Becoming an Automotive Technician or Mechanic in Alabama
If you’re the type of person who loves working with their hands and figuring out how things work, then a career in automotive technology and mechanics is a great choice for you. There are many different types of jobs in this field, including automotive service technicians (or auto mechanics), diesel mechanics, auto body and collision repair workers, and glass installers and repairers. You can pick the job that best suits your skillset and interests.
Requirements for becoming an Automotive Service Technician in Alabama
Auto mechanics in Alabama do not need to have a license in order to work. However, they do need to complete an accredited automotive program and pass an exam to be certified. There are several different certifications available, including ASE certification, which is the most common type.
In addition to completing a formal training program, auto mechanics need to have good knowledge of mathematics, electronics, physics and mechanics in general.
Auto Mechanic Schools in Alabama
Alabama has 9,040 working automotive service technicians and mechanics, according to BLS May 2025 OEWS data. That is a large workforce, spread across the state from Huntsville in the north to Mobile in the south. If you want to join it, you have real choices: community colleges, manufacturer-sponsored programs tied to dealerships, and, if you are still in high school, ASE-accredited shop programs in dozens of counties.
ASE accreditation means the ASE Education Foundation, a nationally recognized body, has reviewed the program and confirmed it meets industry standards. An ASE-accredited credential carries weight with Alabama employers. Financial aid may be available to those who qualify. Contact the financial office at the institution you are interested in for more information.
ASE Certification Exam
Automotive service excellence certification is not only beneficial but necessary if you want to become a mechanic. ASE certification exams certify an individual’s skills and knowledge in the field and are open to anyone interested. Plus, most employers see it as proof of competent work experience!
There are more than 40 different ASE certification exams, some of which include:
- Truck equipment certification tests
- Light truck certification tests
- Alternate fuels certification test
- Transit bus certification tests
- Collision repair and refinish certification tests
- Damage analysis and estimating certification test
Earning all the certifications can take a few years, but it will provide you with the credentials and recognition necessary to become an automotive mechanic or technician in Alabama.
Job Outlook and Salary Expectations
[VERIFY-STALE: Over the next decade, Alabama is anticipating a growth in employment for auto mechanics. According to The Bureau of Labor Statistics, there will be a 7% increase in this field from 2020-2030.]
Pay varies by the type of work you do. Here is how the four main roles compare, using BLS May 2025 OEWS data for Alabama.
Automotive service technicians and mechanics
This is the largest group, with 9,040 workers in Alabama. The median wage is $45,640 per year. The bottom tenth of earners make around $31,030. The top tenth reach $79,230. The middle of the career, between the 25th and 75th percentiles, runs from $37,050 to $61,560.
Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists
There are 6,130 of these workers in Alabama. Median pay is $50,470, which is higher than the general automotive technician median. The 25th percentile is $45,940, and the 90th percentile is $75,660. If you want to work on commercial vehicles, this path pays more at every point on the scale.
Automotive body and related repairers
Alabama has 1,810 body repair workers. Median earnings are $52,040, the highest median of any of these four roles. The 25th percentile is $44,050, and the 90th percentile is $72,880.
Automotive glass installers and repairers
This is a smaller specialty with 380 workers in Alabama. Median pay is $46,340. The top 10 percent earn up to $59,500. The range is tighter than the other roles because the work is more specialized.
How pay grows over a career
Entry-level pay for a general automotive technician in Alabama starts around $31,030 (10th percentile). With a few years of experience and ASE certifications, you move into the $37,050 to $61,560 mid-career band. Specialists in diesel, body repair, or collision work can reach median wages above $50,000. The highest-earning technicians in Alabama, in the top 10 percent of their field, earn between $72,880 and $79,230 depending on the role. All figures are from BLS May 2025 OEWS data.
Auto Mechanic Salaries in Alabama by Region
| Region | Total Employed | Mean Hourly Wage | Mean Annual Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anniston-Oxford-Jacksonville, AL | 240 | $20.38 | $42,400 |
| Auburn-Opelika, AL | 310 | $19.80 | $41,180 |
| Birmingham-Hoover, AL | 2,510 | $21.95 | $45,660 |
| Daphne-Fairhope-Foley, AL | 470 | $20.50 | $42,640 |
| Decatur, AL | 250 | $19.66 | $40,890 |
| Dothan, AL | 330 | $19.02 | $39,570 |
| Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL | 280 | $19.05 | $39,610 |
| Gadsden, AL | 180 | $19.45 | $40,460 |
| Huntsville, AL | 790 | $21.49 | $44,710 |
| Mobile, AL | 810 | $21.15 | $44,000 |
| Montgomery, AL | 700 | $20.19 | $41,980 |
| Tuscaloosa, AL | 500 | $22.37 | $46,530 |
Working as an Auto Mechanic in Alabama
Alabama is a big state with plenty of opportunities for auto mechanics. Major employers may include car dealerships, automotive repair shops, independent garages and gas stations.
Auto mechanics in the state of Alabama need to be able to work quickly and efficiently while maintaining high standards of accuracy and quality of service. As an auto mechanic in Alabama, you will need to stay up-to-date with the latest technology and procedures in order to be successful.
Interview with an Expert – Reuben Buice
An interview with the Automotive Technology Program Coordinator at the H. Council Trenholm State Technical College campus in Patterson, AL.
Reuben Buice
Q: How does one become an auto mechanic? Is there one direct path, or are there many different options?
A: There are a number of ways to become a mechanic (commonly referred to as a technician today). There are still some who are self-taught or learn in a family business or as a helper. More common is to attend a post-secondary technical program. Some high schools offer Automotive Technology programs but most students still attend a post-secondary program as well.
Q: What type of degree/certificate do mechanics in Alabama typically need?
A: A number of people enter the field with a high school diploma or GED. There are some that don’t have a high school diploma. The ones with the post-secondary degrees seem to have an advantage as far as advancement. Often someone may be able to gain knowledge from the mechanics on the job, however the electrical and electronic areas usually require training to become proficient.
Q: What are the preferred qualities/skills of an auto mechanic?
A: Dependability, responsibility, good judgment. Respect for other people and their property. The ability to work without direct supervision. A reasonable level of physical fitness. Manual dexterity. Ability to read, write and perform mathematical computations. A good driving record is very important.
Q: Why would you recommend someone enter this career field?
A: The automotive business has been good to me. I have had an enjoyable career and have made a comfortable living and been able to provide for my family while doing so. If you enjoy a challenge and enjoy working with your hands and your head then this may be something interesting for you. Also cars, trucks and things with motors are still cool.
Enrolling in Automotive Schools in Alabama
Whether you want to go to school part-time or full-time, completely in person or partly online, with the right amount of research you can find the right program for you. If you’re ready to start a career in the automotive field, take a look at the automotive schools in Alabama in the listings below and find out what programs are out there.
Manufacturer-sponsored programs at Lawson State
These three programs are different from a standard certificate. Each one pairs your college coursework with a paid placement at a franchise dealership and manufacturer-specific training. When you finish, you have an ASE-accredited credential plus factory certification from Ford, Toyota, or GM. Dealers often hire graduates directly from these placements. All three programs are at Lawson State Community College in Bessemer and share an accreditation expiry of January 2031.
All 3 manufacturer-sponsored programs in Alabama:
| Program | Institution | City | Series | Accreditation expires |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ford ASSET | Lawson State Community College | Bessemer | Automobile | 2031-01-01 |
| Toyota T-TEN | Lawson State Community College | Bessemer | Automobile | 2031-01-01 |
| GM ASEP | Lawson State Community College | Bessemer | Automobile | 2031-01-01 |
Ford ASSET (Automotive Student Service Educational Training) is Ford’s own dealer-partnership program. Toyota T-TEN (Toyota Technical Education Network) does the same for Toyota and Lexus dealers. GM ASEP (Automotive Service Educational Program) covers GM brands. Each program has its own application process through the sponsoring dealership network, so contact Lawson State directly to find out which dealership partners are currently recruiting in Alabama.
All post-secondary programs in Alabama
All 16 post-secondary ASE-accredited programs in Alabama are listed below. These are the programs you can enroll in as an adult or recent graduate. Community colleges generally cost less per credit hour than private technical institutes, though no specific tuition figures are published here. Note that some accreditation dates are approaching renewal; contact the school directly to confirm current status.
| Institution | City | Series | Program | Level | Accreditation expires |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bevill State Community College | Hamilton | Automobile | AYES | Post-secondary | 2027-12-01 |
| Gadsden State Community College | Gadsden | Automobile | Post-secondary | 2029-12-01 | |
| Gadsden State Community College, Ayers Campus | Anniston | Medium/Heavy Duty Truck | Post-secondary | 2029-04-01 | |
| J.F. Drake State Technical College | Huntsville | Automobile | Post-secondary | 2030-08-01 | |
| Lawson State Community College | Bessemer | Automobile | Post-secondary | 2025-10-01 | |
| Lawson State Community College | Bessemer | Automobile | Ford ASSET | Post-secondary | 2031-01-01 |
| Lawson State Community College | Bessemer | Automobile | Toyota T-TEN | Post-secondary | 2031-01-01 |
| Lawson State Community College | Bessemer | Automobile | GM ASEP | Post-secondary | 2031-01-01 |
| Lurleen B. Wallace Community College, MacArthur Campus | Opp | Automobile | Post-secondary | 2029-08-01 | |
| Montgomery Job Corps Center / UAW-LETC | Montgomery | Automobile | Secondary and post-secondary | 2028-08-01 | |
| North West Shoals Community College | Muscle Shoals | Automobile | Post-secondary | 2025-01-01 | |
| Shelton State Community College | Tuscaloosa | Automobile | Post-secondary | 2029-11-01 | |
| Shelton State Community College | Tuscaloosa | Medium/Heavy Duty Truck | Post-secondary | 2031-01-01 | |
| Trenholm State Community College | Montgomery | Automobile | AYES | Post-secondary | 2031-07-01 |
| Wallace State Community College | Hanceville | Automobile | Post-secondary | 2028-06-01 | |
| Wallace State Community College | Hanceville | Medium/Heavy Duty Truck | Post-secondary | 2028-06-01 |
Three programs cover Medium/Heavy Duty Truck, which maps to the diesel technician career path. That path has a median wage of $50,470 in Alabama, higher than the general automotive technician median. If commercial vehicles interest you, Gadsden State’s Ayers Campus in Anniston, Shelton State in Tuscaloosa, and Wallace State in Hanceville all have accredited truck programs.
Programs for current high school students
This section is for you if you are currently enrolled in high school. These programs are secondary-level only and are not open to adult career-changers. They run inside your school or at a county career center during the school day.
Twenty of these 48 programs carry the AYES designation. AYES (Automotive Youth Educational Systems) is a structured pipeline, not a general shop class. AYES connects your high school coursework directly to a participating dealership. You get real shop time under a dealer-employed technician mentor. Graduates often receive preferential consideration for dealer apprenticeships after finishing high school. That is a concrete advantage that a standard shop class does not give you.
Alabama has 48 secondary ASE-accredited programs across the state, covering Automobile, Collision Repair and Refinishing, and Medium/Heavy Duty Truck. No other source compiles all of them in one place. All 48 programs are listed below.
All 48 secondary ASE-accredited programs in Alabama:
| Institution | City | Series | AYES | Accreditation expires |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Allen Thornton Career Technical Center | Killen | Automobile | 2028-11-01 | |
| Allen Thornton Career Technical Center | Killen | Collision Repair and Refinishing | 2029-04-01 | |
| Autauga County Technology Center | Prattville | Automobile | Yes | 2025-01-01 |
| Baldwin Preparatory Academy | Loxley | Automobile | Yes | 2028-10-01 |
| Bibb County Career Academy | West Blocton | Automobile | Yes | 2026-12-01 |
| Calhoun County Career Technical Center | Jacksonville | Automobile | Yes | 2025-05-01 |
| Calhoun County Career Technical Center | Jacksonville | Collision Repair and Refinishing | 2025-04-01 | |
| Career Academies of Decatur | Decatur | Automobile | 2029-11-01 | |
| Career Technical Education Center | Columbiana | Automobile | Yes | 2027-06-01 |
| Career Technical Education Center | Columbiana | Collision Repair and Refinishing | Yes | 2027-07-01 |
| Chambers County Career Technical Center | LaFayette | Automobile | Yes | 2031-04-01 |
| Citronelle High School | Citronelle | Automobile | 2027-10-01 | |
| Cleburne County Career Technical School | Heflin | Automobile | Yes | 2028-06-01 |
| Cleburne County Career Technical School | Heflin | Collision Repair and Refinishing | Yes | 2029-06-01 |
| Colbert County High School | Leighton | Automobile | 2030-02-01 | |
| Cullman Area Technology Academy | Cullman | Automobile | 2027-09-01 | |
| Cullman Area Technology Academy | Cullman | Collision Repair and Refinishing | 2027-09-01 | |
| Dallas County Career Technology Center | Selma | Automobile | 2027-06-01 | |
| Dallas County Career Technology Center | Selma | Collision Repair and Refinishing | 2026-07-01 | |
| Dekalb County Technology Center | Rainsville | Automobile | 2024-07-01 | |
| Dekalb County Technology Center | Rainsville | Collision Repair and Refinishing | 2029-06-01 | |
| Eden Career Center | Ashville | Automobile | Yes | 2026-07-01 |
| Eden Career Center | Ashville | Collision Repair and Refinishing | 2026-09-01 | |
| Enterprise High School | Enterprise | Automobile | Yes | 2028-05-01 |
| Escambia Career Readiness Center | Brewton | Automobile | 2027-06-01 | |
| Etowah County Career Technical Center | Attalla | Automobile | Yes | 2025-12-01 |
| Etowah County Career Technical Center | Attalla | Collision Repair and Refinishing | 2028-01-01 | |
| Haleyville Center of Technology | Haleyville | Automobile | Yes | 2028-05-01 |
| Houston County Career Academy | Dothan | Automobile | 2026-09-01 | |
| Lamar Co. School of Technology | Vernon | Automobile | 2029-06-01 | |
| Lawrence County Center of Technology | Moulton | Automobile | 2028-04-01 | |
| LeCroy Career Technical Center | Clanton | Automobile | 2029-04-01 | |
| LeCroy Career Technical Center | Clanton | Collision Repair and Refinishing | 2030-11-01 | |
| Limestone County Career Technical Center | Athens | Automobile | Yes | 2030-11-01 |
| Limestone County Career Technical Center | Athens | Medium/Heavy Duty Truck | Yes | 2030-11-01 |
| Macon County Career Tech Center | Tuskegee | Automobile | Yes | 2029-06-01 |
| Madison County Tech Center | Huntsville | Collision Repair and Refinishing | 2026-07-01 | |
| Marshall Technical School | Guntersville | Automobile | 2030-06-01 | |
| Marshall Technical School | Guntersville | Collision Repair and Refinishing | 2029-11-01 | |
| Morgan County Schools Technology Park | Somerville | Automobile | Yes | 2025-10-01 |
| Morgan County Schools Technology Park | Somerville | Collision Repair and Refinishing | Yes | 2027-03-01 |
| North Baldwin Center for Technology | Bay Minette | Automobile | 2025-11-01 | |
| Northport Career Tech Annex | Tuscaloosa | Automobile | Yes | 2028-06-01 |
| Randolph Roanoke Career Technology Center | Wedowee | Automobile | 2029-02-01 | |
| Walker County Center of Technology | Jasper | Automobile | 2028-06-01 | |
| Walker County Center of Technology | Jasper | Collision Repair and Refinishing | 2027-07-01 | |
| Winfield City High School | Winfield | Automobile | 2024-08-01 | |
| Winston Career Academy | Double Springs | Automobile | Yes | 2029-01-01 |
Two schools, Autauga County Technology Center and North West Shoals Community College, have accreditation expiry dates that have already passed as of the publication of this page. Contact those schools directly to ask about renewal status before making any decisions based on their ASE accreditation. The same applies to Dekalb County Technology Center’s Automobile program and Winfield City High School’s Automobile program, both of which expired in 2024.
Limestone County Career Technical Center in Athens is the only secondary school in Alabama with an AYES Medium/Heavy Duty Truck program. If commercial vehicle work is your goal and you are still in high school, that is worth looking into.
How to read the accreditation dates
Every program in these tables shows an accreditation expiry date. That date is not when the program closes. It is when the school must go through a renewal review with the ASE Education Foundation. Most programs renew successfully. However, if a date has passed, you should call the school and confirm the current status before you apply. Accreditation matters because employers use it as a hiring signal, and some financial aid programs require it.
Choosing the right path
If you are in high school now, an AYES program gives you a direct connection to a dealership before you graduate. That is worth pursuing if one is near you. Look at the table above and find the schools marked “Yes” in the AYES column closest to where you live.
If you are an adult or recent graduate, start with the post-secondary table. If you want to work on light cars and trucks, any of the Automobile series programs will get you started. If diesel and commercial vehicles interest you, look at Gadsden State’s Ayers Campus, Shelton State, or Wallace State. If body and collision work is your goal, look for Collision Repair and Refinishing programs at the secondary schools as a starting point, though the post-secondary listings above are for adult enrollment.
If you want the strongest possible start at a dealership, the manufacturer programs at Lawson State are the top option in Alabama. Ford ASSET, Toyota T-TEN, and GM ASEP all combine classroom work with paid dealer placement and brand certification. They are more competitive to get into, but the payoff is a job-ready credential tied directly to a dealership network.
Use the links in these tables to go directly to each school’s website, then look for their automotive technology or diesel technology program pages. Most schools have an admissions contact you can reach by phone or email to ask about application deadlines, program start dates, and what tools or equipment you need to bring.