Auto Mechanics Careers And Schools

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Automotive Mechanics

Auto mechanics, or automotive service technicians, repair and maintain cars and light trucks. It is one the more common jobs in the United States with more than 800,000 mechanics employed. As newer vehicles contain more and more sophisticated electronic equipment, the name "auto mechanic" is gradually being replaced by "automotive service technician" as the job's requirement become more demanding. In addition, the increased complexities of automobiles has spawned a movement towards more specialization with some mechanics focusing on transmissions, air conditioning, tune-ups and other parts of the auto.

Auto Mechanic Schools

As with many trades of its type, hands-on training is a strong element in education of an auto mechanic. However, there are a number of more formal educational paths that prospective students can pursue to start or accelerate their auto mechanic careers. Courses are often available within high school, but they can be of mixed quality and depth. Some mechanics pursue certificates and associate's degrees through career colleges and local community and junior colleges. Automotive training programs can generally be completed with 6 months to 2 years. Automotive technology programs often combine classroom and lab sessions with real world internships with local dealerships.

Schools for Automotive Mechanics are listed in the column to the left.

The Top Cities tab shows employment statistics for Automotive Mechanics by major US metro area.

Metro Area	Jobs	Salary (2006)	Relative Popularity
ALABAMA
Dothan	380	$32,170	1.6
Auburn	250	$34,150	1.4
Gadsden	170	$28,780	1.4
Anniston	260	$26,150	1.3
Birmingham	3,120	$32,570	1.3
Mobile	960	$32,150	1.2
Florence	230	$25,140	1.1
Tuscaloosa	370	$29,160	1.1
Decatur	200	$29,530	0.9
Montgomery	660	$32,730	0.9
Huntsville	670	$32,900	0.7
ALASKA
Fairbanks	210	$48,280	1.6
Anchorage	760	$47,000	1
ARIZONA
Yuma	350	$31,670	1.5
Prescott	340	$36,830	1.3
Flagstaff	250	$34,410	1.2
Phoenix	9,660	$39,990	1.1
Tucson	1,790	$39,060	1
ARKANSAS
Pine Bluff	150	$27,530	1.1
Hot Springs	160	$28,060	1.1
Fort Smith	530	$27,840	1
Jonesboro	190	$29,910	0.9
Fayetteville	710	$31,220	0.9
Little Rock	1,360	$32,890	0.9
CALIFORNIA
Merced	510	$30,910	2.2
Redding	470	$30,110	1.6
Yuba City	240	$44,450	1.5
El Centro	290	$33,820	1.4
Chico	430	$35,110	1.3
Santa Cruz	470	$41,890	1.2
Vallejo	730	$38,050	1.2
Bakersfield	1,370	$40,270	1.1
Riverside	7,010	$37,630	1.1
Hanford	140	$31,710	1.1
Sacramento	4,830	$38,370	1.1
Stockton	1,060	$41,500	1.1
Santa Barbara	850	$38,450	1.1
Madera	140	$34,830	1.1
Modesto	840	$38,360	1.1
Santa Rosa	960	$46,050	1
San Luis Obispo	490	$36,220	1
Oxnard	1,460	$41,420	1
Los Angeles	17,890	$39,380	0.9
Visalia	520	$34,580	0.9
Fresno	1,330	$37,680	0.9
Napa	230	$44,820	0.8
Oakland	4,110	$48,400	0.8
San Diego	5,190	$43,160	0.8
San Francisco	3,710	$49,550	0.8
Salinas	520	$40,810	0.7
San Jose	3,070	$52,810	0.7
Santa Ana	5,240	$42,410	0.7
COLORADO
Grand Junction	380	$32,270	1.8
Colorado Springs	1,760	$35,000	1.5
Greeley	430	$35,800	1.4
Pueblo	280	$32,660	1.4
Fort Collins	740	$43,490	1.4
Boulder	630	$42,990	1
Denver	5,560	$38,600	0.9
CONNECTICUT
Danbury	430	$48,300	1.5
Waterbury	400	$42,470	1.3
New Haven	1,390	$38,710	1.1
Bridgeport	2,220	$43,340	1.1
Hartford	2,800	$39,760	1
Norwich	560	$36,510	1
DELAWARE
Dover	500	$33,340	2.1
Wilmington	1,700	$36,260	1.1
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
Washington	9,730	$43,020	0.8
FLORIDA
Punta Gorda	380	$30,630	2.2
Ocala	810	$33,880	1.9
Sebastian	330	$39,130	1.7
Fort Walton Beach	590	$32,140	1.7
Pensacola	1,200	$31,090	1.7
Panama City	490	$31,960	1.7
Port St. Lucie	900	$32,510	1.6
Palm Bay	1,440	$35,900	1.5
Deltona	1,050	$31,220	1.4
Gainesville	620	$31,160	1.2
Cape Coral	1,220	$33,990	1.2
Tallahassee	850	$33,560	1.1
Jacksonville	3,310	$33,120	1.1
Naples	650	$35,210	1.1
Lakeland	1,070	$34,830	1.1
Sarasota	1,540	$35,410	1.1
Tampa	6,500	$34,140	1.1
Fort Lauderdale	3,870	$36,410	1.1
West Palm Beach	2,680	$36,290	1
Miami	4,710	$32,850	1
Orlando	4,660	$36,580	0.9
GEORGIA
Hinesville	170	$41,070	4.4
Valdosta	360	$28,990	1.9
Warner Robins	360	$30,020	1.9
Columbus	710	$29,140	1.5
Athens	410	$37,700	1.4
Macon	540	$33,940	1.3
Augusta	1,270	$34,050	1.3
Savannah	800	$31,960	1.2
Gainesville	310	$35,150	1.1
Atlanta	10,930	$37,060	0.9
Albany	240	$30,750	0.9
Rome	130	$29,620	0.9
Dalton	270	$31,300	0.8
HAWAII
Honolulu	2,130	$36,340	1
IDAHO
Idaho Falls	510	$31,290	2.8
Pocatello	200	$38,630	1.7
Lewiston	140	$35,620	1.6
Coeur d'Alene	320	$33,860	1.6
Boise	1,500	$34,130	1.3
ILLINOIS
Kankakee	360	$36,330	2.2
Danville	210	$28,270	1.9
Springfield	760	$37,620	1.6
Decatur	310	$33,240	1.6
Champaign	550	$38,330	1.4
Bloomington	420	$37,980	1.4
Waukegan	2,410	$37,610	1.4
Rockford	880	$32,490	1.3
Peoria	860	$34,220	1.1
Chicago	15,890	$40,510	0.8
INDIANA
Anderson	230	$31,180	1.6
Muncie	270	$28,330	1.4
Michigan City	220	$34,600	1.2
Evansville	940	$28,500	1.1
South Bend	700	$33,380	1.1
Kokomo	160	$34,520	1
Lafayette	310	$33,560	1
Terre Haute	290	$31,630	1
Fort Wayne	990	$36,850	1
Bloomington	270	$34,630	1
Columbus	140	$35,740	0.9
Indianapolis	3,980	$40,260	0.9
Gary	1,110	$32,290	0.8
Elkhart	340	$35,720	0.6
IOWA
Iowa City	410	$29,080	1.5
Waterloo	530	$36,100	1.5
Ames	160	$37,530	1.2
Dubuque	250	$29,720	1.1
Davenport	960	$36,300	1.1
Cedar Rapids	610	$32,570	1
Des Moines	1,350	$35,540	0.9
Sioux City	220	$33,790	0.7
KANSAS
Topeka	620	$33,320	1.3
Wichita	1,260	$33,750	1
Lawrence	140	$38,180	0.8
KENTUCKY
Elizabethtown	380	$27,070	2.3
Owensboro	270	$27,750	1.5
Bowling Green	240	$32,150	1.1
Lexington	1,120	$32,550	1
Louisville	2,770	$34,470	1
LOUISIANA
Lake Charles	470	$28,460	1.3
Lafayette	770	$38,340	1.3
Alexandria	300	$28,020	1.2
Baton Rouge	1,820	$32,010	1.1
Monroe	340	$31,670	1.1
Shreveport	760	$31,400	1
Houma	370	$29,370	1
New Orleans	1,970	$34,570	0.9
MAINE
Bangor	570	$32,400	2.1
Portland	1,160	$34,820	1.3
Lewiston	230	$33,150	1.1
MARYLAND
Cumberland	220	$30,270	1.6
Hagerstown	500	$37,320	1.2
Baltimore	7,200	$36,480	1.1
Bethesda	3,070	$48,020	1.1
Salisbury	220	$35,410	1
MASSACHUSETTS
Lawrence	450	$33,680	1.9
Lynn	750	$39,560	1.8
Leominster	390	$36,900	1.8
Haverhill	570	$35,640	1.7
Barnstable	720	$39,560	1.6
Pittsfield	180	$34,330	1.3
Worcester	1,430	$34,750	1.2
Framingham	840	$41,940	1.2
Springfield	1,610	$37,600	1.1
Taunton	180	$32,150	1.1
New Bedford	300	$37,840	1.1
Lowell	560	$37,850	1
Brockton	400	$40,860	1
Boston	5,480	$44,480	0.7
MICHIGAN
Bay City	240	$33,130	1.8
Saginaw	570	$32,960	1.6
Niles	380	$35,180	1.5
Muskegon	370	$26,080	1.5
Jackson	330	$43,740	1.4
Grand Rapids	2,360	$39,320	1.3
Battle Creek	270	$34,350	1.3
Lansing	1,060	$42,270	1.2
Holland	560	$33,280	1.2
Detroit	3,910	$42,550	1.1
Kalamazoo	690	$36,090	1.1
Flint	660	$43,180	1.1
Ann Arbor	790	$44,380	1
Warren	5,530	$49,630	0.9
MINNESOTA
St. Cloud	530	$32,070	1.2
Rochester	360	$36,650	1.1
Duluth	540	$35,680	0.9
Minneapolis	6,840	$38,540	0.8
MISSISSIPPI
Pascagoula	250	$38,770	1.5
Hattiesburg	320	$24,520	1.3
Gulfport	470	$32,580	1.1
Jackson	1,200	$31,350	1
MISSOURI
Joplin	710	$25,120	2.2
St. Joseph	340	$27,300	2
Columbia	510	$34,090	1.7
Springfield	1,190	$32,030	1.4
St. Louis	7,450	$37,980	1.2
Jefferson City	310	$30,410	1.1
Kansas City	4,340	$38,200	0.9
MONTANA
Billings	560	$37,660	1.5
Great Falls	190	$28,970	1.5
Missoula	190	$29,820	0.8
NEBRASKA
Omaha	2,230	$37,290	1
Lincoln	670	$33,340	0.9
NEVADA
Carson City	160	$38,600	1.4
Reno	890	$41,080	0.9
Las Vegas	3,650	$37,660	0.8
NEW HAMPSHIRE
Portsmouth	420	$36,600	1.8
Rochester	360	$36,510	1.7
Nashua	920	$38,960	1.5
Manchester	660	$41,050	1.5
NEW JERSEY
Vineland	350	$35,230	1.3
Ocean City	230	$40,380	1.3
Atlantic City	720	$32,760	1.1
Camden	2,880	$37,980	1.1
Edison	4,900	$37,960	1
Newark	4,400	$39,180	0.9
Trenton	910	$37,610	0.8
NEW MEXICO
Farmington	490	$31,410	2.4
Las Cruces	350	$33,250	1.4
Santa Fe	280	$38,650	1.1
Albuquerque	1,720	$35,900	1
NEW YORK
Kingston	540	$36,960	2.1
Ithaca	220	$31,570	1.7
Poughkeepsie	1,650	$37,410	1.5
Binghamton	640	$28,890	1.3
Elmira	190	$28,990	1.3
Glens Falls	290	$31,790	1.3
Buffalo	3,130	$32,120	1.2
Nassau	7,070	$42,730	1.2
Albany	2,370	$37,220	1.1
Utica	650	$30,300	1.1
Syracuse	1,620	$34,280	1.1
Rochester	2,510	$34,830	1.1
New York	14,740	$38,310	0.6
NORTH CAROLINA
Jacksonville	290	$36,140	1.9
Goldsboro	270		1.7
Burlington	380	$34,390	1.7
Fayetteville	730	$34,270	1.4
Greenville	350	$30,800	1.3
Winston-Salem	1,110	$32,590	1.1
Wilmington	680	$37,110	1.1
Asheville	860	$36,510	1.1
Rocky Mount	240	$30,450	1
Raleigh	2,240	$38,000	1
Charlotte	3,650	$41,530	0.9
Greensboro	1,600	$36,490	0.9
Durham	960	$37,660	0.8
Hickory	630	$36,750	0.8
NORTH DAKOTA
Grand Forks	220	$42,370	1
Bismarck	260	$36,260	1
Fargo	490	$35,960	1
OHIO
Sandusky	220	$28,740	1.6
Youngstown	1,420	$31,630	1.3
Springfield	240	$44,490	1.2
Mansfield	280	$34,480	1.2
Lima	270	$36,570	1.2
Canton	940	$30,820	1.1
Akron	1,680	$33,470	1
Cleveland	5,510	$36,760	1
Dayton	1,790	$31,740	0.9
Columbus	3,950	$36,810	0.9
Toledo	1,330	$33,260	0.9
Cincinnati	3,970	$36,050	0.8
OKLAHOMA
Lawton	220	$27,200	1.7
Oklahoma City	2,640	$31,770	1
Tulsa	1,450	$31,710	0.7
OREGON
Corvallis	150	$34,390	1.5
Bend	280	$38,500	1.1
Portland	4,560	$35,420	0.9
Medford	310	$34,410	0.9
Salem	530	$38,340	0.8
Eugene	510	$34,810	0.8
PENNSYLVANIA
Lebanon	340	$32,660	2
State College	410	$33,930	1.8
Erie	970	$31,700	1.7
Williamsport	330	$27,200	1.6
Lancaster	1,690	$35,290	1.5
Allentown	2,290	$35,180	1.4
Altoona	370	$25,560	1.4
Pittsburgh	7,720	$33,330	1.4
Reading	1,030	$33,340	1.4
Johnstown	320	$26,990	1.3
York	1,080	$32,890	1.3
Scranton	1,550	$33,490	1.3
Harrisburg	1,520	$34,520	1.1
Philadelphia	9,950	$38,920	1.1
RHODE ISLAND
Providence	2,960	$34,850	1.1
SOUTH CAROLINA
Sumter	190	$27,340	1.4
Charleston	1,850	$35,330	1.4
Anderson	270	$39,750	1.2
Spartanburg	600	$33,050	1.2
Greenville	1,500	$34,160	1.1
Columbia	1,560	$35,280	1
Myrtle Beach	460	$36,060	0.9
Florence	320	$27,230	0.9
SOUTH DAKOTA
Rapid City	470	$32,620	1.9
Sioux Falls	690	$32,280	1.2
TENNESSEE
Morristown	380	$23,030	2
Clarksville	490	$30,920	1.5
Jackson	270	$32,120	1.2
Kingsport	610	$28,140	1.2
Johnson City	360	$28,630	1.2
Cleveland	170	$30,350	1.2
Chattanooga	1,220	$30,640	1.1
Memphis	2,280	$34,470	0.8
Nashville	2,810	$35,720	0.8
Knoxville	1,170	$34,430	0.8
TEXAS
Killeen	1,030	$35,250	2
Odessa	430	$31,690	2
San Angelo	250	$30,800	1.6
Abilene	400	$30,400	1.5
Sherman	240	$35,920	1.5
Corpus Christi	1,090	$27,230	1.4
Texarkana	310	$27,240	1.4
Amarillo	580	$32,010	1.3
Victoria	230	$28,800	1.3
El Paso	1,430	$30,330	1.3
Longview	490	$33,570	1.3
Tyler	500	$32,770	1.2
Fort Worth	4,610	$33,570	1.2
Lubbock	600	$34,070	1.2
McAllen	1,150	$23,070	1.2
Midland	260	$37,080	1.1
Wichita Falls	280	$30,470	1.1
Laredo	340	$23,110	1.1
Beaumont	770	$34,450	1.1
Waco	430	$33,210	1
San Antonio	3,800	$34,000	1
College Station	300	$31,530	1
Houston	10,780	$33,350	0.9
Brownsville	460	$25,670	0.8
Dallas	7,930	$35,480	0.8
Austin	2,700	$36,150	0.8
UTAH
Logan	310	$27,860	2
St. George	340	$39,140	1.8
Ogden	1,090	$34,730	1.3
Provo	900	$33,470	1.2
Salt Lake City	3,150	$35,910	1.1
VERMONT
Burlington	660	$34,460	1.4
VIRGINIA
Winchester	380	$33,030	1.8
Blacksburg	400	$29,780	1.8
Charlottesville	550	$34,550	1.5
Lynchburg	630	$30,020	1.5
Richmond	3,890	$37,560	1.3
Virginia Beach	4,800	$35,490	1.3
Harrisonburg	260	$28,160	1.3
Danville	180	$31,660	1.2
Roanoke	770	$36,510	1.1
WASHINGTON
Mount Vernon	320	$39,300	1.8
Longview	200	$37,580	1.6
Bremerton	470	$43,220	1.3
Bellingham	400	$34,990	1.2
Wenatchee	180	$36,850	1.1
Kennewick	390	$38,160	1
Spokane	940	$36,870	1
Yakima	270	$37,250	0.8
Seattle	4,730	$45,290	0.7
Tacoma	870	$43,560	0.7
Olympia	270	$44,200	0.7
WEST VIRGINIA
Weirton	350	$24,470	1.9
Morgantown	280	$24,700	1.4
Parkersburg	380	$24,570	1.2
Wheeling	280	$26,160	1
Huntington	470	$26,410	0.9
Charleston	530	$28,810	0.8
WISCONSIN
Appleton	700	$33,810	1.4
Sheboygan	310	$33,470	1.3
Racine	420	$33,160	1.3
Janesville	340	$34,550	1.2
Eau Claire	380	$31,200	1.1
Wausau	340	$34,530	1.1
La Crosse	340	$31,220	1.1
Fond du Lac	170	$31,770	1.1
Oshkosh	380	$36,950	1
Green Bay	760	$34,810	1
Milwaukee	3,410	$38,050	0.8
Madison	1,230	$34,550	0.8
WYOMING
Casper	250	$29,790	1.8
Cheyenne	170	$31,040	1

CityTownInfo Career and College Resources

Schools for Automotive Mechanics

Schools for people wanting to be Automotive Mechanics; these schools offer particularly quick info upon request, and we have written detailed profiles for each (click school names to see the profiles).

Request info from multiple schools, by clicking the Get Info links.

School	States	Degrees	Quick Info
Advanced Technology Institute	VA	Associate, Diploma	Get Info
Ashworth University	Online	Diploma	Get Info
Baker College Campus	MI	Associate, Certificate	Get Info
ICS Canada	Online	Diploma	Get Info
Lincoln College of Technology	CO, FL, IL, IN, Online	Coursework	Get Info
Lincoln Tech®	MD, NJ, NY, PA, TX	Coursework	Get Info
Nashville Auto-Diesel College	TN	Coursework	Get Info
New Castle School of Trades	PA	Associate	Get Info
New England Institute of Technology	RI	Associate	Get Info
Penn Foster Career School	Online	Diploma	Get Info
Universal Technical Institute	AZ, CA, FL, IL, MA, NC, PA, TX	Certificate	Get Info

Auto Mechanics Careers And Schools

The Top Metro Areas for Automotive Mechanics

Metro Areas Rated for Popularity (as of 2006) for:Automotive Mechanics

ALABAMA

ALASKA

ARIZONA

ARKANSAS

CALIFORNIA

COLORADO

CONNECTICUT

DELAWARE

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

FLORIDA

GEORGIA

HAWAII

IDAHO

ILLINOIS

INDIANA

IOWA

KANSAS

KENTUCKY

LOUISIANA

MAINE

MARYLAND

MASSACHUSETTS

MICHIGAN

MINNESOTA

MISSISSIPPI

MISSOURI

MONTANA

NEBRASKA

NEVADA

NEW HAMPSHIRE

NEW JERSEY

NEW MEXICO

NEW YORK

NORTH CAROLINA

NORTH DAKOTA

OHIO

OKLAHOMA

OREGON

PENNSYLVANIA

RHODE ISLAND

SOUTH CAROLINA

SOUTH DAKOTA

TENNESSEE

TEXAS

UTAH

VERMONT

VIRGINIA

WASHINGTON

WEST VIRGINIA

WISCONSIN

WYOMING

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Schools for Automotive Mechanics

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Metro Areas Rated for Popularity (as of 2006) for:
Automotive Mechanics