Becoming an Automotive Technician or Mechanic in Kentucky
With an abundance of job and educational offerings, Kentucky is the ideal location for aspiring automotive technicians or truck mechanics. Automotive technicians in Kentucky have the opportunity to work on a variety of vehicles, ranging from cars and trucks to recreational vehicles and motorcycles. In addition, they can specialize in preventative maintenance services such as oil changes, battery testing and brake inspections. Certifications may also be attained for areas such as electrical systems, engine repair and emissions control.
Requirements for becoming an Automotive Service Technician in Kentucky
If you want to work as an auto mechanic in Kentucky, you don’t need a professional license. However, you will need to possess a valid driver’s license and must be 18 years of age or older. You may also need to complete an occupational safety training program that is approved by the Kentucky Occupational Safety and Health Administration (KOSHA).
Some employers may prefer that you have graduated from a post-secondary educational program in automotive technology or a related field. Additionally, you may need to pass an examination to become certified as an Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) technician and/or master technician.
Auto mechanic training programs may cover the following topics:
- Computer control systems
- Ignition systems
- Manual transmissions
- Air conditioning
- Climate control
- Emission systems
- Brake systems and brake repair
- Steering
- Manual drive train
- Industrial safety
ASE Certification
ASE certification is a highly sought-after and respected credential in the automotive industry. To acquire this esteemed status, one ASE exam pertaining to your expertise must be passed and then maintained every five years through recertification or reexamination. Upon meeting these criteria, you can demonstrate to employers that you possess authoritative knowledge in auto repair services.
With over 40 ASE certification exams, you have numerous options to choose from. Some of the available tests include:
- Truck equipment certification tests
- Auto maintenance and light repair certification test
- Engine machinist certification tests
- Light truck certification tests
- School bus certification tests
- Transit bus certification tests
- Alternate fuels certification test
- Parts specialist certification tests
- Damage analysis and estimating certification test
- Collision repair and refinish certification tests
Auto Mechanic Schools in Kentucky
Gaining a post-secondary diploma in automotive technology is not compulsory to become an auto mechanic in Kentucky, yet the majority of employers prefer hiring those mechanics with some formal education. Kentucky has 78 ASE Education Foundation-accredited programs across 62 schools, spanning post-secondary colleges, manufacturer-sponsored pathways, and high-school career centers. The sections below cover each group in detail.
Auto mechanic training in Kentucky
Kentucky has 11,140 automotive service technicians and mechanics working in the state, according to BLS May 2025 OEWS data. That workforce is spread across rural counties and mid-size cities, which means job openings appear in places where you may already live. The ASE Education Foundation, which sets the recognised quality standard for automotive training in the US, has accredited 78 programs across 62 schools in Kentucky. This page lists all of them.
Training paths here split into three groups: post-secondary programs you can enrol in now as an adult, manufacturer-sponsored programs that pair college coursework with paid dealer work, and high-school programs for students still in secondary education. Each section below covers one group.
Manufacturer-sponsored program in Kentucky
One Kentucky school runs a manufacturer-sponsored program. This type of program, sometimes called an OEM (original equipment manufacturer) program, combines ASE-accredited college coursework with paid placements at brand-specific dealerships and manufacturer certification. Students in these programs typically earn while they learn and graduate with credentials that brand dealers recognise by name. That makes them a stronger starting point than a general certificate if you can get a spot.
All 1 manufacturer-sponsored program in Kentucky:
| School | City | Program | Series | Accreditation expires |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jefferson Community & Technical College | Louisville | Toyota T-TEN | Automobile | 2030-02-01 |
The Toyota T-TEN (Toyota Technical Education Network) program places you with a Toyota or Lexus dealer while you study. The dealer pays you for shop hours. When you finish, you hold both a college credential and Toyota-specific certifications that count toward ASE certification. Seats are limited and dealer sponsorship is required, so contact Jefferson Community & Technical College directly to ask about the application process and current dealer partners.
Post-secondary ASE-accredited programs in Kentucky
ASE accreditation means the ASE Education Foundation has reviewed the program’s equipment, instructors, and curriculum against a national standard. An accredited program is not a guarantee of a job, but it does mean the training meets the baseline that employers and certification bodies expect.
Community colleges in Kentucky generally cost less per credit hour than private technical institutes, though exact figures vary by school and are not listed here. Contact each school directly for current tuition information.
All 25 post-secondary programs in Kentucky (including dual secondary and post-secondary programs open to adult enrolment):
| School | City | Series | Level | Accreditation expires |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ashland Community and Technical College | Ashland | Automobile | Post Secondary | 2030-11-01 |
| Ashland Community and Technical College | Ashland | Medium/Heavy Duty Truck | Post Secondary | 2028-06-01 |
| Big Sandy Community & Technical College | Paintsville | Automobile | Post Secondary | 2028-05-01 |
| Big Sandy Community & Technical College | Hager Hill | Medium/Heavy Duty Truck | Post Secondary | 2031-06-01 |
| Bluegrass Community Technical College – Leestown Campus | Lexington | Automobile | Post Secondary | 2027-05-01 |
| Breathitt County Area Technology Center | Jackson | Automobile | Secondary & Post Secondary | 2026-12-01 |
| Bullitt County Vocational School | Shepherdsville | Automobile | Post Secondary | 2029-03-01 |
| Elizabethtown Community and Technical College | Elizabethtown | Automobile | Secondary & Post Secondary | 2031-05-01 |
| Elizabethtown Community and Technical College | Elizabethtown | Medium/Heavy Duty Truck | Post Secondary | 2029-06-01 |
| Gateway Community & Technical College | Edgewood | Automobile | Post Secondary | 2027-05-01 |
| Jefferson Community & Technical College | Louisville | Automobile | Post Secondary | 2030-02-01 |
| Jefferson Community & Technical College | Louisville | Automobile (Toyota T-TEN) | Post Secondary | 2030-02-01 |
| Maysville Community Technical College, Rowan Campus | Morehead | Automobile | Post Secondary | 2025-12-01 |
| Owensboro Community & Tech College-SE Campus | Owensboro | Automobile | Secondary & Post Secondary | 2029-03-01 |
| Owensboro Community & Tech College-SE Campus | Owensboro | Medium/Heavy Duty Truck | Post Secondary | 2030-04-01 |
| Pine Knot Job Corps | Pine Knot | Automobile | Secondary & Post Secondary | 2030-02-01 |
| Somerset Community College, South | Somerset | Automobile | Post Secondary | 2028-06-01 |
| Somerset Community College, South | Somerset | Medium/Heavy Duty Truck | Post Secondary | 2029-10-01 |
| Somerset Community College-Laurel South | London | Automobile | Secondary & Post Secondary | 2029-06-01 |
| South Central Kentucky Community & Technical College | Bowling Green | Automobile | Post Secondary | 2028-06-01 |
| South Central Kentucky Community & Technical College | Bowling Green | Collision Repair and Refinishing | Post Secondary | 2031-05-01 |
| UAW-LETC – Earle C. Clements Job Corps Center | Morganfield | Automobile | Secondary & Post Secondary | 2029-06-01 |
| West Kentucky Community & Technical College | Hickory | Automobile | Secondary & Post Secondary | 2024-05-01 |
| West Kentucky Community & Technical College | Paducah | Collision Repair and Refinishing | Post Secondary | 2031-01-01 |
| West Kentucky Community and Technical College (Diesel Technology) | Mayfield | Medium/Heavy Duty Truck | Post Secondary | 2030-01-01 |
Note on accreditation expiry dates: The West Kentucky Community & Technical College program in Hickory shows an expiry date of 2024-05-01, which has passed. Contact the school directly to confirm whether that program’s accreditation has been renewed before you apply.
Similarly, the Maysville Community Technical College, Rowan Campus program expired 2025-12-01. Verify current status with the school before applying.
How to read the series column
“Automobile” means the program covers light vehicles: cars, SUVs, and light trucks. “Medium/Heavy Duty Truck” covers commercial diesel vehicles, from delivery vans to semi-trucks. “Collision Repair and Refinishing” covers bodywork and paint rather than mechanical systems. Some schools run more than one series, so you can choose based on the type of work you want to do.
Dual secondary and post-secondary programs
Several programs in the table above carry the level “Secondary & Post Secondary.” That means the school delivers the same ASE-accredited curriculum to both high-school students and adult enrolees. If you are an adult, you can apply directly. Contact the school to confirm adult admission procedures, since these sites sometimes operate differently from a standard community college admissions office.
High-school ASE-accredited programs in Kentucky
This section is for you if you are currently a high-school student. These programs are not open to adult career-changers enrolling independently. If you have already graduated, look at the post-secondary table above.
Kentucky has 53 ASE-accredited secondary programs across the state. None of the 53 are currently designated AYES (Automotive Youth Educational Systems) programs. AYES is a specific national pipeline that connects high-school automotive students to dealership apprenticeships with structured mentoring and guaranteed interview opportunities. Its absence in Kentucky means you will need to build that dealer connection yourself after graduation, or pursue the Toyota T-TEN path at Jefferson Community & Technical College at the post-secondary level.
That said, the 53 secondary programs below still carry real value. They are accredited to the same ASE Education Foundation standard as college programs. Completing one gives you documented, verifiable shop hours before you graduate. That puts you ahead of students who start from zero in a post-secondary program.
All 53 high-school (secondary) ASE-accredited programs in Kentucky:
| School | City | Series | Accreditation expires |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barren County Area Technology Center | Glasgow | Automobile | 2031-01-01 |
| Barren County Area Technology Center | Glasgow | Medium/Heavy Duty Truck | 2031-01-01 |
| Belfry Area Technology Center | Belfry | Medium/Heavy Duty Truck | 2027-02-01 |
| Bell County Area Technology Center | Pineville | Automobile | 2029-06-01 |
| Bell County Area Technology Center | Pineville | Collision Repair and Refinishing | 2029-06-01 |
| Boone County ATC | Hebron | Automobile | 2031-06-01 |
| Boone County ATC | Hebron | Medium/Heavy Duty Truck | 2031-06-01 |
| Breckinridge County Area Technology Center | Harned | Automobile | 2030-11-01 |
| Butler County Area Technology Center | Morgantown | Automobile | 2029-12-01 |
| Caldwell County Area Technology Center | Princeton | Automobile | 2028-12-01 |
| Campbell County Area Technology Center | Alexandria | Automobile | 2027-04-01 |
| Campbell County Area Technology Center | Alexandria | Collision Repair and Refinishing | 2025-03-01 |
| Carroll County Area Technology Center | Carrollton | Automobile | 2029-11-01 |
| Casey County Area Technology Center | Liberty | Automobile | 2028-04-01 |
| Clark County Area Technology Center | Winchester | Automobile | 2029-06-01 |
| Corbin Area Technology Center | Corbin | Automobile | 2030-06-01 |
| Eastside Technical Center | Lexington | Automobile | 2029-06-01 |
| Eastside Technical Center | Lexington | Medium/Heavy Duty Truck | 2030-04-01 |
| Estill County ATC | Irvine | Medium/Heavy Duty Truck | 2030-07-01 |
| Floyd County Area Technology Center | Martin | Automobile | 2028-02-01 |
| Four Rivers Career Academy | Hickman | Automobile | 2027-04-01 |
| Garrard County Area Technology Center | Lancaster | Automobile | 2029-11-01 |
| Grant County High School & Career Technology Center | Dry Ridge | Automobile | 2030-05-01 |
| Greenup County Area Technical Center | Greenup | Automobile | 2028-06-01 |
| Hancock County High School | Lewisport | Medium/Heavy Duty Truck | 2030-05-01 |
| Ignite Academy North | Richmond | Automobile | 2026-09-01 |
| Jackson County Area Technology Center | McKee | Automobile | 2031-01-01 |
| Knott County Area Technology Center | Hindman | Automobile | 2030-07-01 |
| Knox County Area Technology Center | Barbourville | Automobile | 2029-07-01 |
| Lee County Area Technology Center | Beattyville | Automobile | 2026-05-01 |
| Letcher County Area Technology Center | Whitesburg | Medium/Heavy Duty Truck | 2027-06-01 |
| Logan County Area Technology Center | Russellville | Automobile | 2031-05-01 |
| Marion County ATC | Lebanon | Automobile | 2029-02-01 |
| Martin County ATC | Inez | Automobile | 2029-01-01 |
| Mason County Career Magnet School | Maysville | Automobile | 2031-07-01 |
| Millard Area Technical Center | Pikeville | Automobile | 2029-05-01 |
| Monroe County Technology Center | Tompkinsville | Automobile | 2029-06-01 |
| Montgomery County ATC | Mt. Sterling | Automobile | 2028-04-01 |
| Morgan County ATC | West Liberty | Automobile | 2029-06-01 |
| Morgan County ATC | West Liberty | Collision Repair and Refinishing | 2029-06-01 |
| Muhlenberg County Career & Tech Center | Greenville | Automobile | 2029-08-01 |
| Nelson County Up Center | Bardstown | Automobile | 2030-08-01 |
| Ohio County Area Technology Center | Hartford | Automobile | 2031-06-01 |
| Pulaski County Area Technology Center | Somerset | Automobile | 2029-06-01 |
| Rockcastle Area Technology Center | Mt Vernon | Automobile | 2028-06-01 |
| Shelby County Area Technology Center | Shelbyville | Automobile | 2028-01-01 |
| Shelby County Area Technology Center | Shelbyville | Medium/Heavy Duty Truck | 2029-12-01 |
| Southern High School | Louisville | Automobile | 2029-04-01 |
| Southern High School | Louisville | Collision Repair and Refinishing | 2029-04-01 |
| Southern Kentucky Early College & Career Academy | Albany | Automobile | 2029-12-01 |
| Trailblazer Academy | Harrodsburg | Automobile | 2029-03-01 |
| Warren County Area Technology Center | Bowling Green | Automobile | 2031-04-01 |
| Wayne County Area Technology Center | Monticello | Automobile | 2031-06-01 |
What to do with a secondary program
If your school is on this list, talk to your automotive instructor about what ASE Student Certification exams you can sit while still in school. Passing even one ASE exam before you graduate is a concrete item on a resume. Many employers in Kentucky check for it. After graduation, you can move directly into one of the post-secondary programs in the table above, and some schools will give you credit for documented secondary-level work.
A note on the Campbell County Area Technology Center Collision Repair program: its accreditation shows an expiry of 2025-03-01, which has passed. Ask your school counsellor to confirm whether renewal is in progress before you plan your coursework around it.
Job Opportunities and Salary Expectations
The figures below come from BLS May 2025 OEWS data. They show what people in automotive trades actually earned in Kentucky at different points in their careers. The 10th percentile represents someone near the start of their career. The 90th percentile represents someone with years of experience, specialty certifications, or a supervisory role.
Automotive service technicians and mechanics
This is the core role. In Kentucky, 11,140 people work in this occupation. The median wage is $44,890 per year. That means half of all technicians in the state earn more than that, and half earn less.
- Bottom 10% (early career): $30,210
- 25th percentile: $35,980
- Median: $44,890
- 75th percentile: $59,990
- Top 10% (experienced): $73,910
- Mean: $47,990
The gap between the 10th and 90th percentile is about $43,700. That gap reflects specialisation, ASE master technician status, dealership pay scales, and years in the trade. Your starting wage will be near the bottom of that range. Where you land ten years from now depends on the certifications you earn and the type of shop you work in.
Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists
If you train in the Medium/Heavy Duty Truck series, you enter a different occupation with higher median pay. In Kentucky, 3,890 people work in this field.
- Bottom 10%: $38,250
- 25th percentile: $46,560
- Median: $55,480
- 75th percentile: $63,740
- Top 10%: $80,500
- Mean: $57,370
The median of $55,480 is about $10,590 higher than the median for light-vehicle technicians. Even the 25th percentile in this field ($46,560) beats the median for general auto technicians. If you can get into one of Kentucky’s diesel programs, that pay difference is worth knowing before you decide which series to pursue.
Automotive body and collision repair
Kentucky employs 1,680 people in this occupation. Collision repair technicians work on vehicle structure, panels, and paint rather than mechanical systems.
- Bottom 10%: $28,360
- 25th percentile: $35,500
- Median: $46,080
- 75th percentile: $58,250
- Top 10%: $80,770
- Mean: $50,890
The top 10% of collision repair technicians in Kentucky earn $80,770, which is the highest 90th-percentile figure across all four occupations shown here. The mean of $50,890 is also higher than the mean for light-vehicle mechanics. High-earning collision specialists typically hold I-CAR and ASE certifications and work at busy shops with a mix of insurance and private work.
Automotive glass installers and repairers
This is a smaller field. Kentucky has 180 people in this occupation, and the wage range is tighter.
- Bottom 10%: $36,790
- 25th percentile: $40,500
- Median: $45,980
- 75th percentile: $53,200
- Top 10%: $61,310
- Mean: $47,770
The 90th percentile here is $61,310, which is well below the ceiling in the other three occupations. Glass work can be a stable specialty, but if maximising long-term earnings is a priority, the diesel and collision repair paths have higher ceilings.
How pay progresses over a career
Most technicians in Kentucky start somewhere between the 10th and 25th percentile. A first-year technician earning $30,000 to $38,000 is in a normal range. Pay moves up with ASE certifications. Each certification area you pass (engine repair, brakes, electrical, and so on) adds to your value in the shop. A technician who holds all eight ASE certifications in the automobile series earns the title of ASE Master Technician, and that credential consistently puts people in the upper half of the wage range. Moving from flat-rate to a guaranteed-hours pay structure, or shifting to a dealership that pays higher flat-rate amounts, also changes the number on your paycheck more than almost anything else.
The clearest career path in the data: start in light vehicles, add diesel certifications if the work interests you, and target the 75th-percentile range ($59,990 to $63,740) as a five-to-ten-year goal. That range is achievable with consistent certification work and the right employer.
Working as an Auto Mechanic in Kentucky
Working as an auto mechanic in Kentucky can be a rewarding and lucrative endeavor. With the right level of education, you can be on your way to a successful career in automotive repair services. The educational options outlined here will provide you with the knowledge and certifications necessary to become an expert in this field. So if you are looking for a challenging and rewarding career, consider becoming an auto mechanic in Kentucky!
Next steps
Use the tables above to find programs within driving distance. If you are a high-school student, start with the secondary table and then look at which post-secondary schools are nearby for when you graduate. If you are ready to enrol now, the post-secondary table lists every accredited option in the state. For the highest-structured path with paid dealer work built in, contact Jefferson Community & Technical College about the Toyota T-TEN program. For every other school, go to the program’s website and ask three things: what the current tuition is, when the next cohort starts, and whether the accreditation listed here is still current.
Sources:
- Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics, Occupational Employment and Wages, Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, May 2025 OEWS, 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
- ASE Education Foundation, accredited program data, https://www.aseeducationfoundation.org/