10 Highest-Paying Ways To Make Money If You Love To Buy and Sell Cars
Written by
David Nadelle
Edited by
Cory Dudak
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The automotive industry is as cut-throat as it comes. But it can be exciting and rewarding for car lovers, salesmen, manager types and engineering specialists. There are plenty of lucrative opportunities for those with enthusiasm, and even more for those with experience.
According to leading employment marketplace ZipRecruiter’s “Highest Paying Automotive Jobs in 2024” listing, many of the top-paid jobs in the automotive field are for upper-level engineering and management positions. If you love buying and selling cars, the sky’s the limit, as salary ranges show.
However, vehicles of every kind require workers with specific skill sets, so if you’re a mechanic with experience with diesel engines or a transmission specialist or a master diagnostic technician, you’ll command a very competitive salary as well.
Here are 10 of the highest-paying jobs for go-getting gearheads, according to ZipRecruiter.
10. Powertrain Engineer
Annual Salary Range: $85,500-$102,500
A bachelor’s degree plus a major in automotive engineering, mechanical engineering or electrical engineering, will help you get a job as a powertrain systems engineer. These engineers attend to powertrain components — engine, transmission, driveshaft, transfer case, axles and differentials — and their supporting software and electronics.
9. Dimensional Engineer
Annual Salary Range: $76,000-110,000
According to ZipRecruiter, a dimensional engineer’s “primary responsibilities include designing components for the assembly process to increase productivity and safety,” in addition to analyzing data and troubleshooting manufacturing processes.
8. Automotive Sales Manager
Annual Salary Range: $62,000-$132,500
Manager positions are highly paid due to expected levels of performance and profit. Sales managers ensure customer retention and profitability by hiring, training and measuring the performance of salespeople and establishing customer-focused sales standards.
7. Chassis Engineer
Annual Salary Range: $80,000-$133,000
Automotive engineers apply mechanical, electrical, electronic, software and safety principles a vehicle’s various components and systems. Chassis specialists assist with the design and testing of a car’s foundational frame and its parts.
6. Used Car Manager
Annual Salary Range: $81,000-$138,500
Managing a used car department or dealership involves the earing of many hats and balancing even more spinning plates. As the top liaison and overseer of inventory and sales, the manager is responsible for the success or failure of a used car lot.
5. Automotive General Sales Manager
Annual Salary Range: $100,500-$142,000
General sales managers are in charge of maintaining sales quotas by managing a team that will meet or exceed target sales numbers. If revenue decreases, it’s up to them to determine a sales strategy that will right the ship.
4. Transmission Rebuilder
Annual Salary Range: $55,000-$146,500
Transmission technicians work on gear trains, couplings, hydraulic pumps and other parts of transmissions. An extensive knowledge of computer controls and the ability to diagnose electrical and hydraulic problems are needed to work on these complex components.
3. Automotive Service Director
Annual Salary Range: $92,000-$150,000
Like a sales manager, the service director handles the service and parts side of a car business, ensuring the operation is running efficiently and customers are satisfied.
2. Heavy Equipment Sales Manager
Annual Salary Range: $71,000-$155,500
Heavy-duty vehicles are those used primarily for construction and earthmoving jobs. Like all managers, those working in heavy equipment are responsible for leading, motivating, managing and evaluating the sales team members to achieve sales targets and objectives.
1. Dealership General Manager
Annual Salary Range: $51,500-$192,500
The big boss at a dealership “assumes responsibility and is accountable for customer retention and the profitability of each department in the dealership on behalf of the dealer,” according to AUTOjobs.com. They oversee all dealership departments, set sales goals and manage managers using sound business acumen.
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