Also called: Wrecker Operator, Roadside Assistance Technician
Tows broken-down and crashed vehicles and helps stranded drivers with flat tires and dead batteries.
At 2 a.m. you get a call for a crashed car on the highway, set up flares, winch it onto your flatbed, and haul it away safely. Heavy-wrecker operators recover overturned semis.
Estimated; heavy-recovery operators and owners earn more.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
Certificate, about 0 years after high school. Driver's license (CDL for heavy wreckers) plus towing certifications like WreckMaster.
Ways in: On-the-job training, Certification. Training cost: Get paid while you train.
Growing about average. Steady.
Low risk for 10 years. Roadside wrecks are messy and varied; hooking up cars stays human, and robotaxis still break down.
Age 21+. One way to start: Apply at local towing companies as a light-duty driver trainee First: Company towing training; some cities and states require a tow operator permit, insurers want 21+
Classes: Auto tech CTE, Driver's education.
Official data: O*NET occupation 53-6099.
Career Universe is an early version. Pay, training and AI-risk figures are estimates to start your own research, not verified facts. The research was written with AI research assistants, checked by validation scripts and spot-checked by hand. Check anything important with schools, employers and official sources. How the numbers work.