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General Mechanics & Repairers

Types of Degrees General Mechanics & Repairers Majors Are Earning

Students pursuing General Mechanics & Repairers can earn degrees at several award levels.

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

What General Mechanics & Repairers Majors Need to Know

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

Knowledge Areas

Coursework in General Mechanics & Repairers emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• 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

The skill set emphasized by a General Mechanics & Repairers program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• 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

Innate abilities most relevant to General Mechanics & Repairers careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

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

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, General 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 General Mechanics & Repairers professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	✓
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
Autodesk AutoCAD	Computer aided design CAD software	—
Email software	Electronic mail software	—
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	—
SAP software	Enterprise resource planning ERP software	—
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	✓
Payroll software	Time accounting software	—
Database software	Data base user interface and query software	—
Microsoft Windows	Operating system software	—
Computerized maintenance management system CMMS	Facilities management software	—
Internet browser software	Internet browser software	—

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

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for General Mechanics & Repairers graduates include:

• Electrical Appliance Servicer Supervisor
• Powerhouse Mechanic Supervisor
• Garage Manager
• Shop Manager
• Line Installation Supervisor
• Telephone Installer and Repairer Supervisor
• Signal Supervisor
• Utilities and Maintenance Supervisor
• Motorcycle Repair Shop Supervisor
• Elevator Constructor Supervisor
• Electrical Repair Supervisor
• Automotive Service Manager (Auto Service Manager)
• Service Supervisor
• Mechanics Supervisor
• Refrigeration Repair Supervisor

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to General 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%

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

Who Is Earning a Degree in General Mechanics & Repairers?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly male, with men earning 87.1% of General 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 General Mechanics & Repairers graduates is as follows:

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 General Mechanics & Repairers Graduates Earn?

The U.S. Department of Education tracks median earnings of General Mechanics & Repairers 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	$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 General Mechanics & Repairers Programs

Online study is tracked by IPEDS for General 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 General Mechanics & Repairers Worth It?

Looking purely at the federal earnings tracker, General 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.

^{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
Gunsmithing/Gunsmith	2,555
Electrical/Electronics Equipment Installation and Repair Technology/Technician, General	2,549
High Performance and Custom Engine Technician/Mechanic	470
Mechanics and Repairers, General	433
Energy Systems Installation and Repair Technology/Technician	76
Solar Energy System Installation and Repair Technology/Technician	25
Energy Systems Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians, Other	9
Geothermal Energy System Installation and Repair Technology/Technician	—
Hydroelectric Energy System Installation and Repair Technology/Technician	—

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.