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Automotive Technology: Schools, Apprenticeships & Licensing by State

Two ways in: pay for school (931 U.S. schools offer Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies programs at certificate/associate level, median net price $8,792/yr) or get paid to train (454 registered apprenticeship programs in the federal database). Federal program data groups automotive technology with related trades in one category (Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies), so school counts cover the category. Many programs are Pell-eligible; ASE certification; manufacturer-sponsored programs (Toyota T-TEN, GM ASEP) blend paid work with school.

US schools (category)
931
Median net price / yr
$8,792
Median earnings (10 yrs after entry)
$39,254
school-wide medians, all programs
Apprenticeship programs
454
paid training

Working automotive technology professionals earn a median of $50,560/yr nationally — state medians range from $37,660 (West Virginia) to $68,660 (Washington DC). Wage data: U.S. Dept of Labor via CareerOneStop.

Licensing at a glance — 10 states verified so far

State license required: Michigan.

No state license: Texas, California, New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Illinois, Georgia, North Carolina — employers typically expect industry certification instead.

We've verified licensing rules for 10 states so far, each cited to the official board on its state page — more are being added. States not listed above may well require a license: always confirm with your state's licensing authority before enrolling.

Automotive Technology aid deadlines & apprenticeship alerts

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Automotive Technology schools & apprenticeships by state

About half of states run their own apprenticeship agencies (including NY, MN, OR, VT, WA, DC) and are under-reported in the federal database — a low count there does not mean apprenticeships don't exist in that state.

School data: U.S. Dept of Education College Scorecard (most recent release, pulled July 2026). Apprenticeship data: U.S. Dept of Labor. Licensing summaries cited to official state boards per state page. Methodology.