A car mechanic in Chile earns between CLP 0.9 million and CLP 1.3 million gross a month in the fourth year after graduating, depending on the institution, according to the Employment and Income Search Tool of Mi Futuro, run by the Undersecretariat of Higher Education. The top bracket, CLP 1.2 million to CLP 1.3 million, belongs to graduates of U. Técnica Federico Santa María.
The tool lists 8 Automotive Mechanics Technician programs, 6 of which report income, with an average lower bound of CLP 1.03 million. On average, 61.9% of graduates earn above the minimum wage in their first year and 69.5% in their second. This guide explains how much a car mechanic earns in Chile by institution, how long it takes to find work and how the field compares with similar degrees.
How much a car mechanic earns in Chile by institution
| Gross income bracket in year 4 | Institutions | Count |
|---|---|---|
| CLP 1.2 to 1.3 million | U. Técnica Federico Santa María | 1 |
| CLP 1.1 to 1.2 million | CFT Inacap | 1 |
| CLP 1.0 to 1.1 million | IP de Chile, IP AIEP, IP Duoc UC | 3 |
| CLP 0.9 to 1.0 million | IP Dr. Virginio Gómez G. | 1 |
| No data | CFT PUCV, CFT San Agustín | 2 |
Source: Mi Futuro, Automotive Mechanics Technician (8 programs, 6 with income data), accessed November 13, 2026. According to the search tool's methodology, income is the average gross monthly pay of 2018, 2019 and 2020 graduates in their fourth year after graduating, calculated with data from the Internal Revenue Service (SII) and expressed in September 2025 pesos. The employment rate is the share of graduates earning at least the minimum wage in their first or second year. Programs with few cases show "no information" (s/i). The highest bracket the tool publishes runs from CLP 2.5 to 3 million.
Of the 8 automotive mechanics technician programs in the tool, 6 report income. Universidad Técnica Federico Santa María, with its university technician degree, has the top bracket, CLP 1.2 to 1.3 million, followed by CFT Inacap (CLP 1.1 to 1.2 million). IP AIEP, IP de Chile and IP Duoc UC are in the CLP 1 to 1.1 million bracket, and IP Virginio Gómez, which adds heavy machinery and electrical systems, in the CLP 900,000 to 1 million bracket. CFT PUCV and CFT San Agustín do not report income.
Several of these programs include autotronics (vehicle electronics) or heavy machinery, a specialty with openings in mining and construction, where pay is usually higher than at a city repair shop.
In the table below you can search for your institution and sort by income or employment rate:
| Universidad Técnica Federico Santa María | 1.2 | 53.0% | 68.8% |
| CFT Inacap | 1.1 | 70.9% | 74.3% |
| IP de Chile | 1.0 | 66.1% | 73.4% |
| IP AIEP | 1.0 | 65.9% | 71.4% |
| IP Duoc UC | 1.0 | 63.3% | 70.7% |
| IP Dr. Virginio Gómez G. | 0.9 | 61.3% | 68.2% |
| CFT PUCV | No data | 58.7% | No data |
| CFT San Agustín | No data | 55.8% | 60.0% |
What a car mechanic does and what changes with electric mobility
A car mechanic diagnoses, services and repairs engines, transmissions, brakes, suspension and electrical systems of cars, pickups, trucks and buses. They work at independent shops, dealerships, brand service centers, transport companies, mining fleets and vehicle inspection plants, and many run their own shop.
Mi Futuro only covers people with a technician degree, four to five semesters long, or an automotive mechanics engineering degree, eight semesters long; it does not include mechanics trained on the job, who are a large part of the trade. According to the tool, the average lower bound in year 4 is CLP 1.03 million for technicians and CLP 1.20 million for engineers.
The field is changing with the arrival of hybrid and electric cars, which require handling high-voltage systems and electronic diagnostics. Some programs already reflect this in their name: IP Inacap teaches Engineering in Machinery, Automotive Vehicles, and Mechanics and Electromobility.
Employment of car mechanics in Chile
View the data as a table
| Average lower bound of the year-4 income bracket | CLP 1.03 M |
| Employment rate in year 1 | 61.9% |
| Employment rate in year 2 | 69.5% |
| Average actual duration | 6.2 semesters |
| Indicator (Automotive Mechanics Technician) | Range across institutions | Simple average |
|---|---|---|
| Employment rate in year 1 | 53,0% (U. Técnica Federico Santa María) – 70,9% (CFT Inacap) | 61.9% |
| Employment rate in year 2 | 60,0% (CFT San Agustín) – 74,3% (CFT Inacap) | 69.5% |
| Actual length of the degree | 5,6 – 7,0 | 6.2 semesters |
| First-year retention | 48,2% (CFT San Agustín) – 74,5% (IP Duoc UC) | 65.3% |
Source: Mi Futuro, simple averages calculated by Vivarae News. First-year employment ranges from 53.0% at Universidad Técnica Federico Santa María to 70.9% at CFT Inacap, and rises in year 2 at almost every institution. The relationship between income and employment by institution is shown in this chart:
View the data as a table
| Employment rate in year 1 | Lower bound of year-4 income bracket (CLP millions) | |
|---|---|---|
| Universidad Técnica Federico Santa María | 53.00% | 1.20 |
| CFT Inacap | 70.90% | 1.10 |
| IP de Chile | 66.10% | 1.00 |
| IP AIEP | 65.90% | 1.00 |
| IP Duoc UC | 63.30% | 1.00 |
| IP Dr. Virginio Gómez G. | 61.30% | 0.90 |
Car mechanics versus engineers and industrial mechanics
| Degree | Average lower bound of year-4 income bracket | Average employment rate in year 1 | Programs with income data |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mechanical Engineering | CLP 1.62 million | 82.0% | 5 |
| Industrial Mechanics Technician | CLP 1.30 million | 77.2% | 6 |
| Automotive Mechanics Eng. | CLP 1.20 million | 75.6% | 4 |
| Automotive Mechanics Technician | CLP 1.03 million | 61.9% | 6 |
Source: Mi Futuro, accessed November 13, 2026; simple averages calculated by Vivarae News. Industrial mechanics technicians, who maintain plants and mining equipment, earn about CLP 270,000 more than automotive ones, with a similar program length. Mechanical engineering beats both. To compare, see how much a mechanical engineer earns; for car ownership costs, how much the vehicle inspection costs.
How much a car mechanic earns in Chile: from gross to net pay
For a car mechanic with gross pay equal to the degree's average lower bound, CLP 1.03 million, the legal deductions are the pension fund (AFP) contribution (10% plus the fee), health (7% in Fonasa or the isapre plan), unemployment insurance (0.6% on an open-ended contract) and income tax. With a fee of about 1.5%, contributions add up to roughly 19.1%, leaving about CLP 0.84 million before income tax, which depends on the income bracket (our own approximate calculation). For reference, the minimum wage in Chile has been CLP 553,553 since May 2026.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a car mechanic earn right after graduating in Chile?
There is no official first-year income figure. Mi Futuro reports income in the fourth year: between CLP 0.9 million and CLP 1.3 million gross depending on the institution, with an average lower bound of CLP 1.03 million.
Where should you study Automotive Mechanics Technician to earn more?
According to Mi Futuro, graduates of U. Técnica Federico Santa María are in the top bracket in year 4, CLP 1.2 million to CLP 1.3 million.
Is it easy to find work as a car mechanic?
On average, 61.9% of graduates earn above the minimum wage in their first year and 69.5% in their second, according to Mi Futuro.
How much does an automotive mechanics engineer earn?
According to Mi Futuro, the average lower bound in year 4 is CLP 1.20 million, with brackets from CLP 1.1 to 1.5 million depending on the institute.
Where should you study automotive mechanics to earn more?
According to Mi Futuro, Universidad Técnica Federico Santa María has the top technician bracket (CLP 1.2 to 1.3 million) and IP Inacap the top engineering bracket (CLP 1.4 to 1.5 million).
