Motor Body Staff

Motor Body Staff

Includes automotive refinishers/spray painters and panel beaters

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Updated May 2024

Employers are encouraged to communicate with our consulting team for more guidance on current wage and salary rates. Attention to specific regional areas hard hit by skills shortages or the seniority of employees should be taken into account. Automotive Employment NZ Ltd has attempted to be as accurate as possible and to provide guidelines for the most popular sectors of the New Zealand motor industry but take no responsibility for the accuracy of the information. Any hiring decision should be based on a range of knowledge from a variety of sources.

Employees should note that while these rates may provide a guide, to gain an accurate indication of rates you may need to consider how your skills and experience compare to others in the workplace. Your work performance, the stability of overall employment, knowledge of the product, development of your skills and or qualifications, personal grooming, communication skills and the length of service you have extended to your current employer may all impact on potential earnings. These aspects of your employment should also be weighed against the economic conditions prevailing in the location you work or intend to move to.

Offshore candidates should note rates and salaries are quoted in New Zealand dollars. Please also check the date above as information provided is current only to this date.

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Automotive Refinisher/Spray Painter  

National median rate – $31 per hour

Qualified automotive refinishers are currently paid between $31 and $37 per hour with highly skilled automotive refinishers still difficult to locate. The extreme end is $38 per hour.

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Panel Beaters 

National median rate – $35 per hour

Qualified Panel Beaters are currently paid between $35 and $38 per hour.

High-end skills are hard to locate as larger shops move towards specialist accreditation or Authorised Repairer status. Rates tend to be higher in the main centres but we are increasingly finding significant repair operations in smaller cities that are competing with high-end skills.

Job applicants should note employers take particular notice of employment tenure and exposure to high-end technology when hiring. The extreme end is $43 per hour but this is uncommonly secured.

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Paint Preparation

National median rate – $27 per hour

Paint preppers with good skills are currently being paid around $26 to $28 per hour.

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Colour Matching

National median rate – $29 per hour

$28 to $31 plus per hour is the norm for skills in this area. We accept there are variances in income for this role which usually reflect either location or the depth of skill held by colour matchers.

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Panel and Paint Shop Managers

National median income – $80,000 to $110,000 per annum

$80,000 to $110,000 dependent on the size of the operation. It is entirely possible larger operations could remunerate in excess of this but such positions are rare to emerge. A content of at-risk income is common and a company vehicle is standard.