Experience Counts
The quick lube industry is maturing, and so is its workforce—especially at the managerial level.
Participants in the 2025 NOLN Operator Survey were asked about the average tenure for their shops’ managers and lube technicians. About 70% of respondents said the average tenure of their managers is at least six years.
Here is a breakdown of how they responded:
Average Manager Tenure
|
0 to 5 years |
29.5% |
|
6 to 10 years |
34.3% |
|
10 to 20 years |
16.4% |
|
More than 20 years |
19.4% |
Average Technician Tenure
|
0 to 6 months |
1.5% |
|
6 months to 1 year |
11.6% |
|
1 to 3 years |
46.4% |
|
4 to 5 years |
21.7% |
|
6 to 10 years |
13.0% |
|
More than 10 years |
11% |
A dive into the NOLN archives shows the average tenures of both managers and techs has steadily increased over the past three decades:
1995
|
3.8 years |
Managers |
|
1.8 years |
Lube Technicians |
2005
|
4.8 years |
Managers |
|
2.1 years |
Lube Technicians |
2015
|
6.9 years |
Managers |
|
2.3 years |
Lube Technicians |