Vocational Index

Career

Automotive service technicians and mechanics

Diagnose and fix cars.

$50,620
Median pay
+5.0%
Job growth, 2025–35
66,200
Openings a year
Postsecondary nondegree award
Typical education
Under 2 years
Typical time after high school

Here's what you actually need to know.

The work

What people in this job do

  • Follow checklists to ensure all important parts are examined, including belts, hoses, steering systems, spark plugs, brake and fuel systems, wheel bearings, and other potentially troublesome areas.
  • Test and adjust repaired systems to meet manufacturers' performance specifications.
  • Perform routine and scheduled maintenance services, such as oil changes, lubrications, and tune-ups.
  • Inspect vehicles for damage and record findings so that necessary repairs can be made.
  • Align wheels, axles, frames, torsion bars, and steering mechanisms of automobiles, using special alignment equipment and wheel-balancing machines.

The outlook

How the forecast changed this year

2024–34 edition+4.2%2025–35 edition+5.0%
Projected 10-year growth in last year's and this year's BLS projections. 70,000 → 66,200 openings a year.

The deeper question

What kind of person does this path ask you to become?

What this work centers on

Objects & tools
7.0
Information & systems
4.3
Ideas & analysis
3.6
Persuasion & leadership
1.6
People & care
1.4
Creation & expression
1.0

O*NET interest profile, scored 1–7.

The work

Do you want most of your days spent on objects & tools, then information & systems?

Responsibility

Are you willing to be the one responsible for this?

“Follow checklists to ensure all important parts are examined, including belts, hoses, steering systems, spark plugs, brake and fuel systems, wheel bearings, and other potentially troublesome areas.”

Development

What would you need to build over the next 5–10 years?

Repairing, Troubleshooting, Equipment Maintenance, Critical Thinking.

Trade-offs

What does it ask of you in exchange?

Under 2 years of education after high school (postsecondary nondegree award), for a median of $50,620 a year and 66,200 openings nationally each year.

Paths in

Degrees that lead here

  • Automotive Engineering Technology/TechnicianCIP 15.0803
  • Motorsports Engineering Technology/TechnicianCIP 15.0807
  • Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technology/Technician, GeneralCIP 47.0600
  • Automobile/Automotive Mechanics Technology/TechnicianCIP 47.0604
  • Vehicle Emissions Inspection and Maintenance Technology/TechnicianCIP 47.0612
  • Medium/Heavy Vehicle and Truck Technology/TechnicianCIP 47.0613

Paths across

Careers that use similar skills

Ask anything about this career.

“Would this make sense if I don't want to sit at a desk all day?” Answers will come from the sources on this page, with citations. Coming soon.

Not sure this fits who you are? Start with Vocational Finder →

Sources

  1. BLS Employment Projections, 2025–35, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
  2. BLS Employment Projections, 2024–34 (archived), U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
  3. O*NET 31.0 Database (August 2026), National Center for O*NET Development / U.S. Department of Labor. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
  4. CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 Crosswalk, NCES and BLS. Retrieved 2026-10-01.