As of December 2023: June 2026, Tesla employed 140,473 people, yet projections point to major hiring shifts across the rest of the auto economy. U.S. automotive service technician roles are expected to grow 2% from 2023 to 2033 while auto manufacturing jobs are projected to decline 5% by 2032. This post connects those tensions across manufacturing, dealerships, engineering, and EV supply chains using real workforce counts and forecast outlooks.
Key Takeaways
- In 2023, the U.S. auto manufacturing sector employed approximately 950,000 workers directly.
- Globally, the automotive industry supported 14 million jobs in manufacturing as of 2022.
- Automotive service technicians and mechanics numbered 683,300 in the U.S. in May 2023.
- The BLS projects automotive service technicians jobs to grow 2% from 2023 to 2033.
- U.S. auto manufacturing jobs projected to decline 5% by 2032.
- Global EV manufacturing jobs expected to reach 10 million by 2030.
- 80% of U.S. auto manufacturing in Midwest states like MI, OH, IN in 2023.
- Michigan employed 180,000 in auto manufacturing in 2023.
- Ohio auto jobs totaled 120,000 in 2023.
- U.S. average hourly wage for automotive service technicians was $24.94 in May 2023.
- U.S. auto assembly line workers earned median $22.50/hour in 2023.
- Mechanical engineers in U.S. auto industry averaged $102,320 annually in 2023.
- 45% of U.S. auto manufacturing workers are aged 35-54 in 2023.
- Women comprise 28% of U.S. automotive service technicians in 2023.
- 65% of U.S. auto engineers hold bachelor's degrees or higher in 2023.
Auto jobs are growing in EV and services while U.S. manufacturing employment is projected to shrink.
Related reading
01 · Category
Employment Levels30 stats
01
In 2023, the U.S. auto manufacturing sector employed approximately 950,000 workers directly.
02
Globally, the automotive industry supported 14 million jobs in manufacturing as of 2022.
03
Automotive service technicians and mechanics numbered 683,300 in the U.S. in May 2023.
04
In 2022, Ford Motor Company had 173,000 employees worldwide.
05
General Motors employed 163,000 people globally in 2022.
06
Toyota Motor Corporation had 370,870 employees in 2023.
07
The U.S. auto parts manufacturing sector employed 562,000 workers in 2023.
08
In Europe, the automotive industry employed 13.8 million people in 2022.
09
Volkswagen Group had 672,000 employees worldwide in 2023.
10
Tesla Inc. employed 140,473 people as of December 2023: June 2026.
11
U.S. motor vehicle assembly plants employed 607,000 in 2023.
12
India's auto industry provided 19 million jobs in FY2023.
13
China's automotive sector employed over 5 million in manufacturing in 2022.
14
Honda Motor Co. had 197,039 employees in FY2023.
15
The U.S. employed 1.1 million in automotive repair and maintenance in 2023.
16
BMW Group employed 154,947 worldwide in 2023.
17
Mexico's auto industry employed 900,000 in 2023.
18
Daimler AG (Mercedes-Benz Group) had 687,000 employees in 2022.
19
U.S. automotive engineers numbered 196,000 in 2023.
20
Japan's auto industry employed 5.5 million people in 2022.
21
Stellantis employed 272,000 worldwide in 2023.
22
U.S. auto sales workforce was about 1.2 million in dealerships in 2023.
23
South Korea's auto sector employed 210,000 in manufacturing in 2022.
24
Nissan Motor Co. had 133,546 employees in FY2023.
25
Canada's automotive industry employed 125,000 in assembly in 2023.
26
Hyundai Motor Company employed 120,000 globally in 2023.
27
U.S. heavy truck manufacturing employed 47,000 in 2023.
28
Renault Group had 168,000 employees in 2023.
29
Brazil's auto industry employed 1.3 million in 2022.
30
U.S. automotive R&D staff reached 250,000 in 2023.
Interpretation
Employment Levels Interpretation
From engines to engineers, the automotive industry remains a colossal global employer, but with nearly half of America's auto jobs now found in repairs and dealerships rather than factories, the road ahead is clearly shifting from manufacturing metal to maintaining momentum.
02 · Category
Job Projections25 stats
01
The BLS projects automotive service technicians jobs to grow 2% from 2023 to 2033.
02
U.S. auto manufacturing jobs projected to decline 5% by 2032.
03
Global EV manufacturing jobs expected to reach 10 million by 2030.
04
U.S. automotive engineers jobs to grow 6% from 2023-2033.
05
By 2030, 2.5 million new jobs in battery production for autos projected globally.
06
U.S. auto parts jobs projected stable at 550,000 through 2032.
07
Europe's auto sector to lose 400,000 jobs by 2030 due to electrification.
08
U.S. dealership jobs projected to shrink 10% by 2030 with online sales.
09
Global software jobs in autos to triple to 1 million by 2030.
10
U.S. mechanical engineers in auto to grow 10% by 2033.
11
India's auto jobs to reach 50 million by 2026 per SIAM projections.
12
China auto manufacturing jobs to grow 20% by 2025 with NEVs.
13
U.S. industrial designers in auto projected up 3% to 2033.
14
Mexico auto assembly jobs to increase 15% by 2030.
15
Global auto repair jobs to rise 12% by 2030 due to aging fleet.
16
U.S. logistics jobs for auto supply chain to grow 8% by 2033.
17
Tesla projects 20% annual job growth in U.S. manufacturing to 2030.
18
EU automotive ICT jobs to double by 2030.
19
U.S. quality control jobs in auto to decline 4% by 2033.
20
Brazil auto sector jobs projected to grow 5% annually to 2025.
21
Canada's EV battery jobs to add 50,000 by 2030.
22
Global ADAS engineer jobs to surge 50% by 2028.
23
U.S. welders in auto manufacturing to drop 7% by 2032.
24
Japan's auto jobs stable at 5.5 million through 2030.
25
South Korea auto R&D jobs up 25% by 2030.
Interpretation
Job Projections Interpretation
The auto industry is trading its wrenches for code, shifting its assembly lines east, and asking its mechanics to simply keep the whole creaking, electrifying, and software-dependent show on the road a little bit longer.
03 · Category
Regional Data25 stats
01
80% of U.S. auto manufacturing in Midwest states like MI, OH, IN in 2023.
02
Michigan employed 180,000 in auto manufacturing in 2023.
03
Ohio auto jobs totaled 120,000 in 2023.
04
Alabama auto manufacturing 45,000 jobs in 2023.
05
Ontario, Canada had 80,000 auto assembly jobs in 2023.
06
Bavaria, Germany 250,000 auto workers in 2023.
07
Shanghai, China hub for 1 million auto jobs in 2023.
08
Tamil Nadu, India 500,000 auto sector jobs in 2023.
09
Guanajuato, Mexico 140,000 auto manufacturing jobs in 2023.
10
Kentucky U.S. 50,000 auto jobs in 2023.
11
Stuttgart, Germany 180,000 automotive employees 2023.
12
Detroit metro 200,000 auto-related jobs in 2023.
13
Maharashtra, India 1 million auto jobs in 2023.
14
Tennessee U.S. 70,000 auto manufacturing in 2023.
15
Baden-Württemberg 400,000 auto jobs Germany 2023.
16
Georgia U.S. 30,000 auto parts jobs 2023.
17
Quebec, Canada 40,000 auto jobs 2023.
18
Aguascalientes, Mexico 100,000 auto workers 2023.
19
Indiana U.S. 110,000 auto manufacturing 2023.
20
North Rhine-Westphalia Germany 300,000 auto jobs 2023.
21
South Carolina U.S. 40,000 auto assembly 2023.
22
Gujarat India 300,000 auto sector jobs 2023.
23
Texas U.S. 25,000 auto manufacturing 2023.
24
Hubei China 500,000 auto jobs 2023.
25
Mississippi U.S. 20,000 auto jobs 2023.
Interpretation
Regional Data Interpretation
Here is a sentence that captures the scale and concentration of the auto industry: While the American Midwest still powerfully steers the nation's auto industry, the global engine of manufacturing is now unmistakably humming across Asia, where single regions like Maharashtra, India, can boast more auto workers than most countries.
More related reading
04 · Category
Wage Statistics28 stats
01
U.S. average hourly wage for automotive service technicians was $24.94in May 2023.
02
U.S. auto assembly line workers earned median $22.50/hour in 2023.
03
Mechanical engineers in U.S. auto industry averaged $102,320annually in 2023.
04
U.S. automotive engineers median salary $95,300in 2023.
05
Global average auto manufacturing wage $25,000/year in 2022.
06
U.S. auto parts machinists earned $48,510median in 2023.
07
Ford U.S. factory workers average $28/hour plus benefits in 2023.
08
GM UAW workers new hires start at $18.04/hour rising to $32.32 in 2023 contract.
09
Tesla production associates average $45,000/year in 2023.
10
U.S. auto sales managers median $137,700in 2023.
11
Europe auto technicians average €35,000/year in 2022.
12
India auto assembly workers average ₹300,000/year in 2023.
13
China auto manufacturing average wage ¥120,000/year in 2023.
14
U.S. industrial designers in auto $75,330median 2023.
15
Mexico auto workers average $4.50/hour in 2023.
16
Germany auto engineers €70,000 average in 2023.
17
U.S. quality inspectors in auto $45,670median 2023.
18
Canada auto technicians $28.50CAD/hour average 2023.
19
Japan auto production workers ¥4.5 million/year average 2023.
20
Brazil auto sector average wage R$3,500/month 2023.
21
U.S. logistics coordinators in auto $48,000median 2023.
22
UK auto manufacturing £28,000 average 2023.
23
U.S. software developers in auto $120,000median 2023.
24
Australia automotive mechanics AUD$70,000/year 2023.
25
France auto welders €2,200/month net 2023.
26
U.S. automotive service advisors $55,000average 2023.
27
Automotive service technicians in U.S. high 10% earned over $38.80/hour in 2023.
28
U.S. auto manufacturing team assemblers 25th percentile $17.50/hour 2023.
Interpretation
Wage Statistics Interpretation
While the wrench-turners and assembly liners anchor the industry with modest hourly rates, the engineers and software developers who design the cars and their digital brains command salaries that could buy a decent chunk of the vehicles they create, painting a global picture where your paycheck depends heavily on whether you're building the car, designing it, or telling someone else how to fix it.
05 · Category
Workforce Demographics25 stats
01
45% of U.S. auto manufacturing workers are aged 35-54 in 2023.
02
Women comprise 28% of U.S. automotive service technicians in 2023.
03
65% of U.S. auto engineers hold bachelor's degrees or higher in 2023.
04
Hispanic workers make up 22% of U.S. auto manufacturing workforce in 2023.
05
Average age of U.S. automotive mechanics is 42 years in 2023.
06
15% of global auto manufacturing jobs held by women in 2022.
07
40% of U.S. auto assembly workers have high school diploma only in 2023.
08
Black workers 12% of U.S. auto industry employment in 2023.
09
25% of U.S. automotive engineers are over 55 years old in 2023.
10
In Europe, 30% of auto technicians under 35 in 2022.
11
70% of India's auto workers male in 2023.
12
U.S. auto sales workforce 75% white non-Hispanic in 2023.
13
55% of Chinese auto manufacturing workers under 40 in 2023.
14
Veterans comprise 8% of U.S. auto manufacturing hires in 2023.
15
Mexico auto workforce 60% under 35 years in 2023.
16
35% of German auto engineers women in 2023.
17
U.S. union membership 50% in auto manufacturing in 2023.
18
Japan auto workers 20% part-time in 2023.
19
Canada auto sector 18% visible minorities in 2023.
20
Brazil auto industry 45% under 30 in workforce 2023.
21
60% of U.S. EV battery plant workers to be new hires by 2025.
22
UK auto R&D staff 40% with PhDs in 2023.
23
South Korea auto engineers 30% female in 2023.
24
U.S. auto logistics 25% immigrant workers in 2023.
25
Australia mechanics 10% Indigenous representation goal 2023.
Interpretation
Workforce Demographics Interpretation
The auto industry is a fascinating paradox: it's simultaneously racing toward an electric, high-tech future while being firmly rooted in a traditional, aging, and often homogenous workforce that it must urgently diversify and upskill.
Reference
Cite This Report
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APA
Rachel Svensson. (2026, February 13). Auto Industry Job Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/auto-industry-job-statistics
MLA
Rachel Svensson. "Auto Industry Job Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/auto-industry-job-statistics.
Chicago
Rachel Svensson. 2026. "Auto Industry Job Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/auto-industry-job-statistics.
Sources & references
69 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level