Small Engine Mechanics Technology

Types of Degrees Small Engine Mechanics Technology Majors Are Getting

The following table lists how many small engine mechanics and repair technology/technician graduations there were in 2018-2019 for each degree level.

Education Level	Number of Grads
Basic Certificate	156
Undergraduate Certificate	118
Associate’s Degree	24

What Small Engine Mechanics Technology Majors Need to Know

People with careers related to small engine mechanics and repair 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 Small Engine Mechanics and Repair Technology/Technician Majors

Small Engine Mechanics and Repair 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.
• 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.
• 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.

Skills for Small Engine Mechanics and Repair Technology/Technician Majors

small engine mechanics and repair technology/technician majors are found most commonly in careers in which the following skills are important:

• Repairing - Repairing machines or systems using the needed tools.
• Equipment Maintenance - Performing routine maintenance on equipment and determining when and what kind of maintenance is needed.
• Troubleshooting - Determining causes of operating errors and deciding what to do about it.
• 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.

Abilities for Small Engine Mechanics and Repair Technology/Technician Majors

A major in small engine mechanics and repair technology/technician will prepare for your careers in which the following abilities are important:

• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).

What Can You Do With a Small Engine Mechanics Technology Major?

Below is a list of occupations associated with small engine mechanics and repair technology/technician:

Job Title	Job Growth Rate	Median Salary
Outdoor Power Equipment and Other Small Engine Mechanics	10.4%	$35,400

Who Is Getting an Associate’s Degree in Small Engine Mechanics 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 small engine mechanics and repair technology/technician majors is as follows:

Race/Ethnicity	Number of Grads
Asian	0
Black or African American	0
Hispanic or Latino	1
White	20
International Students	0
Other Races/Ethnicities	3

How Much Do Small Engine Mechanics Technology Majors Make?

Salaries According to BLS

Small Engine Mechanics and Repair Technology/Technician majors often go into careers where salaries can range from $36,940 to $42,330 (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 Small Engine Mechanics Technology

Some degrees associated with small engine mechanics and repair 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 small engine mechanics and repair technology/technician careers below.

Education Level	Percentage of Workers
Less than a High School Diploma	8.6%
High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)	32.2%
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)	39.2%
Some College Courses	17.1%
Associate’s Degree (or other 2-year degree)	2.9%

Online Small Engine Mechanics Technology Programs

In the 2018-2019 academic year, 44 schools offered some type of small engine mechanics and repair 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)	20	0
Certificate (1-2 years)	28	0
Certificate (2-4 Years)	2	0
Associate’s Degree	8	0
Bachelor’s Degree	0	0
Post-Baccalaureate	20	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 Small Engine Mechanics Technology Worth It?

The median salary for a small engine mechanics and repair technology/technician grad is $36,940 per year. This is based on the weighted average of the most common careers associated with the major.

Trades Related to Small Engine Mechanics Technology

You may also be interested in one of the following majors related to small engine mechanics and repair technology/technician.

Major	Number of Grads
Automobile/Automotive Mechanics Technology/Technician	35,892
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
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.