Electrical and Electronic Equipment Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers

How to become a Motor Vehicles Electronic Equipment Installer or Repairer

Official title: Electronic Equipment Installers and Repairers, Motor Vehicles

Also called: Auto Tech (Automotive Technician), Car Alarm Installer, Car Electronics Installer, Car Stereo Installer, Electronic Equipment Installer, Electronic Technician, Installation Technician, Installer, Mobile Electronics Installation Specialist, Mobile Electronics Installer

Install, diagnose, or repair communications, sound, security, or navigation equipment in motor vehicles.

Main tasks

Estimate costs of repairs, based on parts and labor charges.
Install equipment and accessories, such as stereos, navigation equipment, communication equipment, and security systems.
Inspect and test electrical or electronic systems to locate and diagnose malfunctions, using visual inspections and testing instruments, such as oscilloscopes and voltmeters.
Diagnose or repair problems with electronic equipment, such as sound, navigation, communication, and security equipment, in motor vehicles.
Confer with customers to determine the nature of malfunctions.
Record results of diagnostic tests.
Splice wires with knives or cutting pliers, and solder connections to fixtures and equipment.
Run new speaker and electrical cables.

How to become one

Electrical and electronics installers and repairers typically need at least a high school education, but most specializations require further preparation through a combination of advanced education, on-the-job training, or work experience.

Typical education to start: High school diploma or equivalent

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

Ways in

Apprenticeship: Electrical.

Pay · Outlook · AI and this job

Median pay: $48,420 a year The middle half earn $43,310 to $58,500.
About 8,600 people work in this job now, and about 7,400 are projected by 2035. (-14.5%)
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 a Motor Vehicles Electronic Equipment Installer or Repairer?

How much does a Motor Vehicles Electronic Equipment Installer or Repairer earn in the US?

Median full-time pay is $48,420 a year (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). The middle half earn $43,310 to $58,500.

Is a Motor Vehicles Electronic Equipment Installer or Repairer a growing career in the US?

Employment is projected to fall 14% by 2035, from about 8,600 to about 7,400 people (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).

Do you need a degree to become a Motor Vehicles Electronic Equipment Installer or Repairer?

Usually not. Only 11% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Ways in include: Electrical.

Will AI change the work of a Motor Vehicles Electronic Equipment Installer or Repairer?

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.