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Mechanics & Repairers

What Mechanics & Repairers Majors Need to Know

Studies in Mechanics & Repairers develop a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Mechanics & Repairers graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

According to O*NET, a major in Mechanics & Repairers emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• Mechanical — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• Administration and Management — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• English Language — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 3.4 / 7.
• Customer and Personal Service — Importance 3.3 / 5; level 3.6 / 7.
• Administrative — Importance 3.3 / 5; level 3.5 / 7.

^{Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*}

Skills

The skill set developed in a Mechanics & Repairers program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Monitoring — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.7 / 7.
• Judgment and Decision Making — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.5 / 7.
• Speaking — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 3.6 / 7.
• Coordination — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 3.6 / 7.

Abilities

The cognitive and physical abilities most relevant to Mechanics & Repairers careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Near Vision — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.
• Deductive Reasoning — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 3.7 / 7.
• Oral Expression — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.
• Problem Sensitivity — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 3.8 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Mechanics & Repairers graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.3 / 7
Getting Information	4.3 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.2 / 7
Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings	4.2 / 7
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work	4.2 / 7
Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards	4.1 / 7
Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment	4.1 / 7
Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials	4.0 / 7
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events	3.9 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	3.9 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Mechanics & Repairers professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Email software	Electronic mail software	—
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	—
Autodesk AutoCAD	Computer aided design CAD software	—
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
SAP software	Enterprise resource planning ERP software	—
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	✓
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	✓
Maintenance management software	Facilities management software	—
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	—
Oracle Primavera Enterprise Project Portfolio Management	Project management software	—
Inventory management software	Inventory management software	—
ComputerEase construction accounting software	Project management software	—

^{Source: ONET Online technology skills, weighted across related occupations.*}

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Mechanics & Repairers graduates include:

• Cooler Service Supervisor
• Service and Repair Supervisor
• Pump Servicer Supervisor
• Endless Track Vehicle Supervisor
• Protective Signal Superintendent
• Instrument Mechanics Supervisor
• Appliance Service Supervisor
• Aircraft Maintenance Supervisor
• Marine Service Manager
• Grip Boss
• Canal Equipment Maintenance Supervisor
• Roundhouse Supervisor
• Motor Equipment Commanding Officer
• Maintenance Foreman
• Meter Superintendent

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to Mechanics & Repairers graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
High school diploma or equivalent	57.3%
Some college courses	15.7%
Postsecondary certificate	15.1%
Bachelor’s degree	5.5%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	2.7%
Less than a high school diploma	2.2%
Doctoral degree	1.5%

^{Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*}

How Much Do Mechanics & Repairers Graduates Earn?

College Scorecard reports median earnings of Mechanics & Repairers graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Wages typically rise steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$24,070
4 years	$19,553
5 years	$22,196

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $22,196 — roughly -8% above the 1-year mark.

^{Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.}

Online Mechanics & Repairers Programs

Fully online options are documented by IPEDS for Mechanics & Repairers. The table below shows how many graduates earned at least some of their coursework online (Distance-Ed Available) versus completing the entire program online (Distance-Ed Only).

Award Level	Distance-Ed Available	Distance-Ed Only
Associate’s	1	0

^{Distance-Ed Only = degrees completed entirely online; Distance-Ed Available = degrees including at least some online coursework. Source: IPEDS Completions by Distance Education status.}

Is a Degree in Mechanics & Repairers Worth It?

On the earnings side, the federal earnings tracker, Mechanics & Repairers graduates earn a median of $19,553 four years after completion — about 49% below the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000). On earnings alone, this program does not show an income premium over the baseline; non-financial outcomes (career interests, certification requirements, advancement potential) are typically the stronger argument for fields in this range.

^{ROI estimate compares the program’s 4-yr median earnings against the 2023 BLS CPS median earnings for high-school-only workers. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + BLS Current Population Survey.}

Related Programs

You may also be interested in these closely related fields of study:

Program	Annual Degrees Awarded
Mechanical Repair Technologies	121,176
Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technology/Technician, General	74,567
Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR)	23,253
Electrical/Electronics Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians	9,559
Heavy/Industrial Equipment Maintenance Technologies/Technicians	8,925
Precision Systems Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians	2,926
Mechanic and Repair Technologies/Technicians, Other	1,335
Energy Systems Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians	178

References

The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students and international students. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

More about our data sources and methodologies.