Vehicle and Mobile Equipment Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers

How to become an Automotive Service Technician or Mechanic

Official title: Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics

Also called: Auto Drivability Tech (Automotive Drivability Technician), Auto Mechanic (Automobile Mechanic), Auto Mechanic (Automotive Mechanic), Auto Service Tech (Automotive Service Technician), Auto Tech (Automobile Technician), Auto Tech (Automotive Technician), Automatic Transmission Technician (Auto Transmission Tech), Heavy Line Technician (Heavy Line Tech), Lube Technician (Lube Tech), Service Technician (Service Tech)

Diagnose, adjust, repair, or overhaul automotive vehicles.

Main tasks

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.
Repair, reline, replace, and adjust brakes.
Repair, replace, or adjust defective fuel injectors, carburetor parts, and gasoline filters.
Align vehicles' front ends.

How to become one

Automotive service technicians and mechanics typically complete a program in automotive service technology or a related field. However, some workers enter the occupation with a high school diploma and learn on the job. Certification may be required.

Typical education to start: Postsecondary nondegree award

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

Ways in

Apprenticeship: Automotive Service Technician (Nof).
Apprenticeship: Automotive Technician Specialist.
Apprenticeship: Transmission Mechanic.
Certificate or associate's degree: Postsecondary nondegree award. Programs such as Automotive Engineering Technology/Technician; Motorsports Engineering Technology/Technician; Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technology/Technician, General

Pay · Outlook · AI and this job

Median pay: $50,620 a year The middle half earn $38,900 to $70,430.
About 825,800 people work in this job now, and about 866,700 are projected by 2035. (+5%)
People use generative AI for relatively little of this work so far. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as low.

Questions people ask

How do I become an Automotive Service Technician or Mechanic?

How much does an Automotive Service Technician or Mechanic earn in the US?

Median full-time pay is $50,620 a year (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). The middle half earn $38,900 to $70,430.

Is an Automotive Service Technician or Mechanic a growing career in the US?

Yes. Employment is projected to grow 5% by 2035, from about 825,800 to about 866,700 people (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).

Do you need a degree to become an Automotive Service Technician or Mechanic?

Usually not. Only 5% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Ways in include: Postsecondary nondegree award; Automotive Service Technician (Nof).

Will AI change the work of an Automotive Service Technician or Mechanic?

People use generative AI for relatively little of this work so far. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as low.

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.