MajorsMajor
Automotive technology: what you'd study, the jobs
From public data · Every number cited
The short answer
Automotive technology programs teach you to find what's wrong with a car and fix it: brakes, engines, electrical systems, steering, transmissions and air conditioning. Programs at community colleges and technical schools lead to a certificate or a two-year associate's degree; BLS says a certificate-type program is the usual start, not a four-year degree. They lead to jobs like automotive technician, and in time shop foreman.
Try the job first
These lessons let you do a real task from the work. Afterwards, say whether you liked it, and your answers collect in one place.
- Who works at an auto repair shop13 minFree
- How a car gets fixed, from check-in to pick-up13 min(members-only)(included in your membership)
See what you've answered so far in Your major match.
What you'd study
Every college's program is a little different. These are the kinds of classes most of them have.
What the program covers
The US government's description of an automotive technology program lists brake systems, electrical systems, engine performance and engine repair, suspension and steering, automatic and manual transmissions and drive trains, and heating and air conditioning. Classes mix the classroom with hands-on work in a shop.
Computers and electric cars
BLS says technicians often find problems with computerized diagnostic tools, and must know the electronic systems and sensors used for braking, transmissions and accident avoidance. BLS adds that some technicians focus on electric cars: battery performance, regenerative braking and electric motors, with safety rules for high-voltage systems.
Certificates along the way
Many technicians earn certifications from ASE (the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence) one area at a time, like brakes or electrical systems. ASE asks for 1–
3 years ase.com ·2026 of hands-on work for each, and school can count for part of it; certifications are renewed every 5 years ase.com ·2026. Anyone who works on car air conditioning for pay must be certified under the EPA's section 609.
Jobs it leads to
Median pay means half the people in the job earn more and half earn less. Pay also changes with the place, the employer and experience.
Automotive service technicians
A day at work
You find what's wrong with cars and light trucks and fix them, from oil changes to engine and electrical faults, and explain it to customers. BLS says most technicians work full-time, sometimes evenings or weekends; it's often greasy work, standing most of the day. About 32%
of these jobs are at car dealers, 25% at repair shops, and 15% are self-employed. BLS expects about 66,200 openings a year . - Median pay
- $50,620
/year - Expected job growth
- 5%
The usual start
BLS says technicians typically finish a program in automotive service technology, a certificate or an associate's degree, though some start with a high school diploma and learn on the job, often as lube technicians or helpers. Employers may require or prefer certification.
Numbers from bls.gov ·2025
Diesel technicians
A day at work
You inspect and repair buses, trucks and other vehicles with diesel engines. BLS lists trucking companies, wholesalers and local governments among the biggest employers. BLS says most work full-time, and some more than forty hours a week. BLS expects about 24,400 openings a year
. - Median pay
- $61,770
/year - Expected job growth
- 4%
The usual start
BLS says most diesel technicians start with a high school diploma and learn on the job, but employers may prefer people who finished a postsecondary program in diesel engine repair.
Numbers from bls.gov ·2025
Body and glass repairers
A day at work
You restore, refinish and replace car bodies, frames and glass, usually after accidents. BLS expects about 13,900 openings a year
. - Median pay
- $52,530
/year - Expected job growth
- 4%
The usual start
BLS says the usual start is a high school diploma. High schools, technical schools and community colleges teach collision repair, in programs from six months to two years.
Numbers from bls.gov ·2025
Shop foremen and supervisors
A day at work
You run a shop's bays: hand out each repair, help technicians with hard problems, road-test big jobs before cars go back and keep the day's promises realistic. BLS expects about 48,900 openings a year
for supervisors of mechanics of all kinds. - Median pay
- $73,330
/year - Expected job growth
- 4.1%
The usual start
BLS says the usual start is a high school diploma and a few years in a related job; in a repair shop, a foreman often starts as a technician.
Numbers from bls.gov ·2025bls.gov ·2025
How to read the growth numbers
BLS expects all US jobs together to grow 3.5%
The pay on each card is the median: half of the workers earn more and half earn less. Some shops pay technicians by the job instead of the hour, so a fast, certified technician and a beginner can earn very different amounts.
Pay isn't everything
The work is physical: standing most of the day, lifting tires and parts, sometimes working in awkward positions, with fumes, chemicals and noise around. BLS says technicians usually own their hand tools, which costs money over the years, while shops usually own the big equipment.
People who tend to enjoy it like figuring out why something doesn't work, using their hands, and seeing a problem fixed by the end of the day.
After graduating
The College Scorecard, from the US Department of Education, shows what graduates of each college's programs earned a few years later. Read it with its own warnings: it counts only students who got federal grants or loans, it leaves out graduates who didn't work that year or went back to school, and pay soon after school may not show pay later on.
We don't know of an official national pay figure for automotive technology graduates alone, so we don't show one. You can look up any school at collegescorecard.ed.gov.
You don't need this major to work here
You don't need a degree to become a technician: BLS says some start with a high school diploma and learn on the job, often as lube technicians or helpers. A program shortens that training, and certification usually comes from experience plus ASE's exams.
Related majors
Also related: Diesel technology, Collision repair, Mechanical engineering technology.
Common questions
- Is automotive technology a four-year degree?
Usually not. BLS says high schools, community colleges and technical schools offer programs that may lead to a certificate or an associate's degree. Some are sponsored by car makers or dealers and focus on one kind of vehicle.
- What do these jobs pay?
BLS's median for automotive service technicians was $50,620
/year bls.gov ·2025 in May 2025, $61,770 /year bls.gov ·2025 for diesel technicians and $52,530 /year bls.gov ·2025 for body and glass repairers. Shop supervisors at general repair shops earned $73,330 /year bls.gov ·2025. Half earn more and half earn less. - Do I need ASE certification?
BLS says employers may require or prefer it, and that certifications show what you can do and may bring higher pay. ASE certifies one area at a time, after 1–
3 years ase.com ·2026 of hands-on work, and certifications are renewed every 5 years ase.com ·2026. - Which school is best for automotive technology?
We don't rank schools. Programs differ in length, cost, the cars and tools you'll train on, and whether a car maker sponsors them. The College Scorecard lets you look up any school.