Automotive Mechanics Technology
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Types of Degrees Automotive Mechanics Technology Majors Are Getting
The following table lists how many automobile/automotive mechanics technology/technician graduations there were in 2019-2020 for each degree level.
Education Level | Number of Grads |
---|---|
Basic Certificate | 12,936 |
Undergraduate Certificate | 12,150 |
Associate Degree | 7,736 |
Bachelor’s Degree | 49 |
What Automotive Mechanics Technology Majors Need to Know
In an O*NET survey, automobile/automotive mechanics technology/technician majors were asked to rate what knowledge areas, skills, and abilities were important in their occupations. These answers were weighted on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being the most important.
Knowledge Areas for Automobile/Automotive Mechanics Technology/Technician Majors
Automobile/Automotive Mechanics Technology/Technician majors often go into careers in which the following knowledge areas are important:

- Mechanical - Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
- Computers and Electronics - Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
- Engineering and Technology - Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.
- Customer and Personal Service - Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
- English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
Skills for Automobile/Automotive Mechanics Technology/Technician Majors
The following list of skills has been highlighted as some of the most essential for careers related to automobile/automotive mechanics technology/technician:

- Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
- Repairing - Repairing machines or systems using the needed tools.
- Operation Monitoring - Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
- Troubleshooting - Determining causes of operating errors and deciding what to do about it.
- Equipment Maintenance - Performing routine maintenance on equipment and determining when and what kind of maintenance is needed.
Abilities for Automobile/Automotive Mechanics Technology/Technician Majors
As a automobile/automotive mechanics technology/technician major, you will find yourself needing the following abilities:

- Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
- Arm-Hand Steadiness - The ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position.
- Finger Dexterity - The ability to make precisely coordinated movements of the fingers of one or both hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble very small objects.
- Problem Sensitivity - The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
- Manual Dexterity - The ability to quickly move your hand, your hand together with your arm, or your two hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects.
What Can You Do With a Automotive Mechanics Technology Major?
People with a automobile/automotive mechanics technology/technician degree often go into the following careers:
Job Title | Job Growth Rate | Median Salary |
---|---|---|
Automotive Master Mechanics | 6.1% | $40,710 |
Electrical and Electronics Installers and Repairers, Transportation Equipment | 2.9% | $60,340 |
Who Is Getting an Associate’s Degree in Automotive Mechanics Technology?
Racial-Ethnic Diversity
At the countrywide level, the racial-ethnic distribution of automobile/automotive mechanics technology/technician majors is as follows:

Race/Ethnicity | Number of Grads |
---|---|
Asian | 353 |
Black or African American | 459 |
Hispanic or Latino | 2,511 |
White | 3,464 |
International Students | 68 |
Other Races/Ethnicities | 881 |
Geographic Diversity
Automobile/Automotive Mechanics Technology/Technician appeals to people across the globe. About 0.9% of those with this major are international students.
How Much Do Automotive Mechanics Technology Majors Make?
Salaries According to BLS
Average salaries range from $36,750 to $61,460 (25th to 75th percentile) for careers related to automobile/automotive mechanics technology/technician. This range includes all degree levels, so the salary for a person with just a bachelor’s degree may be a little less and the one for a person with an advanced degree may be a little more.
To put that into context, according to BLS data from the first quarter of 2020, the typical high school graduate makes between $30,000 and $57,900 a year (25th through 75th percentile). The average person with a bachelor’s degree (any field) makes between $45,600 and $99,000. Advanced degree holders make the most with salaries between $55,600 and $125,400.
Amount of Education Required for Careers Related to Automotive Mechanics Technology
Some degrees associated with automobile/automotive mechanics technology/technician may require an advanced degree, while others may not even require a bachelor’s in the field. Whatever the case may be, pursuing more education usually means that more career options will be available to you.
Find out what the typical degree level is for automobile/automotive mechanics technology/technician careers below.

Education Level | Percentage of Workers |
---|---|
Less than a High School Diploma | 0.8% |
High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED) | 39.5% |
Post-Secondary Certificate - awarded for training completed after high school (for example, in agriculture or natural resources, computer services, personal or culinary services, engineering technologies, healthcare, construction trades, mechanic and repair technologies, or precision production) | 50.1% |
Some College Courses | 2.4% |
Associate’s Degree (or other 2-year degree) | 4.6% |
Post-Baccalaureate Certificate - awarded for completion of an organized program of study; designed for people who have completed a Baccalaureate degree but do not meet the requirements of academic degrees carrying the title of Master. | 3.8% |
Online Automotive Mechanics Technology Programs
In the 2019-2020 academic year, 802 schools offered some type of automobile/automotive mechanics technology/technician program. The following table lists the number of programs by degree level, along with how many schools offered online courses in the field.
Degree Level | Colleges Offering Programs | Colleges Offering Online Classes |
---|---|---|
Certificate (Less Than 1 Year) | 0 | 0 |
Certificate (1-2 years) | 579 | 1 |
Certificate (2-4 Years) | 159 | 0 |
Associate’s Degree | 515 | 2 |
Bachelor’s Degree | 0 | 0 |
Post-Baccalaureate | 0 | 0 |
Master’s Degree | 0 | 0 |
Post-Master’s | 0 | 0 |
Doctor’s Degree (Research) | 0 | 0 |
Doctor’s Degree (Professional Practice) | 0 | 0 |
Doctor’s Degree (Other) | 0 | 0 |
Is a Degree in Automotive Mechanics Technology Worth It?
The median salary for a automobile/automotive mechanics technology/technician grad is $43,730 per year. This is based on the weighted average of the most common careers associated with the major.
This is 10% more than the average salary for an individual holding a high school degree. This adds up to a gain of about $76,600 after 20 years!

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Trades Related to Automotive Mechanics Technology
You may also be interested in one of the following majors related to automobile/automotive mechanics technology/technician.
References
*The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students, international students, and students whose race/ethnicity was unknown. This number is then divided by the total number of students at the school to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.
- College Factual
- College Scorecard
- National Center for Education Statistics
- O*NET Online
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
- Usual Weekly Earnings of Wage and Salary Workers First Quarter 2020
- Image Credit: By Airman 1st Class Nigel Sandridge under License
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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