Drafters, Engineering Technicians, and Mapping Technicians

How to become an Automotive Engineering Technician

Official title: Automotive Engineering Technicians

Also called: Laboratory Technician (Lab Technician), Research Technician

Assist engineers in determining the practicality of proposed product design changes and plan and carry out tests on experimental test devices or equipment for performance, durability, or efficiency.

Main tasks

Document test results, using cameras, spreadsheets, documents, or other tools.
Set up mechanical, hydraulic, or electric test equipment in accordance with engineering specifications, standards, or test procedures.
Read and interpret blueprints, schematics, work specifications, drawings, or charts.
Inspect or test parts to determine nature or cause of defects or malfunctions.
Monitor computer-controlled test equipment, according to written or verbal instructions.
Analyze test data for automotive systems, subsystems, or component parts.
Install equipment, such as instrumentation, test equipment, engines, or aftermarket products, to ensure proper interfaces.
Perform or execute manual or automated tests of automotive system or component performance, efficiency, or durability.

How to become one

Mechanical engineering technologists and technicians typically need an associate's degree or other postsecondary training to enter the occupation.

Typical education to start: Associate's degree

Read the full guide from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Ways in

Apprenticeship: Cryogenics/Superconducting Magnet Technician.
Certificate or associate's degree: Associate's degree. Programs such as Automotive Engineering Technology/Technician; Mechanical/Mechanical Engineering Technology/Technician; Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians, Other

Pay · Outlook · AI and this job

Median pay: $74,510 a year The middle half earn $59,510 to $88,110.
About 36,900 people work in this job now, and about 37,400 are projected by 2035. (+1.3%)
People already use generative AI for some of this work. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as medium.

Questions people ask

How do I become an Automotive Engineering Technician?

Mechanical engineering technologists and technicians typically need an associate's degree or other postsecondary training to enter the occupation.

How much does an Automotive Engineering Technician earn in the US?

Median full-time pay is $74,510 a year (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). The middle half earn $59,510 to $88,110.

Is an Automotive Engineering Technician a growing career in the US?

Employment is projected to stay about the same by 2035: about 36,900 people now and 37,400 later (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).

Do you need a degree to become an Automotive Engineering Technician?

Usually not. Only 23% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Ways in include: Associate's degree; Cryogenics/Superconducting Magnet Technician.

Will AI change the work of an Automotive Engineering Technician?

People already use generative AI for some of this work. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as medium.

Sources

Microsoft Research: Working with AI: AI applicability by occupation (2025-12-22 (built on O*NET 29.0)), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Employment Projections (2025-35 (released 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Outlook Handbook (2025-35 edition (published 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS); photographs excluded, retrieved 2026-10-03
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03

Updated 2026-10-03

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.