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Automotive Engineering Technology

Types of Degrees Automotive Engineering Technology Majors Are Earning

Those studying Automotive Engineering Technology have the option of earning degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Certificate	179
Associate’s Degree	316
Bachelor’s Degree	302
Master’s Degree	261

What Automotive Engineering Technology Majors Need to Know

Coursework for Automotive Engineering Technology build a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Automotive Engineering Technology graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

According to O*NET, a major in Automotive Engineering Technology emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• Mechanical — Importance 4.3 / 5; level 5.4 / 7.
• Engineering and Technology — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
• Mathematics — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.
• Design — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.
• Computers and Electronics — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.

^{Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*}

Skills

The skill set emphasized by a Automotive Engineering Technology program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Critical Thinking — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.6 / 7.
• Reading Comprehension — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 3.8 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 3.5 / 7.
• Speaking — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 3.5 / 7.
• Complex Problem Solving — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 3.3 / 7.

Abilities

The cognitive and physical abilities most relevant to Automotive Engineering Technology careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Near Vision — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 3.8 / 7.
• Deductive Reasoning — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.
• Written Comprehension — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.
• Problem Sensitivity — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 3.8 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Automotive Engineering Technology graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Getting Information	4.3 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.1 / 7
Working with Computers	4.1 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.0 / 7
Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials	4.0 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	3.9 / 7
Documenting/Recording Information	3.9 / 7
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events	3.9 / 7
Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards	3.8 / 7
Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings	3.7 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Automotive Engineering Technology professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
SAP software	Enterprise resource planning ERP software	—
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	✓
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	✓
Computer aided manufacturing CAM software	Computer aided manufacturing CAM software	—
PTC Creo Parametric	Computer aided design CAD software	—
Autodesk Inventor	Computer aided design CAD software	—
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	✓
Data acquisition software	Analytical or scientific software	—
Autodesk AutoCAD Mechanical	Computer aided design CAD software	—
National Instruments LabVIEW	Development environment software	—
Computer aided design CAD software	Computer aided design CAD software	—

^{Source: ONET Online technology skills, weighted across related occupations.*}

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Automotive Engineering Technology graduates include:

• Mechanical Designer
• Tool Analyst
• Technical Analyst
• Engineering Drawings Checker
• Automation Design Checker
• Brinell Tester
• Engineering Technical Analyst
• Engineering Data Analyst
• Certified Control Systems Technician (CCST)
• Process Analyst
• Engineering Analyst
• Systems Analyst
• Apparatus Engineering Technologist
• Process Engineering Technician (Process Engineering Tech)
• Mechanical Test Technician (Mechanical Test Tech)

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to Automotive Engineering Technology graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
Postsecondary certificate	28.6%
Bachelor’s degree	25.8%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	23.4%
High school diploma or equivalent	12.4%
Some college courses	6.8%
Master’s degree	3.0%

^{Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*}

Who Is Earning a Degree in Automotive Engineering Technology?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly male, with men earning 91.9% of Automotive Engineering Technology degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	90	8.1%
Men	1,022	91.9%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Automotive Engineering Technology graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	595	53.5%
Asian	36	3.2%
Hispanic or Latino	236	21.2%
Black or African American	128	11.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native	10	0.9%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander	1	0.1%
Two or More Races	50	4.5%
Race Unknown	12	1.1%
International Students	44	4.0%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Automotive Engineering Technology Graduates Earn?

College Scorecard reports median earnings of Automotive Engineering Technology graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Wages typically rise steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$58,128
4 years	$66,942
5 years	$75,102

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $75,102 — roughly 29% above the 1-year mark.

^{Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.}

Online Automotive Engineering Technology Programs

Online study is reported by IPEDS for Automotive Engineering Technology. The table below shows how many graduates earned at least some of their coursework online (Distance-Ed Available) versus completing the entire program online (Distance-Ed Only).

Award Level	Distance-Ed Available	Distance-Ed Only
Bachelor’s	1	0

^{Distance-Ed Only = degrees completed entirely online; Distance-Ed Available = degrees including at least some online coursework. Source: IPEDS Completions by Distance Education status.}

Is a Degree in Automotive Engineering Technology Worth It?

Looking purely at the federal earnings tracker, Automotive Engineering Technology graduates earn a median of $66,942 four years after completion — roughly 76% above the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000).

^{ROI estimate compares the program’s 4-yr median earnings against the 2023 BLS CPS median earnings for high-school-only workers. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + BLS Current Population Survey.}

Related Programs

You may also be interested in these closely related fields of study:

Program	Annual Degrees Awarded
Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians	5,996
Drafting and Design Technology/Technician, General	4,395
Mechanical/Mechanical Engineering Technology/Technician	3,162
CAD/CADD Drafting and/or Design Technology/Technician	2,476
Aeronautical/Aerospace Engineering Technology/Technician	1,144
Mechanical Drafting and Mechanical Drafting CAD/CADD	932
Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians, Other	478
Hydraulics and Fluid Power Technology/Technician	112
Marine Engineering Technology/Technician	68
3-D Modeling and Design Technology/Technician	40
Motorsports Engineering Technology/Technician	32

References

The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students and international students. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

More about our data sources and methodologies.