Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians programs in California
181 schools in California teach this, at certificate or associate level. 25 of them report what graduates earn two years out; the highest is $52,107 at San Joaquin Valley College-Trades Education Center.
What this work pays in California
Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics in California earn a median of $64,980 a year across 65,420 jobs. That is what the occupation pays everyone in it — not what graduates of any one program below earned.
| Also leads to | Median | Jobs in California |
|---|---|---|
| First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers | $93,660 | 51,670 |
| Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists | $73,950 | 20,940 |
| Automotive Body and Related Repairers | $66,860 | 14,050 |
| Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians | $86,100 | 12,590 |
| Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | $52,950 | 11,570 |
Occupation wages: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2025.
Schools
| School | Credential | Median debt | Graduate earnings, 2 yrs | Graduates |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Joaquin Valley College-Trades Education Center Fresno | Associate's degree | $20,125 | $52,107 (52 grads) | 4 |
| San Joaquin Valley College-Visalia Visalia | Associate's degree | $20,125 | $52,107 (52 grads) | — |
| Cypress College Cypress | Associate's degree | — | $50,856 (13 grads) | 17 |
| Skyline College San Bruno | Associate's degree | — | $43,798 (11 grads) | 8 |
| Santa Ana College Santa Ana | Undergraduate certificate | — | $42,682 (12 grads) | 34 |
| Santa Rosa Junior College Santa Rosa | Undergraduate certificate | — | $42,682 (12 grads) | 124 |
| Spartan College of Aeronautics & Technology Inglewood | Undergraduate certificate | $20,000 | $40,919 (295 grads) | 140 |
| Spartan College of Aeronautics and Technology Riverside | Undergraduate certificate | $20,000 | $40,919 (295 grads) | 71 |
| Spartan College of Aeronautics & Technology Inglewood | Associate's degree | $22,087 | $39,009 (32 grads) | 53 |
| Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Fremont Fremont | Undergraduate certificate | $32,488 | $38,289 (80 grads) | 119 |
| San Joaquin Delta College Stockton | Associate's degree | — | $37,568 (14 grads) | 7 |
| San Diego Miramar College San Diego | Undergraduate certificate | — | $36,674 (28 grads) | 66 |
| American River College Sacramento | Associate's degree | — | $36,141 (14 grads) | 7 |
| Universal Technical Institute of California Inc Rancho Cucamonga | Associate's degree | $17,336 | $35,996 (1,252 grads) | 469 |
| Universal Technical Institute-Southern California Long Beach | Associate's degree | $17,336 | $35,996 (1,252 grads) | 391 |
| Universal Technical Institute of California Inc Rancho Cucamonga | Undergraduate certificate | $13,132 | $35,686 (3,543 grads) | 94 |
| Universal Technical Institute-Southern California Long Beach | Undergraduate certificate | $13,132 | $35,686 (3,543 grads) | 147 |
| San Bernardino Valley College San Bernardino | Undergraduate certificate | — | $33,281 (11 grads) | 55 |
| Universal Technical Institute of Northern California Inc Sacramento | Undergraduate certificate | $13,448 | $31,835 (3,262 grads) | 177 |
| CET-Colton Colton | Undergraduate certificate | $7,251 | $27,126 (43 grads) | 24 |
| CET-San Jose San Jose | Undergraduate certificate | $7,251 | $27,126 (43 grads) | 19 |
| UEI College-Gardena Gardena | Undergraduate certificate | $9,500 | $26,933 (86 grads) | 91 |
| UEI College-Sacramento Sacramento | Undergraduate certificate | $9,500 | $26,933 (86 grads) | 55 |
| Baldwin Park Adult & Community Education Baldwin Park | Undergraduate certificate | — | $24,421 (22 grads) | 4 |
| Hacienda La Puente Adult Education La Puente | Undergraduate certificate | — | $23,803 (20 grads) | — |
| Los Angeles Trade Technical College Los Angeles | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 157 |
| Los Angeles Trade Technical College Los Angeles | Associate's degree | — | not published | 24 |
| San Joaquin Valley College-Trades Education Center Fresno | Undergraduate certificate | $20,000 | not published | 35 |
| San Joaquin Valley College-Visalia Visalia | Undergraduate certificate | $20,000 | not published | — |
| UEI College-Bakersfield Bakersfield | Undergraduate certificate | $9,500 | not published | 99 |
| UEI College-Chula Vista Chula Vista | Undergraduate certificate | $9,500 | not published | 113 |
| UEI College-Fresno Fresno | Undergraduate certificate | $9,500 | not published | — |
| UEI College-Garden Grove Garden Grove | Undergraduate certificate | $9,500 | not published | 64 |
| UEI College-Huntington Park Huntington Park | Undergraduate certificate | $9,500 | not published | — |
| UEI College-Oceanside Oceanside | Undergraduate certificate | $9,500 | not published | 83 |
| UEI College-West Covina West Covina | Undergraduate certificate | $9,500 | not published | 102 |
| Universal Technical Institute of Northern California Inc Sacramento | Associate's degree | $17,331 | not published | 406 |
| Victor Valley College Victorville | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 172 |
| Academy of Art University San Francisco | Associate's degree | — | not published | 1 |
| Allan Hancock College Santa Maria | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 20 |
| Allan Hancock College Santa Maria | Associate's degree | — | not published | 27 |
| American River College Sacramento | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 16 |
| Antelope Valley Community College District Lancaster | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 443 |
| Antelope Valley Community College District Lancaster | Associate's degree | — | not published | 154 |
| Bakersfield College Bakersfield | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 91 |
| Bakersfield College Bakersfield | Associate's degree | — | not published | 12 |
| Barstow Community College Barstow | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 10 |
| Barstow Community College Barstow | Associate's degree | — | not published | 10 |
| Butte College Oroville | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 16 |
| Butte College Oroville | Associate's degree | — | not published | 7 |
| California Aeronautical University Bakersfield | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 0 |
| California Aeronautical University Bakersfield | Associate's degree | — | not published | 0 |
| Cerritos College Norwalk | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 34 |
| Cerritos College Norwalk | Associate's degree | — | not published | 21 |
| Chabot College Hayward | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 34 |
| Chabot College Hayward | Associate's degree | — | not published | 15 |
| Chaffey College Rancho Cucamonga | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 42 |
| Chaffey College Rancho Cucamonga | Associate's degree | — | not published | 26 |
| Citrus College Glendora | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 53 |
| Citrus College Glendora | Associate's degree | — | not published | 12 |
| City College of San Francisco San Francisco | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 9 |
| City College of San Francisco San Francisco | Associate's degree | — | not published | 3 |
| College of Alameda Alameda | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 76 |
| College of Alameda Alameda | Associate's degree | — | not published | 31 |
| College of Marin Kentfield | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 8 |
| College of Marin Kentfield | Associate's degree | — | not published | 1 |
| College of the Canyons Santa Clarita | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 8 |
| College of the Canyons Santa Clarita | Associate's degree | — | not published | 6 |
| College of the Desert Palm Desert | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 4 |
| College of the Desert Palm Desert | Associate's degree | — | not published | 8 |
| College of the Redwoods Eureka | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 2 |
| College of the Redwoods Eureka | Associate's degree | — | not published | 1 |
| College of the Sequoias Visalia | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 163 |
| College of the Sequoias Visalia | Associate's degree | — | not published | 12 |
| Columbia College Sonora | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 14 |
| Columbia College Sonora | Associate's degree | — | not published | 3 |
| Compton College Compton | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 30 |
| Compton College Compton | Associate's degree | — | not published | 3 |
| Contra Costa College San Pablo | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 17 |
| Contra Costa College San Pablo | Associate's degree | — | not published | 4 |
| Copper Mountain Community College Joshua Tree | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 9 |
| Copper Mountain Community College Joshua Tree | Associate's degree | — | not published | 3 |
| Cosumnes River College Sacramento | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 44 |
| Cosumnes River College Sacramento | Associate's degree | — | not published | 5 |
| Cuesta College San Luis Obispo | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 8 |
| Cuesta College San Luis Obispo | Associate's degree | — | not published | 7 |
| Cuyamaca College El Cajon | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 5 |
| Cuyamaca College El Cajon | Associate's degree | — | not published | 9 |
| Cypress College Cypress | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 223 |
| De Anza College Cupertino | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 92 |
| De Anza College Cupertino | Associate's degree | — | not published | 32 |
| East Los Angeles College Monterey Park | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 22 |
| East Los Angeles College Monterey Park | Associate's degree | — | not published | 11 |
| El Camino Community College District Torrance | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 28 |
| El Camino Community College District Torrance | Associate's degree | — | not published | 11 |
| Evergreen Valley College San Jose | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 31 |
| Evergreen Valley College San Jose | Associate's degree | — | not published | 4 |
| Fresno City College Fresno | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 9 |
| Fresno City College Fresno | Associate's degree | — | not published | 10 |
| Fullerton College Fullerton | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 15 |
| Fullerton College Fullerton | Associate's degree | — | not published | 11 |
| Gavilan College Gilroy | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 37 |
| Gavilan College Gilroy | Associate's degree | — | not published | 2 |
| Golden West College Huntington Beach | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 38 |
| Golden West College Huntington Beach | Associate's degree | — | not published | 19 |
| Hartnell College Salinas | Associate's degree | — | not published | 15 |
| Imperial Valley College Imperial | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 9 |
| Imperial Valley College Imperial | Associate's degree | — | not published | 5 |
| Irvine Valley College Irvine | Associate's degree | — | not published | 0 |
| Las Positas College Livermore | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 19 |
| Las Positas College Livermore | Associate's degree | — | not published | 17 |
| Lassen Community College Susanville | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 2 |
| Lassen Community College Susanville | Associate's degree | — | not published | 1 |
| Long Beach City College Long Beach | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 66 |
| Long Beach City College Long Beach | Associate's degree | — | not published | 9 |
| Los Angeles Pierce College Woodland Hills | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 20 |
| Los Angeles Pierce College Woodland Hills | Associate's degree | — | not published | 3 |
| Los Angeles Southwest College Los Angeles | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | — |
| Los Medanos College Pittsburg | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 19 |
| Los Medanos College Pittsburg | Associate's degree | — | not published | 12 |
| Mendocino College Ukiah | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 7 |
| Mendocino College Ukiah | Associate's degree | — | not published | 1 |
| Merced College Merced | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 58 |
| Merced College Merced | Associate's degree | — | not published | 6 |
| MiraCosta College Oceanside | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 36 |
| MiraCosta College Oceanside | Associate's degree | — | not published | 10 |
| Mission College Santa Clara | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 17 |
| Modesto Junior College Modesto | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 26 |
| Modesto Junior College Modesto | Associate's degree | — | not published | 8 |
| Monterey Peninsula College Monterey | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 3 |
| Monterey Peninsula College Monterey | Associate's degree | — | not published | 2 |
| Mt San Antonio College Walnut | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 17 |
| Mt San Antonio College Walnut | Associate's degree | — | not published | 12 |
| Mt San Jacinto Community College District San Jacinto | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 9 |
| Mt San Jacinto Community College District San Jacinto | Associate's degree | — | not published | 2 |
| Orange Coast College Costa Mesa | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 50 |
| Orange Coast College Costa Mesa | Associate's degree | — | not published | 11 |
| Oxnard College Oxnard | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 28 |
| Oxnard College Oxnard | Associate's degree | — | not published | 8 |
| Palo Verde College Blythe | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 3 |
| Palo Verde College Blythe | Associate's degree | — | not published | 1 |
| Palomar College San Marcos | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 23 |
| Palomar College San Marcos | Associate's degree | — | not published | 9 |
| Pasadena City College Pasadena | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 161 |
| Pasadena City College Pasadena | Associate's degree | — | not published | 5 |
| Reedley College Reedley | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 29 |
| Reedley College Reedley | Associate's degree | — | not published | 13 |
| Rio Hondo College Whittier | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 85 |
| Rio Hondo College Whittier | Associate's degree | — | not published | 18 |
| Riverside City College Riverside | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 43 |
| Riverside City College Riverside | Associate's degree | — | not published | 19 |
| Sacramento City College Sacramento | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 15 |
| Sacramento City College Sacramento | Associate's degree | — | not published | 9 |
| Saddleback College Mission Viejo | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 25 |
| Saddleback College Mission Viejo | Associate's degree | — | not published | 7 |
| San Bernardino Valley College San Bernardino | Associate's degree | — | not published | 21 |
| San Diego Mesa College San Diego | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | — |
| San Diego Mesa College San Diego | Associate's degree | — | not published | — |
| San Diego Miramar College San Diego | Associate's degree | — | not published | 11 |
| San Joaquin Delta College Stockton | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 32 |
| Santa Ana College Santa Ana | Associate's degree | — | not published | 17 |
| Santa Barbara City College Santa Barbara | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 4 |
| Santa Barbara City College Santa Barbara | Associate's degree | — | not published | 3 |
| Santa Rosa Junior College Santa Rosa | Associate's degree | — | not published | 3 |
| Shasta College Redding | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 10 |
| Shasta College Redding | Associate's degree | — | not published | 7 |
| Sierra College Rocklin | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 0 |
| Sierra College Rocklin | Associate's degree | — | not published | 0 |
| Skyline College San Bruno | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 0 |
| Solano Community College Fairfield | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 20 |
| Solano Community College Fairfield | Associate's degree | — | not published | 0 |
| Southwestern College Chula Vista | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 18 |
| Southwestern College Chula Vista | Associate's degree | — | not published | 8 |
| Ventura College Ventura | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 92 |
| Ventura College Ventura | Associate's degree | — | not published | 6 |
| Victor Valley College Victorville | Associate's degree | — | not published | 11 |
| West Los Angeles College Culver City | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 95 |
| West Los Angeles College Culver City | Associate's degree | — | not published | 16 |
| West Valley College Saratoga | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 0 |
| Yuba College Marysville | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 22 |
| Yuba College Marysville | Associate's degree | — | not published | 7 |
A dash under earnings or debt means the U.S. Department of Education has not published a figure for that program — it withholds any median computed from too few graduates, which covers about four of every five programs. It never means zero, and it says nothing about whether the program is any good. Where a figure is shown, the number of graduates behind it is shown with it.
Email me when these figures change
The U.S. Department of Education publishes new cost, debt and earnings figures once a year, and every number on this page changes at once. One email when that happens for Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians — nothing else, and nothing in between.
Program and outcome figures: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, released 2026-06-10.