How to Become an Automotive Service Technician
Diagnose and repair increasingly computerized vehicles, from engines to EV systems. It typically requires a postsecondary certificate, with a median salary of $50,620 per year and about average projected job growth.
Median pay
$50,620/yr
Middle half
$38,900 to $70,430
Job growth
About average
Openings / yr
70,000
Majors that lead here
Common majors include Automotive Technology.
Key skills
- Vehicle Diagnostics
- Engine Repair
- Electrical Systems
- Tool Proficiency
- Customer Communication
Helpful certifications
- ASE certifications
Is this career a fit?
Remote-friendly
0/100
Work-life balance
60/100
Stress level
66/100
Related careers
- Electrical Engineering Technician$78,190 median
- Mechanical Engineering Technician$74,510 median
- Civil Engineering Technician$64,950 median
- Wind Turbine Technician$64,120 median
- Plumber$63,800 median
- Electrician$63,190 median
Frequently asked questions
How much does an Automotive Service Technician make?
The median pay for an Automotive Service Technician is $50,620 a year, and the middle half of workers earn between $38,900 and $70,430 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025). That covers everyone in the job, not only people starting out, so newer workers sit toward the lower end.
What degree do you need to become an Automotive Service Technician?
The usual entry point is a postsecondary certificate. Common majors are Automotive Technology.
Is Automotive Service Technician a growing field?
Projected job growth for this role from 2024 to 2034 is about average (BLS projections via O*NET), with roughly 70,000 U.S. openings a year.
What skills does an Automotive Service Technician use most?
Common skills for this role are Vehicle Diagnostics, Engine Repair, Electrical Systems, Tool Proficiency, and Customer Communication.
Planning to become a Automotive Service Technician?
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Take the major quizWhere these pay figures come from
Career pay is the annual wage of everyone working in that occupation, not only recent graduates, so it includes people who have done the job for decades. The middle half is the 25th to the 75th percentile. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET OnLine (median and percentile annual wages May 2025; employment projections 2024-2034).
All figures are national. What you earn depends on where you work, who you work for, and how far you take the degree.
Job-growth figures: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET OnLine (median and percentile annual wages May 2025; employment projections 2024-2034).