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BLS OEWS MAY 2025 Β· SOC 41-2022 Β· +3.1% OUTLOOK THROUGH 2034

Automotive Parts Advisor Career Guide,
Salary, Licence & Jobs 2026

An automotive parts advisor staffs a dealership parts department β€” pulling OEM components for the service drive, managing warranty and wholesale orders, and keeping technicians supplied.

Updated July 21, 2026 Β· Next review Jan 2027 Β· BLS OEWS May 2025

Compiled by GlobalCybers Labor Market Research Β· Reviewed by Dale Kowalski, CMRP, Plant Operations Recruiter Β· See methodology & sources β†’

Get Automotive Parts Advisor Jobs β†’Salary Guide β†’
US Median
$38,630
P90 Earners
$62,890
Job Growth
+3.1%
Licence
State
Direct Answer

What is the salary and career path for a automotive parts advisor?

Automotive parts advisor reports under the broad Parts Salespersons code (SOC 41-2022), which BLS uses for anyone selling spare and replacement parts, so the OEWS May 2025 median is $38,630 a year ($18.57 an hour), from $28,240 at the 10th percentile to $62,890 at the 90th. Dealership advisors lean on OEM catalogs and the DMS, and wholesale volume lifts the strongest performers. BLS projects 3.1% growth over 2024–2034, about average, with roughly 30,200 openings a year. No license is required; the dealership hires for OEM catalog fluency, DMS speed and service-drive support, with manufacturer parts certifications marking advancement.

Key takeaways
  • Automotive Parts Advisors earn a national median $38,630/yr ($18.57/hr) (BLS OEWS May 2025, SOC 41-2022); the top 10% clear $62,890.
  • No license is required; dealerships hire for OEM catalog fluency, DMS speed and service-drive support.
  • BLS projects 3.1% growth for 2024–34 across the parts-salesperson code, about average, with roughly 30,200 openings a year.
  • The ladder runs from dealership parts trainee through advisor and wholesale specialist to parts manager near $62,890.
+3.1%
Job growth Β· 2024–2034
30,200
Openings per year Β· projected
$38,630
National median Β· BLS OEWS May 2025

Career Path

How do you become an automotive parts advisor?

1

Dealership Parts Trainee

Years 0–2
$28,240
median/yr

Stocks OEM parts and learns the DMS under supervision; pay near the BLS 10th percentile.

2

Automotive Parts Advisor

Years 2–6
$38,630
median/yr

Supplies the service drive and retail counter from the OEM catalog β€” around the $38,630 median plus spiff.

3

Wholesale Parts Specialist

Years 6–11
$49,850
median/yr

Manages collision and fleet wholesale accounts; earnings near the 75th percentile with commission.

4

Dealership Parts Manager

Years 11+
$62,890
median/yr

Runs OEM inventory, obsolescence and department gross; top-decile pay near the 90th percentile.

BLS Salary Data

Which state pays automotive parts advisors the most in 2026?

Source: BLS OEWS May 2025, SOC 41-2022. National median: $38,630. Full salary guide β†’

California
Top-paying tier
$44,420
median/yr
New York
Top-paying tier
$43,270
median/yr
Washington
Top-paying tier
$42,490
median/yr
Colorado
Top-paying tier
$40,560
median/yr
Texas
Mid tier
$36,890
median/yr
Mississippi
Value tier
$33,220
median/yr

Pay Comparison

Head-to-head against the roles automotive parts advisors most often weigh against. BLS OEWS May 2025 medians.

RoleSOCBLS Medianvs. Automotive Parts Advisor
Service Manager49-1011$79,860+$41,230
Auto Body Technician49-3021$54,890+$16,260
Automotive Technician49-3023$50,620+$11,990
Automotive Parts AdvisorThis guide41-2022$38,630β€” baseline
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Takeaway: automotive parts advisors rank 4 of 4 on median pay among the comparable roles above, with a projected +3.1% employment change 2024–34 (BLS Employment Projections). Pay position and projected demand together are what determine how quickly automotive parts advisors clear offers across the GlobalCybers placement network.

Methodology & Sources

How this guide is sourced and reviewed

Wages (BLS): All median and percentile figures are BLS OEWS May 2025, SOC 41-2022 (automotive parts advisors) and the matching SOC codes for each comparison role. OEWS is sampled on a rolling 3-year basis and published ~10 months after collection, so treat it as a firm anchor rather than a spot rate.

Job growth: Projected 2024–34 employment change, and the average annual openings figure, are from the BLS Employment Projections program, by occupation. Openings are a per-year average over the projection decade, not a decade total.

Licensing & credentials:Requirements are drawn from the issuing state licensing boards and the certifying body behind each credential β€” not from third-party aggregators.

Demand signal:Any statement about how quickly this role clears offers reflects GlobalCybers placement request volume across the trailing 12 months β€” our own network data, offered as a directional real-world indicator alongside BLS, not a market-wide survey.

Full site methodology & data sources β†’

DK
Reviewed by Dale Kowalski
CMRP, Plant Operations Recruiter Β· Last verified 2026-07-21
Verify on BLS.gov β†’

Credentials

What licences and certifications do automotive parts advisors need?

OEM parts-professional certification
Mandatory

Manufacturer program certifying dealership catalog, warranty and product knowledge for the brand. See all state licences β†’

DMS parts-module proficiency
Employer-required

Competence in the dealership management system's parts, invoicing and inventory modules.

Manufacturer product training
Industry-valued

Brand training on part applications, supersession and warranty-parts handling.

Tools & Software

What tools and software do automotive parts advisors use on the job?

βš™οΈ Core Tools & Equipment

Dealership management system (DMS), The dealer platform for parts tickets, invoicing, inventory and service-drive integration.
OEM electronic parts catalog, Manufacturer catalog software to look up genuine parts by VIN and diagram.
Warranty and returns tools, Systems for core tracking, warranty-parts retention and manufacturer returns.

πŸ“Š BLS Employment Data, SOC 41-2022

Projected openings per year (2024–2034)30,200
Job growth (2024–2034)+3.1%
National median$38,630
BLS data releaseOEWS May 2025

Salary Levers

How do automotive parts advisors earn above the $38,630 BLS median?

πŸ“

Wholesale account volume

Building collision and fleet wholesale accounts moves pay from the $38,630 median toward the $62,890 top decile.

🏭

Service-drive commission and spiffs

Fast, accurate ticket fills and parts spiffs lift earnings above the $28,240 entry tier.

πŸŽ“

Advancement to parts manager

Running OEM inventory and department gross reaches toward the $62,890 top decile.

This Route vs. College

Is becoming an automotive parts advisor worth it vs. a 4-year degree?

The entry route into this role, set against a four-year degree. Same starting line, side by side.

Path A

The automotive parts advisor route

The dealership parts desk is learned on the job: joining a franchised dealer, you build DMS speed and OEM catalog fluency plus a manufacturer parts certification to reach the $38,630 median and, with wholesale accounts, approach $62,890 β€” no degree required.

Entry-level (P10)
$28,240
All-level median
$38,630
Path B

Four-year bachelor's degree

A four-year degree offers little advantage in a dealership parts department; managers weigh DMS proficiency, OEM catalog fluency, warranty accuracy and wholesale results over a diploma, so on-the-job experience pays back faster.

Debt at year 4
βˆ’$35K
Year 5 (1st job)
~$60,000

Entry-level (10th percentile) and all-level median wages: BLS OEWS May 2025, SOC 41-2022. Student-debt figure: median federal borrower balance for bachelor's-degree completers. Starting-salary comparison is illustrative and varies by field and region.

FAQ

Automotive Parts Advisor Career, Frequently Asked Questions

How much does an automotive parts advisor make?

Automotive parts advisors report under Parts Salespersons (SOC 41-2022), with a BLS OEWS May 2025 median of $38,630 a year, or $18.57 an hour. Pay runs from $28,240 at the 10th percentile to $62,890 at the 90th, and dealership advisors with strong wholesale accounts and parts spiffs cluster toward the top.

How do you become an automotive parts advisor?

Start as a parts trainee at a franchised dealership to learn the service drive and OEM catalog, then master the dealership management system and warranty-parts process. A manufacturer parts-professional certification validates brand knowledge and opens the path to wholesale-account work or a dealership parts-manager role.

How does GlobalCybers help automotive parts advisors find permanent jobs?

You set your career intent, target role, location, salary, credentials, and timeline, in 3 minutes. Our recruiters benchmark your pay against BLS data and live employer requirements, then bring matching permanent job opportunities directly to you. No applications. No job boards. We verify your credentials so employers see a complete, credible profile. After placement, we pay your licence renewal fees. Permanent, full-time, direct-hire only.

What does an automotive parts advisor do?

An automotive parts advisor staffs a dealership parts department β€” pulling genuine OEM components for technicians on the service drive, looking up parts by VIN, managing warranty and core returns, and handling retail and wholesale orders. The job keeps the shop supplied while hitting parts-department gross targets.

Is automotive parts advisor a good career?

It is a solid dealership career, with a $38,630 median that rises through wholesale accounts and spiffs toward $62,890 and about-average 3.1% projected growth through 2034 across roughly 30,200 openings a year. Advancement to wholesale specialist or parts manager is the clearest route to higher pay.

What is the difference between a parts advisor and a service advisor at a dealership?

An automotive parts advisor supplies genuine OEM parts to technicians and customers from the parts counter, while a service advisor writes repair orders and sells service to customers on the drive. The parts advisor reports under Parts Salespersons (SOC 41-2022); the service advisor maps to the customer-service code.

What certifications help an automotive parts advisor?

The manufacturer's parts-professional certification is the most valued, certifying brand catalog, warranty and product knowledge, alongside proficiency in the dealership management system's parts modules. Brand product training on part applications and supersession rounds out the advisor's expertise and supports advancement.

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Automotive Parts Advisor (Automotive) β€” flat illustration: delivery truck on a route. Median pay (BLS OEWS May 2025) $38,630, Projected growth 2024–2034 +3.1%.
Automotive Parts Advisor: national median $38,630, BLS-projected +3.1% growth 2024–2034.
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Automotive Parts Advisor career research journey

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Related Β· Automotive Parts Advisor

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