What's the Job Outlook for Automotive Technical School Grads?

If you love cars and have a knack for hands-on work, automotive technical school could be an ideal next step. Automotive technical schools offer practical programs for building the skills you'll need to succeed as an automotive service or repair technician.

Institutions that host automotive tech programs go by multiple names, including mechanic school, vocational school, and trade school. At these schools, you can learn all the ins and outs of fixing mechanical problems and repairing damaged vehicles.

As a first step, it's wise to research the job outlook for these careers. Modern vehicles use a great deal of on-board technology, and electric vehicles (EVs) are making major inroads. Both of these factors will impact the labor market for years to come.

In this career guide, we'll do a deep dive into the projections and trends shaping the job outlook for automotive technical school grads. This information can help you select a trade school, choose a career path or specialization to train for, and identify the country's most promising labor markets.

Job Growth Projections

Two of the best sources for information about job projections are the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and O*NET Online. They're both affiliated with the Department of Labor, and they track labor market trends on the national, state, and local levels.

Graduates of automotive technical schools work under many different job titles. The BLS and O*NET Online both group these various roles into two main categories: automotive service technicians and mechanics, and automotive body and glass repairers.

Let's take a look at what these agencies have to say about each of these two career tracks.

Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics

Overall, the BLS projects job growth of 2% for automotive service technicians and mechanics from 2022–32. That works out to about 12,800 newly created positions.

Jobs also become available through internal turnover as technicians and mechanics advance into senior positions, start their own businesses, transfer to other jobs, or retire. According to BLS projections, a healthy rate of about 67,700 service technician and mechanic jobs will become available this way each year from 2022–32.

O*NET Online offers detailed state-specific breakdowns. As you explore these data sets, you'll find that some states expect job growth far beyond the national average. 

These states lead all others in projected job growth for automotive service technicians and mechanics from 2020–30:

• New York: +29%
• Utah: +19%
• Arizona: +14%
• Washington state: +12%
• Nevada and Texas: +10%

If you live in one of these states, or if you're open to relocating, your post-graduation job prospects look especially bright.

Automotive Body and Glass Repairers

From 2022–32, the BLS expects the number of auto body and glass repair jobs to rise to about 177,500 positions for an overall growth rate of 1%. In terms of annual openings, the BLS expects about 15,100 positions to become available each year due to internal turnover.

Again, some states are headed for much higher growth rates. According to O*NET Online, the states with the highest 2020–30 job growth projections for auto body and glass repairers include:

• New York: +60%
• Utah: +19%
• Nevada: +17%
• Florida and Massachusetts: +15%
• Arizona, Oregon, Texas, Washington state, and Wyoming: +14%

How Much Will You Earn?

The BLS cites a median pay rate of $47,770 per year for service technicians and mechanics, and $48,450 per year for auto body and glass repair specialists. However, there's a lot going on below the surface of these overall numbers.

The top 10% of automotive service technicians and mechanics make more than $77,630 per year. Meanwhile, auto body and glass repairers who earn in the top 10% made more than $80,380 per year in 2023. 

You can move into these pay grades by building experience, or by seeking jobs in high-paying areas. As of May 2023, the five top-paying states in terms of average annual income for service technicians and mechanics were:

• District of Columbia: $65,390 per year
• Alaska: $62,290 per year
• California: $61,420 per year
• Washington state: $59,060 per year
• New Jersey: $57,820 per year

For auto body and glass repair technicians, these five states led all others in terms of average annual pay in 2023:

• Maryland: $66,560 per year
• Virginia: $66,420 per year
• District of Columbia: $64,080 per year
• Nevada: $61,500 per year
• Rhode Island: $61,300 per year

Payscale is another great tool for understanding how pay rates rise as you gradually build experience. Here's how Payscale breaks down the earnings ladder for automotive service technicians and mechanics, as of May 2024:

• Entry level: $37,123 per year
• Early career (1–5 years of experience): $44,390 per year
• Mid-career (6–10 years of experience): $52,830 per year
• Experienced (10 or more years of experience): $61,937 per year

The May 2024 breakdown for auto body repair technicians looks like this:

• Entry level: $37,500 per year
• Early career: $42,533 per year
• Mid-career: $60,000 per year
• Experienced: $68,144 per year

In other words, automotive service technicians and mechanics earn an average of 18.6% more money every time they move up a rung on the experience ladder. It's 22.7% for auto body repair technicians, but that figure is inflated a little by the huge earnings jump they get as they enter the mid-career stage.

Where Do Automotive Technical School Grads Work?

Most graduates of automotive technical schools work in settings like auto dealerships, collision repair shops, and service centers. Some work for parts retailers or distributors, auto manufacturers, and insurance companies.

You can also open your own business, especially once you've gained experience. The BLS says that 14% of auto service technicians and mechanics and 8% of auto body and glass repairers are self-employed.

Key Trends to Consider When Researching Programs at Automotive Technical Schools

Graduating from automotive technical school could give your job prospects a huge boost. According to O*NET Online, 65% of auto body and glass repairers and 43% of service technicians and mechanics have only a high school diploma or less. If you have a trade school certificate or an associate degree from a vocational school, you'll likely have an edge over applicants with less training.

To make the most of your education investment, you've got to think ahead. The cars and trucks of today are loaded with on-board computers, electronic devices, and technical components. You'll need to know how to service and repair them to stay relevant in the job market.

EVs are also becoming more common, and it's likely just a matter of time before they take over the market. The writing is on the wall: from 2021 to 2022, the United States saw a 68% increase in the nationwide number of EV registrations.

Given these factors, make sure the program you choose offers strong coverage of cutting-edge automotive technologies and EV service and repair practices.

Support Trade School Programs by Shopping with PEAK Auto

Old World Industries runs scholarship programs for talented trade school students and hosts the annual Technicians of Tomorrow competition at the Milwaukee Auto Show. We're also proud participating partners in racing pro Steve Johnson's Be a Technician Scholarship.

When you buy PEAK products like our high-performing antifreezes and coolants, heavy-duty wiper blades, and premium windshield wash, you're helping Old World Industries support technical education. Thanks to you, we can help connect promising students with valuable training programs at automotive technical schools across the country.