Also called: Diesel Mechanics
Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists build troubleshooting, repairing and operations monitoring skills that carry over to other work. Below are 25 careers ranked by how closely their skills match, with pay from BLS May 2025. The closest match is Electric Motor, Power Tool, and Related Repairers (87%).
Updated October 2026 · Data: O*NET 31.0 and BLS OEWS May 2025 · How we match careers
Sorted by skill match.
| # | Career | Skill match | Median pay | Pay change | Extra education |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Electric Motor, Power Tool, and Related Repairers | 87% | $56,210 | −9% | None |
| 2 | Industrial Machinery Mechanics | 85% | $64,520 | +4% | None |
| 3 | Control and Valve Installers and Repairers, Except Mechanical Door | 84% | $74,340 | +20% | None |
| 4 | Maintenance Workers, Machinery | 84% | $60,850 | −1% | None |
| 5 | Ship Engineers | 83% | $109,530 | +77% | None |
| 6 | Wind Turbine Service Technicians | 81% | $64,120 | +4% | None |
| 7 | Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators | 81% | $78,620 | +27% | None |
| 8 | Hydroelectric Plant Technicians | 81% | $102,040Pay for the broader BLS group “Power Plant Operators” | Not compared | None |
| 9 | Elevator and Escalator Installers and Repairers | 80% | $109,910 | +78% | None |
| 10 | Signal and Track Switch Repairers | 80% | $92,460 | +50% | None |
Compared with Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists, median $61,770. Skill match is our estimate (0–99) from O*NET 31.0 skills, knowledge, work activities and interests, adjusted for preparation and big pay drops. Pay: BLS OEWS May 2025, national median.
How important each skill is in work as bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists (O*NET importance, scale 1–5).
The gaps that show up most often across your top 10 matches.
Free and low-cost training: use the CareerOneStop training finder below.
A concrete first step, the skills to add, and the hard parts of each job, from O*NET 31.0 education, training and work context data.
87% skill match · $56,210 · −9% pay
Installation · Equipment Selection · Service Orientation
85% skill match · $64,520 · +4% pay
Operation and Control · Management of Personnel Resources · Equipment Maintenance
84% skill match · $74,340 · +20% pay
Service Orientation · Installation
If you want to stay close to what you do now, these roles are the nearest.
The closest matches are Electric Motor, Power Tool, and Related Repairers (87% skill match, median $56,210), Industrial Machinery Mechanics (85% skill match, median $64,520) and Control and Valve Installers and Repairers, Except Mechanical Door (84% skill match, median $74,340), based on O*NET 31.0 data and BLS May 2025 pay.
Among the 25 matches, 14 pay more than bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists at the median. The biggest increases: Elevator and Escalator Installers and Repairers (+78%, $109,910), Ship Engineers (+77%, $109,530) and Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Powerhouse, Substation, and Relay (+67%, $103,020).
25 of the 25 matches usually need no more education than you have now, based on O*NET Job Zones.
We compare the importance of skills, knowledge, work activities and interests in O*NET 31.0 for your job and every other career, then adjust for extra preparation and big pay drops. The full method is on our Methodology page.