Collision & Repair Technology

 

Types of Degrees Collision & Repair Technology Majors Are Getting

The following table lists how many autobody/collision & repair technology/technician graduations there were for each degree level during the last year for which data was available.

Education Level	Number of Grads
Undergraduate Certificate	2,619
Basic Certificate	1,553
Associate Degree	552
Bachelor’s Degree	1

What Collision & Repair Technology Majors Need to Know

In an O*NET survey, autobody/collision and repair 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 Autobody/Collision and Repair Technology/Technician Majors

Autobody/Collision and Repair Technology/Technician majors often go into careers in which the following knowledge areas are important:

• 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.
• Mechanical - Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
• Administration and Management - Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
• Production and Processing - Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.

Skills for Autobody/Collision and Repair Technology/Technician Majors

When studying autobody/collision and repair 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:

• Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
• Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
• Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
• Time Management - Managing one’s own time and the time of others.
• Judgment and Decision Making - Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.

Abilities for Autobody/Collision and Repair Technology/Technician Majors

Some of the most crucial abilities to master while a autobody/collision and repair technology/technician student include the following:

• Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
• Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
• 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.
• Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
• 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.

What Can You Do With a Collision & Repair Technology Major?

People with a autobody/collision and repair technology/technician degree often go into the following careers:

Job Title	Job Growth Rate	Median Salary
Automotive Body and Related Repairers	8.5%	$42,730
Automotive Glass Installers and Repairers	6.6%	$34,170
Painters, Transportation Equipment	6.5%	$42,280

Who Is Getting an Associate’s Degree in Collision & Repair Technology?

This major attracts more men than women. About 88% of the graduates in this field are male.

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the countrywide level, the racial-ethnic distribution of autobody/collision and repair technology/technician majors is as follows:

Race/Ethnicity	Number of Grads
Asian	12
Black or African American	32
Hispanic or Latino	137
White	321
International Students	2
Other Races/Ethnicities	48

Geographic Diversity

Americans aren’t the only ones with an interest in Autobody/Collision and Repair Technology/Technician. About 0.4% of those with this major are international students.

How Much Do Collision & Repair Technology Majors Make?

Salaries According to BLS

Autobody/Collision and Repair Technology/Technician majors often go into careers where salaries can range from $36,370 to $46,460 (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 Collision & Repair Technology

Some careers associated with autobody/collision and repair 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 autobody/collision and repair technology/technician have obtained the following education levels.

Education Level	Percentage of Workers
Less than a High School Diploma	10.5%
High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)	49.8%
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)	28.3%
Some College Courses	7.7%
Associate’s Degree (or other 2-year degree)	3.8%
Bachelor’s Degree	0.4%

Online Collision & Repair Technology Programs

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)	262	0
Certificate (2-4 Years)	29	0
Associate’s Degree	159	1
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 Collision & Repair Technology Worth It?

The median salary for a autobody/collision and repair technology/technician grad is $46,460 per year. This is based on the weighted average of the most common careers associated with the major.

This is 16% more than the average salary for an individual holding a high school degree. This adds up to a gain of about $131,200 after 20 years!

Trades Related to Collision & Repair Technology

You may also be interested in one of the following majors related to autobody/collision and repair technology/technician.

Major	Number of Grads
Automobile/Automotive Mechanics Technology/Technician	33,827
Diesel Mechanics Technology/Technician	8,686
Airframe Mechanics & Aircraft Maintenance Technology/Technician	7,143
Aircraft Powerplant Technology/Technician	2,739
Medium/Heavy Vehicle & Truck Technology/Technician	2,101
Motorcycle Maintenance & Repair Technology/Technician	1,140
Marine Maintenance/Fitter & Ship Repair Technology/Technician	823
Avionics Maintenance Technology/Technician	724
High Performance & Custom Engine Technician/Mechanic	489
General Vehicle Maintenance & Repair Technologies	472
Small Engine Mechanics & Repair Technology/Technician	213
Alternative Fuel Vehicle Technology/Technician	147
Engine Machinist	107
Other Vehicle Maintenance & Repair Technologies	97
Bicycle Mechanics & Repair Technology/Technician	11
Recreation Vehicle (RV) Service 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.