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 2018-2019 for each degree level.

Education Level	Number of Grads
Basic Certificate	14,406
Undergraduate Certificate	13,045
Associate’s Degree	8,389
Bachelor’s Degree	52

What Automotive Mechanics Technology Majors Need to Know

O*NET surveyed people in occupations related to automobile/automotive mechanics technology/technician and asked them what knowledge areas, skills, and abilities were important for their jobs. The responses were rated on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being most important.

Knowledge Areas for Automobile/Automotive Mechanics Technology/Technician Majors

This major prepares you for careers in which these 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

When studying automobile/automotive mechanics technology/technician, you’ll learn many skills that will help you be successful in a wide range of jobs - even those that do not require a degree in the field. The following is a list of some of the most common skills needed for careers associated with this major:

• 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?

This major attracts more men than women. About 94% of the graduates in this field are male.

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	376
Black or African American	508
Hispanic or Latino	2,437
White	4,042
International Students	94
Other Races/Ethnicities	932

Geographic Diversity

Students from other countries are interested in Automobile/Automotive Mechanics Technology/Technician, too. About 1.1% 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 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 careers associated with automobile/automotive mechanics technology/technician require an advanced degree while some may not even require a bachelor’s. Whatever the case may be, pursuing more education usually means that more career options will be available to you.

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 2018-2019 academic year, 822 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)	458	0
Certificate (1-2 years)	585	0
Certificate (2-4 Years)	167	2
Associate’s Degree	520	1
Bachelor’s Degree	0	0
Post-Baccalaureate	458	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	9,513
Airframe Mechanics & Aircraft Maintenance Technology/Technician	6,035
Autobody/Collision & Repair Technology/Technician	5,142
Aircraft Powerplant Technology/Technician	2,635
Medium/Heavy Vehicle & Truck Technology/Technician	2,541
Motorcycle Maintenance & Repair Technology/Technician	1,126
Marine Maintenance/Fitter & Ship Repair Technology/Technician	664
Avionics Maintenance Technology/Technician	570
General Vehicle Maintenance & Repair Technologies	512
High Performance & Custom Engine Technician/Mechanic	465
Other Vehicle Maintenance & Repair Technologies	331
Small Engine Mechanics & Repair Technology/Technician	298
Engine Machinist	153
Alternative Fuel Vehicle Technology/Technician	114
Vehicle Emissions Inspection & Maintenance Technology/Technician	7

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.