every source, year and formula is on our data page.
Report a data issue on this page
BEA doesn't publish price levels for Arecibo, so real pay isn't shown. The Census doesn't publish one-person business or competition figures for auto mechanics as a separate industry, so that section is left out.