Becoming an Automotive Technician or Mechanic in Oklahoma
Nowadays, mechanics with up-to-date skills and knowledge are highly sought after by automobile companies that innovate continuously, releasing models using the latest technologies. High schoolers can start their career in the automotive industry while they’re still studying by enrolling in a program certified by Automotive Youth Educational Systems (AYES), which will help them secure entry level employment immediately upon graduation.
Requirements for becoming an Automotive Service Technician in Oklahoma
In Oklahoma, you do not have to obtain a professional license to work as an auto mechanic. However, having an Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) certification is recommended as it demonstrates your competency and skills. You can obtain ASE certifications by passing several tests that cover different areas of automotive service and repair.
Those interested in pursuing an automotive service technology program can expect to learn about some of the following topics:
- Engine repair
- Engine performance
- Oil changes
- Air conditioning
- Maintenance services
- Manual drive train and axles
- Automatic transmission/transaxle
- Suspension and steering
- Heating and cooling systems
- Electrical/electronic systems
- Brakes
Additionally, you will be required to have a valid driver’s license as well as a high school diploma or GED. Furthermore, some employers might ask for an associate degree in automotive technology.
Auto Mechanic Training in Oklahoma
Oklahoma has 8,870 working automotive service technicians and mechanics, according to BLS May 2025 OEWS data. That is a large workforce, and it sits inside a state where technology centers are spread across nearly every county. If you want hands-on training close to home, chances are good that an ASE-accredited program is within a reasonable drive.
ASE accreditation means the ASE Education Foundation, the recognized quality standard for automotive training in the US, has reviewed the program and found it meets industry requirements. Programs without that review have not been held to the same standard. Every program listed on this page holds ASE accreditation.
ASE Certification
Obtaining certification from the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) is an excellent way to demonstrate expertise and proficiency in a variety of auto repair areas. To achieve ASE certification, applicants must pass one or more of their examinations and renew it every five years by either retaking the exams or participating in recertification programs. Those who obtain this certification will have proven that they possess superior knowledge and competence in their field of work.
There are over 40 ASE certification exams available, some of which 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
Manufacturer-sponsored programs at OSUIT
Oklahoma State University Institute of Technology in Okmulgee (OSUIT) runs four manufacturer-sponsored programs. These are the highest-value option on this page. Each one pairs your college coursework with a paid placement at a franchised dealership and adds a manufacturer-specific credential on top of your degree. You earn money while you study, build a relationship with a dealership that may hire you after graduation, and finish with brand-specific training that general programs do not provide.
All four programs carry Post Secondary accreditation and are listed separately from the main table below.
All 4 manufacturer-sponsored programs at OSUIT (Okmulgee):
| Program | Series | Level | Accreditation expires | School website |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ford ASSET | Automobile | Post Secondary | 2030-06-01 | osuit.edu |
| Toyota T-TEN | Automobile | Post Secondary | 2030-06-01 | osuit.edu |
| Mopar CAP | Automobile | Post Secondary | 2030-06-01 | osuit.edu |
| GM ASEP | Automobile | Post Secondary | 2026-09-01 | osuit.edu |
Ford ASSET places you at a Ford or Lincoln dealership. Toyota T-TEN connects you with Toyota and Lexus dealers. Mopar CAP is the Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep and Ram pathway. GM ASEP is the General Motors stream. Each manufacturer selects participating dealers, so contact OSUIT directly to confirm current dealer partners and availability before you apply.
Programs for current high school students
If you are in high school right now, two Oklahoma schools run ASE-accredited secondary programs in the Automobile series. These are not general shop classes. They follow the same curriculum standards that post-secondary programs meet. Completing one puts you ahead of most entry-level applicants when you finish high school.
These programs are open to current high school students only. They are not listed in the main comparison table below, which covers programs adults can enroll in directly.
All 2 secondary-only programs in Oklahoma:
| School | City | Series | Accreditation expires | School website |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mid-Del Technology Center | Midwest City | Automobile | 2029-05-01 | mid-del.tec.ok.us |
| Tulsa Technology Center, Broken Arrow | Broken Arrow | Automobile | 2029-07-01 | tulsatech.org |
AYES programs in Oklahoma
AYES stands for Automotive Youth Educational Systems. It is a structured pipeline, not a general elective. An AYES program connects your high school automotive training directly to a franchised dealership. You complete supervised work hours at that dealership alongside your classroom work. When you graduate, you have a dealership relationship and documented hands-on hours that most applicants your age cannot match.
Several Oklahoma programs that serve both secondary and post-secondary students carry AYES designation. You will see them marked in the main table below. If you are still in high school, ask your counselor whether your district feeds into one of these programs, because the dealership connection starts during your secondary enrollment, not after it.
All ASE-accredited post-secondary programs in Oklahoma
All 57 post-secondary programs in Oklahoma are listed below. These are the programs an adult can enroll in directly. Some schools appear more than once because they hold accreditation in more than one series or operate more than one campus. Programs marked AYES also carry the Automotive Youth Educational Systems designation described above. The manufacturer-sponsored programs at OSUIT are included here for reference but are covered in full in the section above.
| School | City | Series | Program | Level | Accreditation expires | Website |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Autry Technology Center | Enid | Automobile | Secondary & Post Secondary | 2028-06-01 | autrytech.edu | |
| Autry Technology Center | Enid | Collision Repair and Refinishing | Secondary & Post Secondary | 2031-05-01 | autrytech.edu | |
| Caddo Kiowa Technology Center | Fort Cobb | Automobile | Secondary & Post Secondary | 2027-06-01 | mycktc.com | |
| Caddo Kiowa Technology Center | Fort Cobb | Medium/Heavy Duty Truck | Secondary & Post Secondary | 2028-08-01 | mycktc.com | |
| Canadian Valley Technology Center-Chickasha | Chickasha | Automobile | Secondary & Post Secondary | 2028-06-01 | ||
| Canadian Valley Technology Center-El Reno | El Reno | Automobile | Secondary & Post Secondary | 2029-08-01 | cvtech.edu | |
| Chisholm Trail Technology Center | Omega | Automobile | Secondary & Post Secondary | 2026-07-01 | cttc.edu | |
| Eastern Oklahoma County Technology Center | Choctaw | Automobile | AYES | Secondary & Post Secondary | 2027-03-01 | eoctech.edu |
| Francis Tuttle Technology Center | Oklahoma City | Automobile | Secondary & Post Secondary | 2029-12-01 | francistuttle.edu | |
| Francis Tuttle Technology Center | Oklahoma City | Collision Repair and Refinishing | Secondary & Post Secondary | 2025-04-01 | francistuttle.edu | |
| Francis Tuttle Technology Center-Reno | Oklahoma City | Automobile | Secondary & Post Secondary | 2028-11-01 | francistuttle.com | |
| Francis Tuttle Technology Center-Reno | Oklahoma City | Medium/Heavy Duty Truck | Post Secondary | 2029-06-01 | francistuttle.com | |
| Gordon Cooper Technology Center | Shawnee | Automobile | Secondary & Post Secondary | 2029-05-01 | gctech.edu | |
| Gordon Cooper Technology Center | Seminole | Automobile | Secondary & Post Secondary | 2028-06-01 | gctech.edu | |
| Gordon Cooper Technology Center | Shawnee | Collision Repair and Refinishing | Secondary & Post Secondary | 2028-05-01 | gctech.edu | |
| Great Plains Technology Center | Lawton | Automobile | AYES | Secondary & Post Secondary | 2028-04-01 | greatplains.edu |
| Great Plains Technology Center | Lawton | Collision Repair and Refinishing | Secondary & Post Secondary | 2028-02-01 | greatplains.edu | |
| Indian Capital Technology Center | Muskogee | Automobile | AYES | Secondary & Post Secondary | 2030-04-01 | ictctech.com |
| Indian Capital Technology Center | Tahlequah | Automobile | Secondary & Post Secondary | 2027-06-01 | ictech.edu | |
| Indian Capital Technology Center | Sallisaw | Automobile | Secondary & Post Secondary | 2027-06-01 | ictctech.com | |
| Indian Capital Technology Center | Muskogee | Collision Repair and Refinishing | Secondary & Post Secondary | 2030-04-01 | ictctech.com | |
| Indian Capital Technology Center | Tahlequah | Collision Repair and Refinishing | Secondary & Post Secondary | 2028-04-01 | ictech.edu | |
| Indian Capital Technology Center, Stilwell Campus | Stilwell | Automobile | Secondary & Post Secondary | 2026-10-01 | ictctech.com | |
| Kiamichi AVTS | Durant | Automobile | Secondary & Post Secondary | 2027-07-01 | ktc.edu | |
| Kiamichi Technology Center – Atoka Campus | Atoka | Automobile | Secondary & Post Secondary | 2028-05-01 | kiamichi-atoka.tec.ok.us | |
| Kiamichi Technology Center – Hugo Campus | Hugo | Collision Repair and Refinishing | Secondary & Post Secondary | 2028-06-01 | ktc.edu | |
| Kiamichi Technology Center – Idabel Campus | Idabel | Automobile | Secondary & Post Secondary | 2027-07-01 | kiamichi-idabel.tec.ok.us | |
| Kiamichi Technology Center – McAlester Campus | McAlester | Automobile | Secondary & Post Secondary | 2030-06-01 | kiamichi-mcalester.tec.ok.us | |
| Kiamichi Technology Center – Poteau Campus | Poteau | Automobile | AYES | Secondary & Post Secondary | 2030-06-01 | ktc.edu |
| Kiamichi Technology Center – Stigler Campus | Stigler | Automobile | Secondary & Post Secondary | 2028-06-01 | ||
| Meridian Technology Center | Stillwater | Automobile | Secondary & Post Secondary | 2026-03-01 | meridiantech.edu | |
| Meridian Technology Center | Stillwater | Collision Repair and Refinishing | Secondary & Post Secondary | 2030-07-01 | meridiantech.edu | |
| Metro Technology Centers – South Bryant Campus | Oklahoma City | Automobile | Secondary & Post Secondary | 2031-01-01 | metrotech.edu | |
| Mid-America Technology Center | Wayne | Automobile | AYES | Secondary & Post Secondary | 2029-06-01 | matech.edu |
| Mid-America Technology Center | Wayne | Collision Repair and Refinishing | AYES | Secondary & Post Secondary | 2028-01-01 | matech.edu |
| Mid-America Technology Center | Wayne | Medium/Heavy Duty Truck | AYES | Secondary & Post Secondary | 2029-06-01 | matech.edu |
| Moore Norman Technology Center | Norman | Automobile | AYES | Secondary & Post Secondary | 2029-02-01 | mntechnology.com |
| Moore Norman Technology Center | Norman | Collision Repair and Refinishing | Secondary & Post Secondary | 2029-04-01 | mntechnology.com | |
| Northwest Technology Center | Alva | Automobile | Secondary & Post Secondary | 2029-06-01 | nwtech.edu | |
| Northwest Technology Center | Fairview | Automobile | AYES | Secondary & Post Secondary | 2028-12-01 | nwtechonline.com |
| Oklahoma State University Institute of Technology | Okmulgee | Automobile | Ford ASSET | Post Secondary | 2030-06-01 | osuit.edu |
| Oklahoma State University Institute of Technology | Okmulgee | Automobile | Toyota T-TEN | Post Secondary | 2030-06-01 | osuit.edu |
| Oklahoma State University Institute of Technology | Okmulgee | Automobile | Mopar CAP | Post Secondary | 2030-06-01 | osuit.edu |
| Oklahoma State University Institute of Technology | Okmulgee | Automobile | GM ASEP | Post Secondary | 2026-09-01 | osuit.edu |
| Oklahoma State University Institute of Technology | Okmulgee | Automobile | Post Secondary | 2026-09-01 | osuit.edu | |
| Oklahoma Technical College | Tulsa | Automobile | Post Secondary | 2028-12-01 | oklahomatechnicalcollege.com | |
| Pioneer Technology Center | Ponca City | Automobile | Secondary & Post Secondary | 2028-04-01 | pioneertech.org | |
| Red River Technology Center | Duncan | Automobile | AYES | Secondary & Post Secondary | 2028-11-01 | redriver.tec.ok.us |
| Southern Tech | Ardmore | Automobile | Secondary & Post Secondary | 2031-05-01 | sotc.org | |
| Southwest Technology Center | Altus | Automobile | Secondary & Post Secondary | 2028-06-01 | swtech.edu | |
| Tri County Technology Center | Bartlesville | Automobile | Secondary & Post Secondary | 2028-06-01 | tricountytech.edu | |
| Tri County Technology Center | Bartlesville | Collision Repair and Refinishing | Secondary & Post Secondary | 2025-03-01 | tricountytech.edu | |
| Tulsa Technology Center, Broken Arrow | Broken Arrow | Automobile | AYES | Secondary & Post Secondary | 2029-07-01 | tulsatech.org |
| Tulsa Technology Center, Broken Arrow | Broken Arrow | Collision Repair and Refinishing | AYES | Secondary & Post Secondary | 2029-07-01 | tulsatech.org |
| Tulsa Technology Center, Broken Arrow | Broken Arrow | Medium/Heavy Duty Truck | AYES | Secondary & Post Secondary | 2029-07-01 | tulsatech.org |
| Western Technology Center | Burns Flat | Automobile | Secondary & Post Secondary | 2030-02-01 | wtc.ok.us | |
| Western Technology Center | Burns Flat | Collision Repair and Refinishing | Secondary & Post Secondary | 2028-04-01 | wtc.ok.us |
Two programs in the table have accreditation expiration dates that have already passed as of July 2026: Francis Tuttle Technology Center’s Collision Repair and Refinishing program (expired 2025-04-01) and Tri County Technology Center’s Collision Repair and Refinishing program (expired 2025-03-01). Contact these schools directly to confirm whether accreditation has been renewed before you enroll.
What you can earn in Oklahoma: wages by role
Pay varies a lot depending on which track you choose. The figures below come from BLS May 2025 OEWS data for Oklahoma.
Automotive service technicians and mechanics
This is the main career path for most graduates. Oklahoma has 8,870 people working in this role. The median annual wage is $46,560. That means half of all technicians in the state earn more than that and half earn less. At the bottom of the pay scale, the lowest 10 percent earn around $29,410. At the top, the highest 10 percent earn $81,480. The middle range, from the 25th to the 75th percentile, runs from $36,110 to $64,260.
That spread tells you something useful. Entry-level pay is modest, but experienced, certified technicians in Oklahoma can earn well above the median. Earning ASE certifications and building a specialty in areas like driveability or advanced electronics is the standard path to the upper end of that range.
Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists
If you choose the Medium/Heavy Duty Truck series, your earning potential shifts upward from the start. The median wage for this occupation in Oklahoma is $55,340, which is nearly $9,000 more per year than the auto tech median. Oklahoma has 3,970 workers in this field. The 10th percentile starts at $37,250, the 75th percentile reaches $62,580, and the 90th percentile is $76,130, according to BLS May 2025 OEWS data.
Several Oklahoma programs include Medium/Heavy Duty Truck accreditation, including Caddo Kiowa Technology Center, Francis Tuttle Technology Center-Reno, Mid-America Technology Center, and Tulsa Technology Center, Broken Arrow. If diesel work interests you, those are the programs to look at first.
Automotive body and related repairers
Collision Repair and Refinishing training leads to this occupation. The median wage in Oklahoma is $48,810, and the state employs 2,330 workers in the role. The pay range runs from $29,980 at the 10th percentile to $76,180 at the 90th percentile, per BLS May 2025 OEWS data. Body repair shops and dealership body departments are the typical employers. Oklahoma has accredited collision programs at more than a dozen schools, spread across the state from Burns Flat to Broken Arrow.
Automotive glass installers and repairers
This is a smaller specialty. Oklahoma has 150 workers in this occupation, with a median wage of $41,350. The 90th percentile reaches $53,290, which is lower than the ceiling for the other roles, according to BLS May 2025 OEWS data. Most technicians in this field move into it from a general auto tech background rather than training for it directly from the start.
How pay grows across a career
The gap between the 10th and 90th percentile for auto service technicians in Oklahoma is more than $52,000 a year. That gap reflects experience, certifications, and specialization. A technician who finishes a manufacturer-sponsored program and earns factory credentials typically moves through that range faster than one who starts with a general certificate. Moving from an independent shop to a franchised dealership can also shift pay, because dealerships often pay flat-rate wages tied to labor time rather than hourly wages, and a fast, experienced technician can earn more under that structure.
The diesel and truck path carries a higher median from the beginning and a shorter distance to the upper quartile. If you are choosing between an automobile program and a truck program, the wage data is a clear reason to consider diesel seriously.
How to choose a program
The right program depends on where you live, which series you want to study, and whether a manufacturer-sponsored placement matters to you.
If you want the highest-value credential and a paid dealer placement, OSUIT in Okmulgee is the only school in Oklahoma that runs manufacturer-sponsored programs. It has four of them. That is worth a commute or a relocation if you are serious about working at a franchised dealership.
If location matters more, the table above shows programs in nearly every part of the state. Technology centers that operate under the Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education generally cost less per credit hour than private technical institutes, though prices vary and you should confirm current figures directly with each school.
Check the accreditation expiration date for any program you are considering. A program whose accreditation expires soon is not necessarily a problem, since most programs renew without interruption. But if a date has already passed, contact the school and ask for the current status before you apply.
Contact the admissions office at two or three programs that interest you. Ask about program length, schedule options, and whether they have dealer or employer relationships in your area. Those conversations will tell you more than any website can.
Working as an Auto Mechanic in Oklahoma
Oklahoma is a great place to find success in the automotive industry. With many exciting opportunities, this state provides technicians with the perfect environment to excel and build a rewarding career. The ample educational options available ensure that those interested in the field are well-equipped with the skills necessary for success.
Sources:
- Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, https://www.bls.gov/oes/
- ASE Education Foundation, accredited programs data, https://www.aseeducationfoundation.org/