How to become Automotive Technician or Mechanic in South Carolina
Automotive technicians, or mechanics, work on the various systems that keep automobiles running smoothly. This can involve anything from performing maintenance checks to replacing parts and making adjustments. Some may choose to specialize in a specific area such as transmission work or engine repair.
Requirements for becoming an Automotive Service Technician in South Carolina
While South Carolina auto mechanics don’t need a license from the state, employers may require the completion of a certification program as requirements vary from employer to employer. However, most employers require applicants to have at least a high school diploma, or equivalent. Additionally, experience in the field may be beneficial, so attending an automotive service technology program or receiving job-specific training can give you an edge when applying for jobs.
Those who choose to pursue a higher education by enrolling in an auto mechanic training program can expect to learn about some of the following topics:
- Electrical systems
- Collision repair
- Engine performance
- Automotive diagnosis
- Brake repair
- Fuel systems
- Air conditioning
- Engine fundamentals
- Diagnostics
- Automotive safety
- Automatic transmissions
In addition to learning these topics in a classroom setting, those who are enrolled in an automotive service technology program may also have the opportunity to gain hands-on experience by working with trained professionals. This can help prepare them for the challenges they will face when entering the workforce.
Auto Mechanic Schools in South Carolina
South Carolina has 13,420 working automotive service technicians and mechanics, according to BLS May 2025 OEWS data. That workforce is spread across a strong network of technical colleges, manufacturer-sponsored programs, and high school career centers. Auto mechanic programs are accredited by the ASE Education Foundation, the recognized quality standard for automotive training in the US. Employers know what an ASE-accredited graduate has studied. Those who complete a program at one of South Carolina’s ASE-accredited schools can apply to become certified by the Automotive Service Excellence (ASE).
ASE Certification
ASE Certification is offered by the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence. This certification lets others know that the mechanic has met a certain level of experience and knowledge in auto technology.
There are over 40 ASE certification exams, all covering different areas of expertise, some of which include:
- Damage analysis and estimating certification test
- Parts specialist certification tests
- Transit bus certification tests
- School bus certification tests
- Engine machinist certification tests
- Alternate fuels certification test
- Truck equipment certification tests
To become ASE certified, mechanics must pass at least one of these exams and have two years of relevant work experience.
Manufacturer-sponsored programs: Ford ASSET, GM ASEP, and Honda PACT
These three programs give you the strongest start in the trade. Each one pairs college coursework with a paid placement at a franchise dealership. You earn college credit, get hands-on time on real customer vehicles, and finish with a manufacturer-specific certification that dealers recognize immediately. That combination is harder to match with a general automotive certificate.
All three programs in South Carolina hold ASE accreditation. There are 3 manufacturer-sponsored programs available:
| School | City | Program | Series | Accreditation expires |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Greenville Technical College | Greenville | Honda PACT | Automobile | March 2027 |
| Greenville Technical College | Greenville | GM ASEP | Automobile | March 2027 |
| Spartanburg Community College | Spartanburg | Ford ASSET | Automobile | June 2030 |
How each program works
Ford ASSET (Automotive Student Service Educational Training) is run with Ford and Lincoln dealers. You alternate between classroom semesters at Spartanburg Community College and hands-on work terms at a sponsoring dealership. The dealer pays you during work terms. When you finish, you hold a Ford-recognized credential alongside your college award.
GM ASEP (Automotive Service Educational Program) works the same way with General Motors and its dealer network. Greenville Technical College runs the program. Your dealer sponsor pays you during shop rotations, and GM provides training materials and tooling support.
Honda PACT (Professional Automotive Career Training) connects you with Honda and Acura dealers. Also at Greenville Technical College, this program follows the same alternating model: class, then shop, then class again. Honda’s technical curriculum goes deep on its own platforms, which makes graduates particularly attractive to Honda and Acura service departments.
For all three programs, you need to secure a dealer sponsor before you start, or sometimes the school helps match you. Contact the program coordinator at the school first to understand the current process.
All post-secondary ASE-accredited programs in South Carolina
Below are all 11 post-secondary programs in South Carolina that hold current ASE accreditation. These are the programs open to adults and career-changers. The 3 manufacturer-sponsored programs listed above are included here because they are post-secondary programs, but they are described in full in the section above.
Community colleges in this list generally cost less per credit hour than private technical institutes, though no specific tuition figures are included here because costs change frequently. Contact each school directly for current figures.
| School | City | Series | Program | Accreditation expires | Website |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Central Carolina Technical College | Sumter | Automobile | General | July 2030 | cctech.edu |
| Florence-Darlington Technical College | Florence | Automobile | General | March 2030 | fdtc.edu |
| Greenville Technical College | Greenville | Automobile | Honda PACT | March 2027 | gvltec.edu |
| Greenville Technical College | Greenville | Automobile | General | March 2027 | gvltec.edu |
| Greenville Technical College | Greenville | Automobile | GM ASEP | March 2027 | gvltec.edu |
| Greenville Technical College | Greenville | Medium/Heavy Duty Truck | General | September 2027 | gvltec.edu |
| Midlands Technical College | Columbia | Automobile | General | September 2029 | midlandstech.edu |
| Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical College | Orangeburg | Automobile | General | April 2029 | octech.edu |
| Piedmont Technical College | Greenwood | Automobile | General | May 2028 | ptc.edu |
| Spartanburg Community College | Spartanburg | Automobile | Ford ASSET | June 2030 | sccsc.edu |
| York Technical College | Rock Hill | Automobile | General | October 2028 | yorktech.com |
Greenville Technical College is the only school in South Carolina with three separate ASE-accredited post-secondary programs, including both a GM ASEP and a Honda PACT track alongside its general automobile program and a medium/heavy truck program.
High school programs: start training before you graduate
If you are currently in high school, you can get a head start in automotive technology through an ASE-accredited secondary program. These programs are for current high school students only. They are not open to adults making a career change. The content below is written directly to you as a student.
Six of the 13 high school programs below carry AYES designation. AYES stands for Automotive Youth Educational Systems. It is a structured pipeline from high school into a franchise dealership, not just a shop class. AYES programs connect you directly with local dealers who provide mentorship and, in many cases, a job offer when you finish. That is a meaningful difference from a standard automotive elective.
If you are in a district with an AYES program, starting there can put you ahead of peers who begin at the post-secondary level. You finish high school with verifiable shop hours, a dealer contact, and a clear path to a technical college program or a full-time dealership position.
All 13 high school ASE-accredited programs in South Carolina are listed below. Programs marked AYES carry that designation from the Automotive Youth Educational Systems organization.
Note that Sumter Career and Technology Center holds two separate ASE accreditations: one for Automobile and one for Collision Repair and Refinishing. If you are interested in body work and painting as well as mechanical work, that gives you two tracks in one location.
Some accreditations in this list expire in late 2026. If you are planning ahead, confirm current status directly with the school before you commit to a program.
Career Outlook and Salary Expectations
Pay varies significantly depending on which area of the trade you go into. The figures below come from BLS May 2025 OEWS data for South Carolina. Job openings can be found at dealerships, independent garages, and other establishments that specialize in automotive repair and service. Individuals with the knowledge and experience necessary to successfully perform automotive repair services are likely to have no trouble finding employment as a mechanic in South Carolina.
Wages by role in South Carolina
Automotive service technicians and mechanics
This is the largest group in the state, with 13,420 people employed. The median wage is $48,100 per year. That means half of all working technicians in South Carolina earn more than that figure and half earn less. The 10th percentile, meaning those just starting out or working in lower-paying shops, earn around $31,200. Experienced technicians at the top of the pay scale, the 90th percentile, reach $78,030.
Here is how the earnings spread looks across the career path:
- Entry level (10th percentile): $31,200
- Early career (25th percentile): $37,430
- Median: $48,100
- Experienced (75th percentile): $63,610
- Top earners (90th percentile): $78,030
The gap between the 25th and 75th percentile is about $26,000. That gap reflects real differences in specialization, certification level, and employer type. A technician with ASE master certification working at a franchise dealership will typically sit closer to the 75th percentile than one without credentials doing oil changes at a quick-lube shop.
Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists
If you go into diesel and heavy vehicles, pay is higher at every level. The median for this group in South Carolina is $59,330, which is about $11,000 more per year than the median for general automotive technicians. The state employs 3,360 people in this role. The 90th percentile earns $76,670.
- Entry level (10th percentile): $41,440
- Early career (25th percentile): $48,510
- Median: $59,330
- Experienced (75th percentile): $65,690
- Top earners (90th percentile): $76,670
Greenville Technical College is the only school in this list with an ASE-accredited medium/heavy duty truck program at the post-secondary level. If diesel is your goal, that program is worth a close look.
Automotive body and related repairers
Body repair technicians in South Carolina earn a median of $53,290 per year. That sits between the auto tech median and the diesel median. There are 2,140 people in this role statewide. Top earners reach $78,110 at the 90th percentile, which is the highest 90th-percentile figure of any group on this page.
- Entry level (10th percentile): $37,540
- Early career (25th percentile): $47,220
- Median: $53,290
- Experienced (75th percentile): $63,080
- Top earners (90th percentile): $78,110
Sumter Career and Technology Center offers an ASE-accredited Collision Repair and Refinishing program at the secondary level. If you want to work in body repair, building that foundation in high school and then continuing at a post-secondary program is a practical path.
Automotive glass installers and repairers
This is a smaller, more specialized role. South Carolina employs 440 glass specialists with a median wage of $46,180. The earnings range is narrower than other roles, with the 90th percentile at $55,960. This is the lower-ceiling specialty in the trade.
- Entry level (10th percentile): $27,040
- Early career (25th percentile): $44,570
- Median: $46,180
- Experienced (75th percentile): $48,210
- Top earners (90th percentile): $55,960
How role choice affects your career earnings
If you are deciding which direction to take your training, the wage data gives you a clear frame. Diesel and truck work pays the most at the median. Body repair pays well at the top end. General automotive technology has the widest range, which means specialization and credentials matter more in that track than in any other.
The jump from the 25th to the 75th percentile for general auto technicians is $26,180. For diesel specialists it is $17,180. That tells you that in general automotive work, the spread between a less-qualified and a well-qualified technician is larger. Training quality and ASE certifications make a bigger financial difference in that role.
Next steps
You now have a complete picture of every ASE-accredited program in South Carolina, from high school career centers to manufacturer-sponsored college programs, along with current wage data for each area of the trade. The next step is to contact the schools that match your location, your current education level, and your target role.
If you qualify for a manufacturer-sponsored program, start there first. Contact Greenville Technical College about GM ASEP or Honda PACT, or contact Spartanburg Community College about Ford ASSET. Ask about dealer sponsorship availability before you apply, because those spots fill on a separate timeline from general admissions.
If you are still in high school, find the program closest to you in the secondary table above and ask your school counselor whether your district has a transfer agreement with a post-secondary program. Many do, and that can shorten the time to your first credential.
Use the links in the tables above to go directly to each school’s program page and get current enrollment dates and admission requirements.
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