Diesel Mechanics in the Helena area earn a median of $64,110 a year, 6% above the typical U.S. metro. That ranks #80 of 388 metros for diesel mechanic salaries across the U.S..
Within driving distance, the same work pays less in Great Falls.
It's one of 5 Montana metros with published pay for this trade; see statewide diesel mechanic pay.
Diesel Mechanic pay in Helena at a glance
- Diesel mechanics in the Helena, MT metro earn a median $64,110 a year ($30.82 an hour), #80 of 388 U.S. metros (BLS, May 2025).
- The middle 80% earn between $52,040 and $80,510.
- After local prices, that median buys what $67,008 would in a typical U.S. place (BEA, 2024).
- A typical 1-bedroom rents for $1,311 a month, 25% of the median pay (HUD, FY2027).
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Enter a rate to see where it falls among diesel mechanics in Helena.
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What this means Our calculation
Pay for diesel mechanics here is above average compared with other U.S. metros, and also above average once local prices are factored in. For the wider job market, unemployment is lower than in most metros (3.1%) and the population is growing faster than most (+7.7% since 2020). On your own, you'd join about 67 one-person auto repair businesses averaging $60,731 in revenue, and you'd need to bill roughly $79/hour to match the median salary (at our default assumptions).
Helena scorecard for diesel mechanics Our calculation
Grades compare Helena with every other U.S. metro for this trade (A = top 20%).
Pay Government data
Pay range
Shaded: the middle half of workers. Grey line: typical U.S. metro ($60,355).
Compared with nearby metros
What the pay is really worth in Helena Our calculation
Prices in the Helena area run 4% below the U.S. average. Adjusted for that, a median paycheck here buys what $67,008 would in a typical place, ranking #88 of 383 on real pay.
Real pay or rent burden?
Real pay already accounts for housing, because the price index includes rent. Rent burden shows what share of pay a typical 1-bedroom takes. Use either one, not both together.
Want the full picture? Build a Helena budget on this pay from this pay, local rent and prices.
What diesel mechanics do
Diagnose, adjust, repair, or overhaul buses and trucks, or maintain and repair any type of diesel engines. Includes mechanics working primarily with automobile or marine diesel engines.
Most important day-to-day tasks
- Use handtools, such as screwdrivers, pliers, wrenches, pressure gauges, or precision instruments, as well as power tools, such as pneumatic wrenches, lathes, welding equipment, or jacks and hoists.
- Inspect brake systems, steering mechanisms, wheel bearings, and other important parts to ensure that they are in proper operating condition.
- Raise trucks, buses, and heavy parts or equipment using hydraulic jacks or hoists.
- Adjust and reline brakes, align wheels, tighten bolts and screws, and reassemble equipment.
- Attach test instruments to equipment, and read dials and gauges to diagnose malfunctions.
Outlook & getting started
Nationally, diesel mechanic jobs are projected to grow 3.6% from 2025 to 2035 (all jobs: 3.5%), with about 24,400 openings a year. About 6% are self-employed.
What the work is like Government data
How often diesel 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 Montana Official source
The main state licensing office in Montana is the Montana Department of Labor and Industry (Business Standards). It can point you to the right license for diesel mechanics.
Official Montana licensing site ↗
Requirements for diesel mechanics vary by state and sometimes by city; always confirm with the official agency.
On-the-job safety Government data
Nationally, diesel mechanics have 163 injuries or illnesses serious enough to miss work per 10,000 full-time workers, 1.9× 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 MT metros for diesel mechanics
| Metro | Median | Real pay | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| HelenaMONTANA · MT | $64,110 | $67,008 | 60 |
| BozemanMONTANA · MT | $63,910 | $62,345 | 120 |
| MissoulaMONTANA · MT | $61,380 | $63,642 | 140 |
| BillingsMONTANA · MT | $61,210 | $65,447 | 380 |
| Great FallsMONTANA · MT | $55,420 | $57,225 | 70 |
See every metro in Montana.
How much work is there? Government data
Local job market
The Helena area's unemployment rate was 3.1% in 2025 (all workers, not just diesel mechanics), below the typical U.S. metro's 4.1%. It was 3.1% in 2021.
BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics, annual averages 2021–2025 (2025 preliminary).
Getting to work
The average commute in the Helena area is 22 minutes each way, shorter than the typical metro (24 min). 8% of commuters spend 45 minutes or more. 72% drive alone, 0% take transit and 12% work from home (all workers, not just trades).
Census American Community Survey, 2024 1-year estimates (table S0801).
Population
The Helena area's population grew 7.7% from 2020 to 2025 (90,182 → 97,153), ranking #56 of 387 metros for growth (typical metro +2.5%). People moving in (net +7,578) account for more than all of the change.
Census Bureau population estimates, July 1 of each year, 2020–2025.
New construction
New-home permits in Helena are down 54% from 2024 to 2025 (468 → 216).
In 2025 the Helena area approved permits for 216 new homes (69 single-family), or 2.3 per 1,000 residents, ranking #272 of 393 metros.
Competition
In 2024 the area had 67 one-person businesses (no employees) in auto repair, averaging $60,731 a year in revenue before expenses. See how Helena compares among the best cities to start a diesel mechanic business.
They compete with 49 auto repair companies that have employees (about 255 workers in total). 63% of those companies have fewer than 5 employees.
Where to train near Helena Government data
1 school in or near Helena offers vehicle maintenance and repair programs below the bachelor's level. Many people in this trade learn through an apprenticeship instead; a program can shorten it or get you hired as a helper.
| School | Credential | Yearly cost | Recent grads | First-year pay |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Helena College University of Montana Helena, MT · Public | Certificate | $17,923 | 37 | — |
| Helena College University of Montana Helena, MT · Public | Associate degree | $17,923 | 22 | $49,572 |
U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (data updated October 2026). Cost is the school's average yearly cost of attendance before financial aid; earnings are the median for graduates one year after finishing, shown only where the school has enough graduates to publish. “—” means not published.
Employee vs. working for yourself Your scenario
A model, not a market rate. It shows the break-even rate to match a $64,110 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 diesel mechanic pricing & estimate templates →Compare Helena with another city →
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ToolCheck an offer in HelenaSee where it falls among local diesel mechanics, after the commute.Could you afford to live here?
ToolHelena budgetMonthly take-home, HUD rent and local prices on this pay.About this data
Local to the Helena 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 Helena against every other metro for diesel mechanics. Every source, year and formula is on our data page.