Inspect, diagnose, and repair cars and light trucks, from brakes and engines to electronic systems.
Repair shops and dealerships; indoors, often standing, lifting, and bending.
Usually full-time; some evenings and weekends.
May 2024–25 BLS wage data · 2024–34 BLS employment projections.
Openings a year counts new jobs plus the ones that open when people retire or move on — a truer picture of your odds than growth alone.
“Median” means half earn more and half earn less. Your city, employer, and years on the job move it a lot — that is what the 10th-to-90th range shows.
Certificate program
Training path: Cert programs plus dealer on-the-job training.
No license required; ASE certification is the widely recognized credential.
You can earn while you train. This field has a genuinely paid pathway in — an apprenticeship, a paid academy, or employer-funded training — so you draw a paycheck instead of taking on debt to learn it.
EVs are rewriting the job — early movers on electric certs win.
Run the Reality Check — build the life you want and see the salary it takes, then compare it to this one.
Browse verified internships, fellowships, and programs — many paid — that lead into fields like this.
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Standard Occupational Classification 49-3023. Pay, employment, and outlook from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS wage survey and 2024–34 employment projections). See something off? Tell us.