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Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics

Typical education: Certificate or apprenticeshipModerate pressure

What they do

Diagnose, adjust, repair, or overhaul automotive vehicles.

Kinds of work

  • Realistic: Hands-on work with tools, machines, plants or animals, often outdoors.
  • Conventional: Organizing information, following clear procedures and working with data and details.
  • Investigative: Science, research, figuring out how things work and solving complex problems.

Moderate pressure: How much pressure workers in this job report: deadlines, conflict, dealing with upset people, the cost of mistakes, responsibility for others' safety, competition and long hours. It varies a lot from one employer to the next. Source: U.S. Department of Labor worker surveys.

Pay, tasks and more

Salary

United States $50,620 Median per year · $24.34/hr Most earn $34,660–$81,790

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2025.

What you might do

  • Confer with customers to obtain descriptions of vehicle problems and to discuss work to be performed and future repair requirements.
  • Diagnose and replace or repair engine management systems or related sensors for flexible fuel vehicles (FFVs) with ignition timing, fuel rate, alcohol concentration, or air-to-fuel ratio malfunctions.
  • Test electronic computer components in automobiles to ensure proper operation.
  • Repair, replace, or adjust defective fuel injectors, carburetor parts, and gasoline filters.
  • Overhaul or replace carburetors, blowers, generators, distributors, starters, and pumps.
  • Tune automobile engines to ensure proper and efficient functioning.

Job outlook

United States
5% more jobs by 2035, faster than average · about 66,200 openings a year

Openings include new jobs and jobs left by workers who retire or change careers. Projections: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. "Bright Outlook": U.S. Department of Labor.

Where they work

  • Automobile dealers32.0%
  • Automotive mechanical and electrical repair and maintenance25.1%
  • Self-employed (their own business)14.6%
  • Automotive parts, accessories, and tire retailers6.0%
  • Other automotive repair and maintenance4.1%

Share of all workers in this career. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Employment Matrix.

On-siteExperience before this job: 1 to 2 years

Some people start through an apprenticeship: paid training on the job, often with classes. Search apprenticeships on Apprenticeship.gov (opens in a new tab) ↗

Career path

How people usually get into this career, from school to their first job and beyond.

Typical education: Certificate or apprenticeshipExperience before this job: 1 to 2 years

Automotive Service Technician is an entry-level job you can start after training, not right out of high school. Most people spend about 1 to 2 years in a training program or apprenticeship, then about 1 to 2 years as a helper or entry-level technician before working on cars on their own.

  1. High school diploma with auto shop or automotive classes

    4 years

    Shop, math, and physics classes build the hands-on and problem-solving skills you use every day as a mechanic.

  2. Automotive technology certificate or apprenticeship

    1-2 years

    Formal training teaches engine systems, brakes, electrical work, and diagnostics, and an apprenticeship pays you while you learn on real vehicles.

  3. Service Technician Helper or Lube Technician

    1-2 years

    In an entry-level shop job you handle routine maintenance and assist senior techs while you build hands-on experience and speed.

  4. Automotive Service Technician

    Ongoing

    You diagnose, repair, and maintain vehicles on your own, and you can keep earning certifications to advance.

Where it can lead

  1. Master Automotive Technician

    3-5 years of experience first

    You earn advanced manufacturer or industry certifications and take on the hardest diagnostic jobs, becoming the shop's go-to expert.

  2. Service Manager

    3-5 years of experience first

    You move from working on cars to managing the service team, customers, and shop schedule, which takes strong communication and business skills.

  3. Automotive Engineering Technician

    2-4 years of experience first

    You help engineers test and develop vehicle parts, which usually requires an associate degree and moves you toward design and testing work.

What you can do now

Ideas for high school and college students.

In high school

  • Take auto shop, if your school offers itHands-on automotive classes give you a head start on the basic skills used in certificate programs.
  • Take math and physicsDiagnosing problems and understanding how engines and electrical systems work both depend on these subjects.
  • Join a career or technical student organizationClubs like SkillsUSA often include auto tech competitions that build skills and look good on applications.
  • Get a starter job at a car wash, tire shop, or lube centerWorking around vehicles and learning basic maintenance shows employers you are interested and reliable.
  • Work on small projects at home with a family memberChanging oil, replacing air filters, or checking tire pressure with supervision builds confidence and basic tool skills.

In college

  • Enroll in an automotive technology certificate or associate programA formal program covers engine systems, brakes, electrical work, and diagnostics, which is the typical training route for this job.
  • Look for a summer internship or shop jobPaid time in a real repair shop lets you practice diagnostics and customer service and may lead to an apprenticeship offer.
  • Pursue entry-level industry certificationsEarning credentials such as ASE certifications shows employers you have tested knowledge in specific areas like brakes or engine repair.
  • Join an automotive club or SkillsUSA chapterClubs connect you with instructors, peers, and employers, and competitions let you test your skills against others.
  • Build strong communication skillsExplaining repairs and costs to customers clearly is a big part of the job, and it helps you move into service management later.

Tips for getting started

  • Ask a local dealership or independent shop whether they have apprenticeship openings or summer helper jobs. Hands-on time is what employers look for most.
  • Get comfortable with computers and basic electronics now, since modern cars rely heavily on software and diagnostic tools.
  • Keep a simple log of the repairs and tasks you have done. It helps when you apply for programs and jobs and shows you are serious about the work.

Related jobs that often lead here

Related jobs a step up

Education, experience and related careers: U.S. Department of Labor. The step-by-step path, where it can lead and what you can do now were written by AI as typical examples; many people take other ways.

College majors that lead here

Majors: U.S. Department of Education and BLS (CIP–SOC crosswalk). Earnings and debt: College Scorecard, typical across U.S. colleges.

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