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Mechanics & Repairers

Mechanics & Repairers

Types of Degrees Mechanics & Repairers Majors Are Earning

Students pursuing Mechanics & Repairers have the option of earning degrees at several award levels.

Award Level Graduates
Certificate 153
Associate’s Degree 222
Master’s Degree 58

What Mechanics & Repairers Majors Need to Know

Studies in Mechanics & Repairers develop a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Mechanics & Repairers graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

Coursework in Mechanics & Repairers emphasizes the following knowledge areas: Knowledge areas for Mechanics & Repairers majors

  • Mechanical — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
  • Administration and Management — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
  • English Language — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 3.4 / 7.
  • Customer and Personal Service — Importance 3.3 / 5; level 3.6 / 7.
  • Administrative — Importance 3.3 / 5; level 3.5 / 7.

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

Skills

Skills built by a Mechanics & Repairers program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations: Skills for Mechanics & Repairers majors

  • Monitoring — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.
  • Critical Thinking — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.7 / 7.
  • Judgment and Decision Making — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.5 / 7.
  • Coordination — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 3.6 / 7.
  • Speaking — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 3.6 / 7.

Abilities

Abilities most relevant to Mechanics & Repairers careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations: Abilities for Mechanics & Repairers majors

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

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Mechanics & Repairers graduates report doing:

Activity Frequency / Importance
Making Decisions and Solving Problems 4.3 / 7
Getting Information 4.3 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates 4.2 / 7
Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings 4.2 / 7
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work 4.2 / 7
Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards 4.1 / 7
Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment 4.1 / 7
Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials 4.0 / 7
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events 3.9 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge 3.9 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Mechanics & Repairers professionals:

Tool / Software Category In-Demand
Email software Electronic mail software
Microsoft Word Word processing software
Microsoft Office software Office suite software
SAP software Enterprise resource planning ERP software
Microsoft Outlook Electronic mail software
Microsoft Excel Spreadsheet software
Autodesk AutoCAD Computer aided design CAD software
Microsoft SharePoint Document management software
Supervisory control and data acquisition SCADA software Industrial control software
Spreadsheet software Spreadsheet software
Microsoft Windows Operating system software
Microsoft Access Data base user interface and query software

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

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Mechanics & Repairers graduates include:

  • Service and Repair Supervisor
  • Repair Department Manager
  • Leased Machinery and Equipment Service Supervisor
  • Elevator Installation and Repair Field Superintendent
  • Boiler Repair Supervisor
  • Electronics Systems Maintenance Supervisor
  • Electrical Appliance Servicer Supervisor
  • Fire Fighting Equipment Maintenance Supervisor
  • Wireworker Supervisor
  • Electronic Controls Repairer Supervisor
  • Electric Motor Repair Supervisor
  • Street Light Servicer Supervisor
  • HVAC Supervisor (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning Supervisor)
  • Artillery Maintenance Supervisor
  • Farm Equipment Maintenance Supervisor

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to Mechanics & Repairers graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level Share of Workers
High school diploma or equivalent 57.3%
Some college courses 15.7%
Postsecondary certificate 15.1%
Bachelor’s degree 5.5%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) 2.7%
Less than a high school diploma 2.2%
Doctoral degree 1.5%
Education levels for Mechanics & Repairers majors

Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*

Who Is Earning a Degree in Mechanics & Repairers?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly male, with men earning 87.1% of Mechanics & Repairers degrees.

Gender Graduates Share
Women 56 12.9%
Men 377 87.1%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Mechanics & Repairers graduates is as follows:

Racial-ethnic diversity of Mechanics & Repairers graduates
Race / Ethnicity Graduates Share
White 247 57.0%
Asian 6 1.4%
Hispanic or Latino 124 28.6%
Black or African American 16 3.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native 4 0.9%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 1 0.2%
Two or More Races 8 1.8%
Race Unknown 26 6.0%
International Students 1 0.2%

See minority definition below.

How Much Do Mechanics & Repairers Graduates Earn?

Federal data tracks median earnings of Mechanics & Repairers graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. These numbers tend to grow steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out Median Earnings
1 year $24,070
4 years $19,553
5 years $22,196

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $22,196 — roughly -8% above the 1-year mark.

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

Online Mechanics & Repairers Programs

Online study is tracked by IPEDS for Mechanics & Repairers. 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
Associate’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 Mechanics & Repairers Worth It?

Strictly by the federal earnings tracker, Mechanics & Repairers graduates earn a median of $19,553 four years after completion — about 49% below the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000). On earnings alone, this program does not show an income premium over the baseline; non-financial outcomes (career interests, certification requirements, advancement potential) are typically the stronger argument for fields in this range.

4-year median earnings vs national baseline for Mechanics & Repairers

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.

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

Program Annual Degrees Awarded
Mechanical Repair Technologies 121,176
Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technology/Technician, General 74,567
Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR) 23,253
Electrical/Electronics Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians 9,559
Heavy/Industrial Equipment Maintenance Technologies/Technicians 8,925
Precision Systems Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians 2,926
Mechanic and Repair Technologies/Technicians, Other 1,335
Energy Systems Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians 178

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.

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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