Automotive Mechanics Technology

Types of Degrees Automotive Mechanics Technology Majors Are Getting

The following table lists how many automobile/automotive mechanics technology/technician graduations there were in 2020-2021 for each degree level.

Education Level	Number of Grads
Basic Certificate	11,171
Undergraduate Certificate	10,537
Associate Degree	7,126
Bachelor’s Degree	38

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

A major in automobile/automotive mechanics technology/technician prepares you for careers in which the following skill-sets are crucial:

• 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

Some of the most crucial abilities to master while a automobile/automotive mechanics technology/technician student include the following:

• 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?

Below is a list of occupations associated with automobile/automotive mechanics technology/technician:

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?

This major tends to be male dominated. About 94% of recent graduates are men.

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	298
Black or African American	463
Hispanic or Latino	2,164
White	3,391
International Students	52
Other Races/Ethnicities	758

Geographic Diversity

Students from other countries are interested in Automobile/Automotive Mechanics Technology/Technician, too. About 0.7% of those with this major are international students.

How Much Do Automotive Mechanics Technology Majors Make?

Salaries According to BLS

Automobile/Automotive Mechanics Technology/Technician majors often go into careers where salaries can range from $36,750 to $61,460 (25th to 75th percentile). This range includes all degree levels, so you may expect those with a more advanced degree to make more while those with less advanced degrees will typically make less.

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 careers associated with automobile/automotive mechanics technology/technician require an advanced degree while some may not even require a bachelor’s. In general, the more advanced your degree the more career options will open up to you. However, there is significant time and money that needs to be invested into your education so weigh the pros and cons.

How much schooling do you really need to compete in today’s job market? People currently working in careers related to automobile/automotive mechanics technology/technician have obtained the following education levels.

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 2020-2021 academic year, 808 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)	580	2
Certificate (2-4 Years)	157	0
Associate’s Degree	521	3
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!

Trades Related to Automotive Mechanics Technology

You may also be interested in one of the following majors related to automobile/automotive mechanics technology/technician.

Major	Number of Grads
Diesel Mechanics Technology/Technician	8,471
Airframe Mechanics & Aircraft Maintenance Technology/Technician	6,148
Autobody/Collision & Repair Technology/Technician	4,487
Aircraft Powerplant Technology/Technician	2,392
Medium/Heavy Vehicle & Truck Technology/Technician	2,243
Motorcycle Maintenance & Repair Technology/Technician	1,073
Avionics Maintenance Technology/Technician	804
Marine Maintenance/Fitter & Ship Repair Technology/Technician	655
General Vehicle Maintenance & Repair Technologies	430
High Performance & Custom Engine Technician/Mechanic	382
Small Engine Mechanics & Repair Technology/Technician	218
Engine Machinist	133
Alternative Fuel Vehicle Technology/Technician	112
Other Vehicle Maintenance & Repair Technologies	94

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.