Becoming an Automotive Technician or Mechanic in Pennsylvania
The automotive industry in Pennsylvania demands that employees have post-secondary training and certification or a degree. Although it’s possible to find entry level positions with only a high school diploma, the majority of employers prefer candidates who possess more specialized knowledge gained from formal education.
Requirements for becoming an Automotive Service Technician in Pennsylvania
In Pennsylvania, auto mechanics do not need to have a professional license. However, they must complete a certificate or degree program at an approved technical school, college or university.
These programs cover the fundamentals of automotive repair, including:
- Automatic transmission
- Suspension systems
- Steering systems
- Fuel systems
- Brakes
- Automotive fuel
- Engine repair
- Engine performance
- Oil changes
- Air conditioning
Pennsylvania also requires that mechanics complete courses in environmental protection and safety, as well as be certified by the Environmental Protection Agency. This certification involves taking a test administered by the EPA.
Additionally, employers may require prospective automotive mechanics to pass written tests or demonstrate their ability to perform specific maintenance tasks like changing oil and brake repair.
Auto Mechanic Schools in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania has 29,400 working automotive service technicians and mechanics, making it one of the larger state labor markets for this trade in the country. The ASE Education Foundation has accredited 66 programs across 41 schools in the state, giving you more choices here than in most states. The full program listings appear in the tables below.
Two well-known private technical institutes with ASE-accredited programs in Pennsylvania are:
- Lincoln Technical Institute: Lincoln Tech’s Philadelphia campus offers ASE-accredited automobile training. Contact the campus directly for current program options, schedules, and enrollment information.
- Universal Technical Institute (UTI): UTI’s Exton campus holds ASE accreditation in both automobile and medium/heavy duty truck series. UTI also offers manufacturer-specific advanced training from brands including BMW, Ford, GM, Toyota, and others. Contact UTI directly for current program length and cost details.
ASE Certifications
Demonstrating proficiency and expertise in the auto repair industry is a valuable asset, and one way to do this is by achieving certification from the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE). To become certified, applicants need only pass one of their examinations or participate in recertification programs. Those who hold ASE certification have proven that they are knowledgeable experts within their trade – an accomplishment which can be renewed every five years either through retaking exams or participating in continuation courses.
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
- Parts specialist certification tests
- Damage analysis and estimating certification test
- Collision repair and refinish certification tests
- Light truck certification tests
- School bus certification tests
- Transit bus certification tests
- Alternate fuels certification test
Auto mechanic training in Pennsylvania
ASE accreditation means a program’s curriculum, equipment, and instructors have been reviewed and approved by the ASE Education Foundation. It is the benchmark employers look for when they hire new technicians. An accredited program is not a guarantee of a job, but it tells you the training meets a recognized national standard.
Manufacturer-sponsored programs in Pennsylvania
Seven programs in Pennsylvania are tied directly to an automaker. These are called OEM programs, short for original equipment manufacturer. They combine classroom study at a community college with paid work placements at franchised dealerships. You earn college credit, get hands-on training on brand-specific vehicles, and receive manufacturer certification when you finish. That combination makes them a stronger starting point than a general certificate alone.
The four OEM programs active in Pennsylvania are Ford ASSET, GM ASEP, Honda PACT, and Mopar CAP. Each one has a sponsoring dealer who pays part of your costs while you train. Seats are limited because each dealer only sponsors a small number of students at a time. If you want one of these spots, apply early and contact both the college and a local participating dealer.
All 7 manufacturer-sponsored programs in Pennsylvania:
| Institution | Location | Program | Series | Accreditation expires |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Community College of Allegheny County | Oakdale | GM ASEP | Automobile | November 2029 |
| Community College of Allegheny County | Oakdale | Ford ASSET | Automobile | November 2029 |
| Community College of Allegheny County | Oakdale | Mopar CAP | Automobile | November 2029 |
| Harrisburg Area Community College | Harrisburg | GM ASEP | Automobile | June 2028 |
| Northampton Community College | Bethlehem | Mopar CAP | Automobile | December 2028 |
| Northampton Community College | Bethlehem | GM ASEP | Automobile | December 2028 |
| Pennsylvania College of Technology | Williamsport | Honda PACT | Automobile | December 2029 |
All ASE-accredited post-secondary programs in Pennsylvania
Post-secondary programs are open to adults who have finished high school or earned a GED. They are the main path for anyone making a career change or entering the trade after graduation. Community colleges generally cost less per credit hour than private technical institutes, though specific costs vary and you should contact each school directly for current figures.
All 32 post-secondary programs in Pennsylvania (from a total of 66 ASE-accredited programs statewide across all levels):
| Institution | Location | Series | Program | Accreditation expires | Website |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Automotive Training Center | Exton | Automobile | General | July 2027 | autotraining.com |
| Automotive Training Center | Exton | Collision Repair and Refinishing | General | June 2027 | autotraining.com |
| Automotive Training Center @ Warminster | Warminster | Automobile | General | August 2027 | autotraining.edu |
| Automotive Training Center @ Warminster | Warminster | Collision Repair and Refinishing | General | August 2027 | autotraining.edu |
| Community College of Allegheny County | Oakdale | Automobile | GM ASEP | November 2029 | ccac.edu |
| Community College of Allegheny County | Oakdale | Automobile | Ford ASSET | November 2029 | ccac.edu |
| Community College of Allegheny County | Oakdale | Automobile | Mopar CAP | November 2029 | ccac.edu |
| Community College of Philadelphia | Philadelphia | Automobile | General | April 2029 | ccp.edu |
| Delaware County Community College | Media | Automobile | General | March 2030 | |
| Greater Altoona CTC @ Federal Correction Institute | Loretto | Automobile | General | June 2027 | gactc.edu |
| Harrisburg Area Community College | Harrisburg | Automobile | GM ASEP | June 2028 | hacc.edu |
| Harrisburg Area Community College | Harrisburg | Automobile | General | June 2028 | hacc.edu |
| Johnson College | Scranton | Automobile | General | June 2027 | johnson.edu |
| Lancaster Co. Career and Technology Center-Willow Street | Willow Street | Automobile | General | February 2027 | lcctc.org |
| Lehigh Career and Technical Institute | Schnecksville | Collision Repair and Refinishing | AYES | June 2028 | lcti.org |
| Lehigh Career and Technical Institute | Schnecksville | Medium/Heavy Duty Truck | AYES | June 2028 | lcti.org |
| Lincoln Technical Institute | Philadelphia | Automobile | General | February 2029 | lincolntech.edu |
| Northampton Community College | Bethlehem | Automobile | General | December 2028 | northampton.edu |
| Northampton Community College | Bethlehem | Automobile | Mopar CAP | December 2028 | northampton.edu |
| Northampton Community College | Bethlehem | Automobile | GM ASEP | December 2028 | northampton.edu |
| Pennsylvania College of Technology | Williamsport | Automobile | General | December 2029 | pct.edu |
| Pennsylvania College of Technology | Williamsport | Automobile | Honda PACT | December 2029 | pct.edu |
| Pennsylvania College of Technology | Williamsport | Collision Repair and Refinishing | General | December 2029 | pct.edu |
| Pennsylvania College of Technology | Williamsport | Medium/Heavy Duty Truck | General | March 2030 | pct.edu |
| Red Rock Job Corps Center | Lopez | Automobile | General | April 2030 | redrock.jobcorps.gov |
| Red Rock Job Corps Center | Lopez | Collision Repair and Refinishing | General | March 2028 | redrock.jobcorps.gov |
| Rosedale Technical College | Pittsburgh | Automobile | General | July 2028 | rosedaletech.org |
| Rosedale Technical College | Pittsburgh | Medium/Heavy Duty Truck | General | November 2028 | rosedaletech.org |
| Schuylkill Technology Center | Frackville | Automobile | General | April 2028 | |
| Universal Technical Institute | Exton | Automobile | General | July 2026 | uti.edu |
| Universal Technical Institute | Exton | Medium/Heavy Duty Truck | General | February 2028 | uti.edu |
| York County School of Technology | York | Automobile | General | June 2028 | ytech.edu |
Source: ASE Education Foundation program directory. Accreditation expiry dates are listed as provided. Verify current status with each institution before enrolling.
Programs for current high school students in Pennsylvania
This section is for you if you are still in high school. These 34 programs are secondary-level only. They are not open to adult career-changers. If you are already out of school, skip ahead to the post-secondary table above.
Fourteen of these programs carry the AYES designation. AYES stands for Automotive Youth Educational Systems. It is not a basic shop class. AYES is a structured pipeline that connects your high school training directly to franchised dealerships. You train on current vehicles, and when you graduate you already have a relationship with dealers who hire AYES completers. That head start matters: most general shop classes do not give you a named industry partner waiting on the other side.
If an AYES program is within reach for you, it is worth prioritizing. The training curriculum is the same ASE-accredited standard, but the dealer connection is built in from day one.
All 34 secondary programs in Pennsylvania (14 carry AYES designation):
| Institution | Location | Series | Program | Accreditation expires | Website |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bethlehem AVTS | Bethlehem | Automobile | AYES | February 2028 | |
| Bucks County Technical High School | Fairless Hills | Automobile | AYES | June 2027 | bcths.com |
| Career Tech Center of Lackawanna County | Scranton | Automobile | AYES | September 2027 | ctc.tec.pa.us |
| Central Montco Technical High School | Plymouth Meeting | Automobile | AYES | March 2030 | centralmontcotech.org |
| Central Montco Technical High School | Plymouth Meeting | Collision Repair and Refinishing | General | June 2028 | centralmontcotech.org |
| Central Pennsylvania Institute of Science and Technology | Pleasant Gap | Automobile | AYES | April 2025 | cpi.edu |
| Chester Co. Technical College High School, Brandywine | Downingtown | Automobile | General | November 2028 | |
| Chester Co. Technical College High School, Pennock’s Bridge | West Grove | Automobile | General | June 2029 | cciu.org |
| Chester Co. Technical College High School, Pickering Campus | Phoenixville | Automobile | General | June 2029 | cciu.org |
| Cumberland Perry Area Career and Technical Center | Mechanicsburg | Automobile | AYES | June 2028 | cpatech.org |
| Cumberland Perry Area Career and Technical Center | Mechanicsburg | Medium/Heavy Duty Truck | General | December 2024 | cpatech.org |
| Dauphin County Technical School | Harrisburg | Automobile | AYES | February 2026 | dcts.org |
| Delaware County Technical High School | Folcroft | Automobile | AYES | May 2028 | dciu.org |
| Eastern Center for Arts and Technology | Willow Grove | Automobile | AYES | February 2029 | eastech.org |
| Eastern Center for Arts and Technology | Willow Grove | Collision Repair and Refinishing | General | February 2029 | eastech.org |
| Eastern Westmoreland Career and Tech Center | Latrobe | Automobile | General | April 2031 | ewctc.net |
| Eastern Westmoreland Career and Tech Center | Latrobe | Collision Repair and Refinishing | General | June 2024 | ewctc.net |
| Indiana County Technology Center | Indiana | Automobile | General | February 2029 | ictc.ws |
| Lebanon Co. Career and Technology Center | Lebanon | Automobile | General | July 2025 | lcctc.k12.pa.us |
| Lebanon Co. Career and Technology Center | Lebanon | Collision Repair and Refinishing | General | February 2031 | lcctc.k12.pa.us |
| Lehigh Career and Technical Institute | Schnecksville | Automobile | General | August 2031 | lcti.org |
| Lenape Technical School | Ford City | Automobile | AYES | April 2029 | lenape.k12.pa.us |
| Middle Bucks Institute of Technology | Jamison | Automobile | AYES | June 2030 | MBIT.org |
| Monroe Career and Technical Institute | Bartonsville | Automobile | AYES | February 2028 | monroecti.org |
| Monroe Career and Technical Institute | Bartonsville | Medium/Heavy Duty Truck | General | June 2028 | monroecti.org |
| North Montco Technical Career Center | Lansdale | Automobile | AYES | June 2027 | nmtcc.org |
| North Montco Technical Career Center | Lansdale | Collision Repair and Refinishing | General | July 2027 | nmtcc.org |
| North Montco Technical Career Center | Lansdale | Medium/Heavy Duty Truck | General | June 2030 | nmtcc.org |
| Parkway West CTC | Oakdale | Collision Repair and Refinishing | General | June 2027 | |
| Reading Muhlenberg Career and Technology Center | Reading | Automobile | General | February 2029 | rmctc.org |
| Schuylkill Technology Center | Frackville | Medium/Heavy Duty Truck | General | April 2028 | |
| Wallenpaupack Area High School | Hawley | Automobile | General | February 2030 | wallenpaupack.org |
| Western Montgomery Career and Technology Center | Limerick | Automobile | AYES | August 2028 | |
| York County School of Technology | York | Automobile | General | June 2028 | ytech.edu |
Source: ASE Education Foundation program directory. Some accreditation dates shown are past the current date; contact the institution directly to confirm current status before applying. Accreditation renewal is a routine process and a lapsed date does not always mean the program has closed.
What you can earn in Pennsylvania: wages by role
Pay in this trade varies a lot depending on which specialty you go into. The figures below come from BLS May 2025 OEWS data and cover all employed workers in each role statewide, from entry-level to senior technician.
Automotive service technicians and mechanics
This is the core role most programs train you for. Pennsylvania employs 29,400 people in this occupation. The median wage is $49,800 per year. That means half of all technicians earn more than that and half earn less. The bottom 10 percent earn around $35,600. The top 10 percent earn $77,630 or more. The middle of the range, between the 25th and 75th percentiles, runs from $40,010 to $62,780.
Those numbers tell you something useful about career progression. Starting out, you can expect to be in the lower range. As you build certifications and experience, your pay moves toward the median and then past it. The jump from the 25th to the 75th percentile is more than $22,000 per year. That gap is real, and training quality has a direct effect on how fast you close it.
Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists
If you train in medium and heavy duty trucks, your earnings outlook is higher. Pennsylvania employs 12,630 people in this specialty. The median wage is $61,740. The bottom 10 percent earn $45,910. The top 10 percent earn $80,440. The 25th to 75th percentile range runs from $51,060 to $73,000. At every level of the range, diesel and truck specialists earn more than general automotive technicians in Pennsylvania. Several programs in the post-secondary table above, including those at Pennsylvania College of Technology, Rosedale Technical College, and Universal Technical Institute, include a medium and heavy duty truck series alongside their automobile program.
Automotive body and related repairers
Collision repair is a separate specialty with its own pay scale. Pennsylvania employs 6,650 people in this role. The median wage is $53,660. The bottom 10 percent earn $34,840. The top 10 percent earn $78,310. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $45,530 to $63,610. Several schools in both the post-secondary and secondary tables offer ASE-accredited collision repair programs, including Pennsylvania College of Technology, Automotive Training Center, and North Montco Technical Career Center.
Automotive glass installers and repairers
This is a smaller specialty. Pennsylvania employs 510 people in this role. The median wage is $48,350. The bottom 10 percent earn $36,500. The top 10 percent earn $61,690. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $45,870 to $60,240. The compressed top-end range, compared to other specialties, reflects the narrower scope of the work.
How pay progresses across a career
The pattern across all four roles is the same: starting wages sit well below the median, and senior wages can be significantly above it. In automotive service, the difference between the 10th and 90th percentile is over $42,000 per year. Technicians who earn multiple ASE certifications and add manufacturer-specific credentials tend to move through that range faster. An OEM program from the list above gives you manufacturer certification before you are even hired, which puts you ahead of candidates who train in a general program and certify later.
Diesel and truck mechanics consistently earn the highest wages at every percentile point shown here. If you are deciding between a general automobile program and a truck program, the wage data supports the truck path for higher lifetime earnings, though both are solid choices depending on the kind of work you want to do day to day.
Working as an Auto Mechanic in Pennsylvania
Automotive technicians in Pennsylvania need to be detail-oriented and have excellent analytical skills. They should also possess mechanical aptitude, manual dexterity and the ability to work in a fast-paced environment. Technicians in this field must also possess customer service skills in order to effectively communicate with customers about their vehicle needs.
An Automotive career in Pennsylvania can be a rewarding experience. With the right training, certification and experience, automotive technicians can expect to make a decent living while performing meaningful work every day.
How to choose a program
Start by deciding which series fits your goals: automobile, collision repair, or medium and heavy duty truck. Then look at location and level. If you are still in high school, the secondary programs are your entry point, and an AYES program gives you the most direct line to a dealer job after graduation. If you are out of school, the 32 post-secondary programs in the table above are your options.
If you want the strongest possible start, look at the seven manufacturer-sponsored programs first. Seats are competitive, so contact the college and a participating dealer at the same time. If an OEM program is not available near you, any of the other ASE-accredited programs in the post-secondary list is a solid choice.
Check each program’s accreditation expiry date before you apply. A current expiry date means the program has been reviewed recently and met the ASE standard. Contact the school directly to confirm status and get current enrollment details.
Use the program tables on this page to build your shortlist, then visit each school’s website to request information and schedule a tour.
Sources:
- Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, https://www.bls.gov/ooh/installation-maintenance-and-repair/automotive-service-technicians-and-mechanics.htm
- BLS May 2025 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes493023.htm
- National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE), https://www.ase.com/Home.aspx
- ASE Education Foundation program directory, https://www.aseeducationfoundation.org