Becoming an Automotive Technician or Mechanic in Idaho
A career in auto mechanics is excellent for anyone who wants a good paying job and an active workday. As an auto mechanic, you will be responsible for diagnosing, repairing, maintaining and overhauling the latest makes and models of vehicles used in the automotive, trucking, construction, industrial and farming industries.
Requirements for becoming an Automotive Service Technician in Idaho
Though having a license isn’t necessary in Idaho, employers prefer that automotive service technicians have some form of higher education as well as technical training in order to ensure they are up-to-date with the latest technology and techniques.
It is highly recommended that aspiring auto techs pursue higher education through a vocational school, community college or specialized training center offering courses in automotive technology. These programs will provide students with the knowledge and skills needed to become a successful auto service technician in Idaho as well as give them an edge when seeking employment in the field.
Auto mechanic training programs may cover the following topics:
- Auto repair
- Auto maintenance
- Brake systems
- Electrical systems
- Steering
- Suspension systems
- Maintenance and light repair
- Engine repair
- Transmission systems
- Computer diagnostic systems
Additionally, with the ASE testing, you can become a master auto mechanic, which is a higher level of certification. This will require you to pass more ASE tests as well as have at least two years of on-the-job experience.
Auto Mechanic Schools in Idaho
Idaho employs 5,030 automotive service technicians and mechanics, according to BLS May 2025 OEWS data. That workforce is spread across a state with large rural distances, which means trained technicians are needed from Lewiston in the north all the way down to Twin Falls in the south. If you are thinking about a career fixing cars, trucks, or heavy equipment, Idaho has ASE-accredited programs across the state that can get you there.
ASE accreditation means the ASE Education Foundation, an independent standards body, has reviewed a program and confirmed it meets national quality benchmarks for automotive training. An accredited program is not a guarantee of a job, but it is a signal that the training is real and current. Employers recognize it.
ASE-accredited post-secondary programs in Idaho
All 9 post-secondary programs listed below are ASE-accredited. Community colleges generally cost less per credit hour than private technical institutes, though exact figures vary by school and term.
| Institution | City | Series | Program | Accreditation expires |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brigham Young University – Idaho | Rexburg | Automobile | Standard | February 2029 |
| College of Southern Idaho | Twin Falls | Automobile | GM ASEP | November 2028 |
| College of Western Idaho | Nampa | Automobile | Standard | June 2028 |
| College of Western Idaho | Nampa | Medium/Heavy Duty Truck | Standard | October 2030 |
| Idaho State University | Pocatello | Automobile | Standard | November 2028 |
| Idaho State University | Pocatello | Collision Repair and Refinishing | Standard | November 2028 |
| Lewis Clark State College | Lewiston | Automobile | Standard | February 2026 |
| Lewis Clark State College | Lewiston | Collision Repair and Refinishing | Standard | February 2027 |
| North Idaho College | Rathdrum | Automobile | Standard | June 2028 |
Note: Lewis Clark State College does not have a listed website URL in the current ASE Education Foundation directory. Contact the college directly to confirm program status and enrollment details.
Also note: the Lewis Clark State College Automobile program has an accreditation expiry of February 2026. That date has now passed. Contact the college directly to confirm current accreditation status before enrolling.
How to read the accreditation expiry date
Accreditation is renewed on a cycle. A future expiry date means the program is currently accredited. If a date has passed, the program may have been renewed or allowed to lapse. Always confirm with the school before you apply.
Manufacturer-sponsored program: GM ASEP at College of Southern Idaho
The GM Automotive Service Educational Program, known as GM ASEP, is a manufacturer-sponsored track that combines your college coursework with paid placements at General Motors dealerships. It is materially different from a standard automotive certificate. You graduate with GM-specific training and a direct connection to dealership employers. That combination shortens your path to a full-time technician role.
There is 1 manufacturer-sponsored program in Idaho:
| Institution | City | Program | Series | Accreditation expires |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| College of Southern Idaho | Twin Falls | GM ASEP | Automobile | November 2028 |
If you want to work at a GM dealership and you are starting from zero, GM ASEP is the most direct route available in Idaho. The paid dealer placement means you earn money while you train, and you finish with OEM credentials. OEM stands for original equipment manufacturer, meaning the credential comes from GM itself, not just the college. Dealership employers treat that credential as proof you can work on their vehicles from day one.
Contact College of Southern Idaho in Twin Falls to learn about the application process and current dealer partners in the region.
High school programs in Idaho
This section is for you if you are currently enrolled in high school. These programs are not open to adult career-changers. They run inside the secondary school system and are only available to current high school students.
All 4 secondary programs in Idaho (3 of which carry AYES designation):
What AYES means for you
AYES stands for Automotive Youth Educational Systems. It is not a standard shop class. AYES is a structured pipeline that connects your high school training directly to dealership employment after graduation. While you are still in school, you get hands-on training aligned with what dealerships actually need. When you finish, you have a real head start over someone starting from scratch at a community college.
Most auto mechanic guides do not mention AYES at all. If you are in high school and you know you want to work in the automotive field, this track can put you two to three years ahead of a typical post-secondary starter.
| Institution | City | Series | Program | Accreditation expires |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canyon-Owyhee School Service Agency TEC | Wilder | Automobile | Standard secondary | July 2029 |
| Dennis Technical Education Center | Boise | Automobile | AYES | January 2025 |
| Dennis Technical Education Center | Boise | Collision Repair and Refinishing | AYES | January 2025 |
| Dennis Technical Education Center | Boise | Medium/Heavy Duty Truck | AYES | January 2025 |
Important: the three Dennis Technical Education Center AYES programs show an accreditation expiry of January 2025. That date has passed. Contact Dennis Technical Education Center directly through Boise Schools to confirm current program status before making any plans based on those programs.
Canyon-Owyhee School Service Agency TEC in Wilder is accredited through July 2029, making it the most current secondary option in Idaho as of today.
ASE Certification
Once you have completed an approved automotive technology program, you may choose to become certified by the ASE. This is a voluntary certification and not required for practice in Idaho. However, having an ASE certification is beneficial as it proves your knowledge and experience as an auto technician and can even lead to higher wages when seeking employment.
In order to apply for the ASE exam, you must have at least two years of experience as an auto technician or complete a post-secondary automotive education program such as those listed above.
Some of the exams offered by ASE include:
- Collision repair and refinish certification tests
- Damage analysis and estimating certification test
- Transit bus certification tests
- Truck equipment certification tests
- Light repair certification test
- Alternate fuels certification test
- Light truck certification tests
Once you have successfully completed the ASE testing requirements, you will be issued an ASE certification card which is valid for five years. At the end of this time period, renewal of your certification requires passing a recertification test or retaking of the original exam.
Idaho wages by role and career stage
All figures below come from BLS May 2025 OEWS data. They cover workers already employed in Idaho, not entry-level starting salaries.
Automotive service technicians and mechanics
This is the core occupation for most people who complete an auto mechanic program. Idaho has 5,030 people working in this role. The median wage is $48,420 per year. That means half of Idaho technicians earn more than that and half earn less.
The bottom 10 percent of earners make $34,570 or less. That range typically reflects entry-level or helper roles. The 25th percentile sits at $39,590, which is a more realistic figure for someone in their first one to two years after training. The 75th percentile is $62,660 and the top 10 percent earn $77,710 or more. Experienced technicians with strong diagnostic skills and ASE certifications tend to sit in that upper range.
The mean wage is $53,990. The mean runs higher than the median because a smaller number of high earners pull the average up. The median is usually the more useful number for planning your own expectations.
Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists
If you train in medium/heavy duty truck, your earning potential is higher. Idaho employs 1,930 people in this occupation. The median wage is $59,230, which is more than $10,000 above the automotive technician median. The mean is $60,110.
The entry range starts at $45,960 at the 10th percentile and $48,740 at the 25th. The upper range reaches $69,370 at the 75th percentile and $77,800 at the 90th. Diesel and heavy truck specialists are harder to find than general auto technicians. That scarcity supports the higher pay.
College of Western Idaho in Nampa is the only post-secondary school in the state with an ASE-accredited medium/heavy duty truck program. If that occupation interests you, CWI is your primary in-state option.
Automotive body and related repairers
Body and collision repair is a different skill set from mechanical repair, and the wage profile reflects that. Idaho employs 850 people in this role. The median is $49,200 and the mean is $58,000. The gap between those two numbers is larger than in the other occupations, which means top earners in collision repair pull further ahead. The 90th percentile wage is $93,040, the highest ceiling of any occupation on this page.
The entry range runs from $36,610 at the 10th percentile to $39,260 at the 25th. If you have an eye for paint and panel work, and you are willing to build skills over several years, the upper earning potential in collision repair is strong.
Idaho State University in Pocatello has an ASE-accredited collision repair and refinishing program, as does Lewis Clark State College in Lewiston. Check the accreditation expiry dates in the table above and confirm current status before applying.
Automotive glass installers and repairers
This is a smaller, more specialized occupation. Idaho employs 110 people in glass installation and repair. The median wage is $48,530 and the mean is $48,580. Those two figures are almost identical, which tells you the wage distribution in this occupation is fairly even with few extreme outliers. The 10th percentile is $36,400 and the 90th is $63,090.
Glass work is typically a stepping stone or a specialty add-on rather than a primary career track from an automotive program.
Career progression across occupations
Here is how the four occupations compare at the median, from lowest to highest:
- Automotive service technicians and mechanics: $48,420
- Automotive glass installers and repairers: $48,530
- Automotive body and related repairers: $49,200
- Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists: $59,230
The typical career path starts with a general automobile program, builds ASE certifications, and then specializes. Technicians who add diesel or heavy truck credentials move into the highest-paid occupation category. Technicians who move into collision repair can reach the highest 90th-percentile ceiling on this page at $93,040.
Specialization is what drives pay above the median. A certificate gets you in the door. The certifications and experience you add after that determine where you land on the pay scale.
Working as an Auto Mechanic in Idaho
Working as an auto mechanic in Idaho can be a rewarding job, whether you’re just starting out or have years of experience.
There are plenty of shops and dealerships looking for qualified mechanics, and learning the trade can be a great way to make a living. With the right training and certification, you’ll have an edge in a competitive job market and may even be able to command higher wages than your peers without it.
Next steps
Use the tables above to identify the programs that match your location and the type of work you want to do. If you are in high school, contact Canyon-Owyhee School Service Agency TEC or check directly with Boise Schools about Dennis Technical Education Center’s current program status. If you are ready for post-secondary training, the nine ASE-accredited programs above cover automobile, collision repair, and medium/heavy truck across six cities in Idaho. If GM dealership work interests you, College of Southern Idaho in Twin Falls runs the only GM ASEP program in the state. Click through to each school’s site, confirm current enrollment dates, and ask specifically about ASE certification prep built into the curriculum.
Sources:
- Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics, Occupational Employment and Wages, Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, http://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes493023.htm
- Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, http://www.bls.gov/ooh/installation-maintenance-and-repair/automotive-service-technicians-and-mechanics.htm