Installation, Maintenance & Repair
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)
US median pay
$50,620
per year, 2025
Job growth 2025–35
+5%
faster than average
Openings a year (US)
66,200
825,800 employed
Typical entry education
Postsecondary nondegree award
Preparation 3/5 · Medium preparation
What this job is
Diagnose, adjust, repair, or overhaul automotive vehicles.
What they do day to day
- 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.
- Repair and service air conditioning, heating, engine cooling, and electrical systems.
- Review work orders and discuss work with supervisors.
Skills and knowledge that matter most
Skills
- Troubleshooting3.9/5
- Repairing3.9/5
- Equipment Maintenance3.8/5
- Operations Monitoring3.4/5
- Quality Control Analysis3.2/5
- Operation and Control3.2/5
- Installation3.2/5
- Complex Problem Solving3.2/5
Knowledge
- Mechanical4.6/5
- Engineering and Technology3.5/5
- Computers and Electronics3.4/5
- English Language3.2/5
- Customer and Personal Service3.2/5
- Mathematics3.1/5
Importance rated by people working in the job (1 = not important, 5 = extremely important).
Education and preparation
Preparation level 3 of 5 — Medium preparation. Usually vocational training, an associate's degree or an apprenticeship.
Typical entry education (BLS): Postsecondary nondegree award.
Who this job suits
Mostly Realistic
Hands-on work with tools, machines, plants or animals
Conventional
Organising data, details and procedures
Investigative
Ideas, research and solving problems
Based on the Holland (RIASEC) interest profile for this occupation.