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Diesel Mechanics Technology Major

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Diesel Mechanics Technology

2,349 Associates's Degrees Annually
26 Bachelor's Degrees Annually
#21 in Popularity (Associate's)
$49,150 Median Salary

Types of Degrees Diesel Mechanics Technology Majors Are Getting

The following table lists how many diesel mechanics technology/technician graduations there were in 2021-2022 for each degree level.

Education Level Number of Grads
Undergraduate Certificate 3,670
Basic Certificate 2,532
Associate Degree 2,459
Bachelor’s Degree 25

What Diesel Mechanics Technology Majors Need to Know

People with careers related to diesel mechanics technology/technician were asked what knowledge areas, skills, and abilities were important for their jobs. They weighted these areas on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being the highest.

Knowledge Areas for Diesel Mechanics Technology/Technician Majors

According to O*NET survey takers, a major in diesel mechanics technology/technician should prepare you for careers in which you will need to be knowledgeable in the following areas:

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  • Mechanical - Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
  • Transportation - Knowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits.
  • 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.
  • Public Safety and Security - Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.

Skills for Diesel Mechanics Technology/Technician Majors

The following list of skills has been highlighted as some of the most essential for careers related to diesel mechanics technology/technician:

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  • Troubleshooting - Determining causes of operating errors and deciding what to do about it.
  • 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.
  • Operation and Control - Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
  • Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

Abilities for Diesel Mechanics Technology/Technician Majors

Diesel Mechanics Technology/Technician majors often go into careers where the following abilities are vital:

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  • Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • Deductive Reasoning - The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.

What Can You Do With a Diesel Mechanics Technology Major?

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

Job Title Job Growth Rate Median Salary
Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists 9.3% $47,350

Who Is Getting an Associate’s Degree in Diesel Mechanics Technology?

2,459 Associate's Degrees Annually
5% Percent Women
27% Percent Racial-Ethnic Minorities*
This major attracts more men than women. About 95% of the graduates in this field are male.

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the countrywide level, the racial-ethnic distribution of diesel mechanics technology/technician majors is as follows:

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Race/Ethnicity Number of Grads
Asian 29
Black or African American 116
Hispanic or Latino 400
White 1,532
International Students 6
Other Races/Ethnicities 376

Geographic Diversity

Americans aren’t the only ones with an interest in Diesel Mechanics Technology/Technician. About 0.2% of those with this major are international students.

How Much Do Diesel Mechanics Technology Majors Make?

Salaries According to BLS

Diesel Mechanics Technology/Technician majors often go into careers with median salaries of $49,150. This median refers to 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.

Median Salary for a Diesel Mechanics Technology Major  49,150
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Median Salary for a High School Graduate  ( 30000 to 57900 )
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Median Salary for a Bachelor's Degree Holder  ( 45600 to 99000 )
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Median Salary for an Advanced Degree Holder  ( 55600 to 125400 )
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Some degrees associated with diesel mechanics technology/technician may require an advanced degree, while others may not even require a bachelor’s in the field. 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.

Find out what the typical degree level is for diesel mechanics technology/technician careers below.

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Education Level Percentage of Workers
Less than a High School Diploma 30.1%
High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED) 41.0%
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) 18.0%
Some College Courses 7.3%
Associate’s Degree (or other 2-year degree) 5.6%

Online Diesel Mechanics 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) 210 0
Certificate (2-4 Years) 39 0
Associate’s Degree 174 0
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 Diesel Mechanics Technology Worth It?

The median salary for a diesel mechanics technology/technician grad is $49,150 per year. This is based on the weighted average of the most common careers associated with the major.

This is 23% more than the average salary for an individual holding a high school degree. This adds up to a gain of about $185,000 after 20 years!

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

Major Number of Grads
Automobile/Automotive Mechanics Technology/Technician 33,827
Airframe Mechanics & Aircraft Maintenance Technology/Technician 7,143
Autobody/Collision & Repair Technology/Technician 4,725
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.

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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