Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics
Diagnose, adjust, repair, or overhaul automotive vehicles.
- Median pay
- $50,620
- Doing it now
- 825,800
- By 2035
- Up 5%
- Usually needs
- Postsecondary nondegree award
a year
across the country
66,200 openings a year
to get in
What the work involves
- Test drive vehicles and test components and systems, using equipment such as infrared engine analyzers, compression gauges, and computerized diagnostic devices.
- Inspect vehicles for damage and record findings so that necessary repairs can be made.
- Test and adjust repaired systems to meet manufacturers' performance specifications.
- Repair, reline, replace, and adjust brakes.
- Estimate costs of vehicle repair.
- Review work orders and discuss work with supervisors.
- Troubleshoot fuel, ignition, and emissions control systems, using electronic testing equipment.
What to study
The fields of study the Department of Education links to this occupation, most widely taught first.
- Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/TechniciansSee 103 colleges that teach it
- Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies/TechniciansSee 24 colleges that teach it
Who it suits
O*NET scores every occupation on six interest dimensions. This one leans hardest on these three.
Hands-on and practical
Organised and precise
Analytical and curious
Careers like this one
- Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists$61,770
- Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians$79,870
- Motorboat Mechanics and Service Technicians$57,550
- Outdoor Power Equipment and Other Small Engine Mechanics$47,880
- Electronic Equipment Installers and Repairers, Motor Vehicles$48,420
- Engine and Other Machine Assemblers$53,710
Where this comes from: the description and the task list are O*NET, which the Department of Labor maintains. Pay, workforce size, outlook and the education normally needed are the Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections programme, 2025 wages and 2025 to 2035 projections. Half of them earn more than $50,620 a year, which means half earn less, and what you would earn depends on where you work and how long you have been doing it. The fields of study come from the National Center for Education Statistics crosswalk.