The global automotive industry employs over 14 million people, with the US sector alone supporting more than 10 million jobs. This workforce is navigating a historic transition, facing skilled trade shortages while demographics gradually shift.
Key Takeaways
- 55% of US auto workers are male aged 25-54 in 2023
- Women represent 28% of US auto manufacturing workforce 2023
- Average age of US auto mechanics: 42 years in 2023
- Global automotive industry employed 14 million people in 2022
- China auto sector: 5.2 million employees in 2023
- Germany automotive employment: 830,000 in 2023
- US auto employment grew 2.5% from 2022 to 2023
- Global auto jobs declined 1.2% due to COVID recovery in 2022
- US auto manufacturing jobs up 5% post-2020 low in 2023
- In 2023, the US auto manufacturing sector employed 954,000 workers
- As of Q4 2023, total employment in motor vehicles and parts manufacturing stood at 1,020,500
- Automotive service technicians and mechanics numbered 725,400 in May 2023
The US auto workforce is aging and underfilled, with major gender gaps and a skilled technician shortage.
Related reading
01 · Category
Demographics and Skills22 stats
01
55% of US auto workers are male aged 25-54 in 2023
02
Women represent 28% of US auto manufacturing workforce 2023
03
Average age of US auto mechanics: 42 years in 2023
04
15% of global auto engineers are women in 2023
05
US auto sector: 40% high school educated only in 2023
06
Minority workers 35% in US auto assembly 2023
07
Skilled trades shortage: 80,000 auto technician gap US 2023
08
25% of EU auto workers over 55 in 2023
09
China auto workforce average age 38, younger than global
10
US Hispanic workers 20% of auto manufacturing 2023
11
Black workers 12% in US auto industry 2023
12
Asian Americans 5% in US auto R&D 2023
13
Vocational training covers 60% of entry-level auto jobs globally
14
70% of US auto executives have engineering degrees 2023
15
Youth under 25: 10% of auto service jobs US 2023
16
Germany dual education system trains 50,000 auto apprentices yearly
17
India auto sector 50% under 30 years old 2023
18
US veteran employment in auto: 8% of workforce 2023
19
Digital literacy required for 40% auto jobs now 2023
20
Mexico auto workforce 60% male migrants from rural areas 2023
21
Global auto industry needs 2 million new skilled workers by 2030
22
UK auto apprenticeships: 15,000 annually, 20% female 2023
Interpretation
Demographics and Skills Interpretation
The industry's aging, male-dominated engine is sputtering with skilled worker shortages, yet promising new hires from diverse backgrounds and evolving training programs are in the shop, desperately trying to install an electric future before the whole thing stalls out.
02 · Category
Global Employment26 stats
01
Global automotive industry employed 14 million people in 2022
02
China auto sector: 5.2 million employees in 2023
03
Germany automotive employment: 830,000 in 2023
04
Japan auto industry: 5.5 million jobs in 2023
05
India automotive employment: 19 million including supply chain in 2023
06
South Korea auto jobs: 1.2 million in 2023
07
Mexico automotive manufacturing: 900,000 employees in 2023
08
EU total auto employment: 13.8 million in 2022
09
Brazil auto sector: 1.3 million jobs in 2023
10
Thailand automotive employment: 500,000 in 2023
11
UK auto industry: 183,000 direct jobs in 2023
12
Canada auto manufacturing: 125,000 in 2023
13
Spain automotive: 200,000 employees in 2023
14
France auto sector: 250,000 direct jobs in 2023
15
Italy automotive employment: 500,000 in 2023
16
Czech Republic auto jobs: 130,000 in 2023
17
Slovakia automotive: 140,000 employees in 2023
18
Turkey auto industry: 400,000 in 2023
19
Indonesia auto employment: 1.5 million in 2023
20
Global EV manufacturing jobs: 4 million in 2023
21
Russia auto sector: 700,000 jobs in 2023
22
Australia automotive employment: 50,000 in 2023
23
Iran auto industry: 1 million in 2023
24
Global auto supply chain jobs: 60 million in 2023
25
Vietnam automotive employment: 300,000 in 2023
26
Global auto R&D staff: 2 million in 2023
Interpretation
Global Employment Interpretation
The sheer scale of automotive employment, from 14 million global industry jobs to a staggering 60 million in the supply chain, proves that while we may dream of self-driving cars, the entire world economy is still very much in the driver's seat.
More related reading
03 · Category
Trends and Changes30 stats
01
US auto employment grew 2.5% from 2022 to 2023
02
Global auto jobs declined 1.2% due to COVID recovery in 2022
03
US auto manufacturing jobs up 5% post-2020 low in 2023
04
EV transition created 100,000 new US jobs 2018-2023
05
China auto employment surged 10% with NEV boom 2020-2023
06
Germany auto jobs stable at 830k despite transition 2019-2023
07
Mexico auto employment +15% from 2019 to 2023
08
US lost 200,000 auto jobs 2000-2010 due to recession
09
Global auto employment projected to grow 2% annually to 2030
10
India auto jobs increased 8% 2021-2023 post-pandemic
11
UK auto employment down 10% since Brexit 2019-2023
12
Automation reduced global auto assembly jobs 5% 2015-2023
13
US auto service jobs grew 3% annually 2018-2023
14
Japan auto employment declined 3% aging workforce 2018-2023
15
Supply chain disruptions cut 50,000 global auto jobs in 2022
16
Reshoring added 20,000 US auto jobs 2021-2023
17
Digital skills demand up 20% in auto sector 2020-2023
18
Global auto jobs recovery to pre-COVID levels by 2023
19
US Midwest auto belt jobs +4% 2022-2023
20
EV battery plants to add 100,000 US jobs by 2025
21
Ford US employment up 10% after strikes resolved 2023
22
GM jobs stable despite plant closures 2022-2023
23
Tesla global headcount +50% 2020-2023
24
Toyota global employment +2% 2022-2023
25
Volkswagen group 675,000 employees steady 2022-2023
26
Hyundai-Kia 120,000 in manufacturing stable 2023
27
Stellantis 272,000 employees slight decline 2023
28
Honda global workforce 197,000 unchanged 2023
29
Nissan 133,000 employees down 1% 2023
30
BMW Group 154,000 steady 2023
Interpretation
Trends and Changes Interpretation
While the global auto industry navigates the EV transition like a cautious caravan, the U.S. is hitching a noisy, job-creating wagon to it, proving that even a historic reckoning can have a silver, if domestically reshored, lining.
04 · Category
US Employment30 stats
01
In 2023, the US auto manufacturing sector employed 954,000 workers
02
As of Q4 2023, total employment in motor vehicles and parts manufacturing stood at 1,020,500
03
Automotive service technicians and mechanics numbered 725,400 in May 2023
04
In 2022, the US auto industry supported 10.7 million jobs including direct and indirect
05
Michigan's auto-related employment was 524,000 in 2023
06
Ford Motor Company employed 173,000 globally but 57,000 in US manufacturing in 2023
07
GM had 163,000 employees worldwide with 94,000 in US in 2023
08
Tesla employed 140,473 people in 2023, mostly US-based
09
US auto parts manufacturing employment: 582,000 in 2023
10
Dealership employment in US: 1.1 million in 2023
11
In 2023, US auto R&D employment reached 250,000
12
Ohio auto industry jobs: 300,000 in 2023
13
Kentucky auto manufacturing: 92,000 employees in 2023
14
Alabama auto sector: 70,000 direct jobs in 2023
15
Tennessee automotive employment: 145,000 in 2023
16
Indiana auto jobs: 220,000 in 2023
17
Texas auto manufacturing: 85,000 employees in 2023
18
California auto-related jobs: 400,000 including EV in 2023
19
New York auto employment: 45,000 in 2023
20
Pennsylvania auto sector: 120,000 jobs in 2023
21
Illinois auto manufacturing: 110,000 in 2023
22
Missouri auto jobs: 65,000 in 2023
23
South Carolina automotive: 58,000 direct jobs in 2023
24
Georgia auto employment: 75,000 in 2023
25
Wisconsin auto manufacturing: 50,000 in 2023
26
North Carolina auto jobs: 40,000 in 2023
27
US unionized auto workers: 400,000 in UAW in 2023
28
Entry-level auto mechanic jobs: 150,000 openings in 2023
29
US auto engineering jobs: 180,000 in 2023
30
Total US vehicle sales jobs: 500,000 in 2023
Interpretation
US Employment Interpretation
While America's auto industry is often criticized for rusting away, this staggering ecosystem—spanning over 10 million jobs from Michigan's assembly lines to California's EV labs—proves it’s not just running, it’s actively rebuilding the country’s economic engine one bolt, battery, and blueprint at a time.
Reference
Cite This Report
This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.
APA
Felix Zimmermann. (2026, February 13). Auto Industry Employment Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/auto-industry-employment-statistics
MLA
Felix Zimmermann. "Auto Industry Employment Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/auto-industry-employment-statistics.
Chicago
Felix Zimmermann. 2026. "Auto Industry Employment Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/auto-industry-employment-statistics.
Sources & references
88 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level