Career Colleges » Montana » Trades and Careers » Auto Mechanic
Looking for accredited career colleges, technical schools, and universities in Montana offering Auto Mechanic degrees. Auto repair technicians and auto mechanics take their hobby and make it an enjoyable full-time profession in car repair.
Studies have shown that Montana college graduates have a much larger earning potential than non-graduates. Attending a college or university in Montana and earning a degree is an investment in your future, and you need to think about a college education in those terms to justify the expense for a degree.Job opportunities in this occupation are expected to be very good for persons who complete automotive training programs in high school, vocational and technical schools, or community colleges. Persons with good diagnostic and problem-solving skills, and whose training includes basic electronics skills, should have the best opportunities. For well-prepared people with a technical background, automotive service technician careers offer an excellent opportunity for good pay and the satisfaction of highly skilled work with vehicles incorporating the latest in high technology. However, persons without formal automotive training are likely to face competition for entry-level jobs.
Automotive service technicians and mechanics held about 818,000 jobs in 2002. The majority worked for automotive repair and maintenance shops, automobile dealers, and retailers and wholesalers of automotive parts, accessories, and supplies. Others found employment in gasoline stations; home and auto supply stores; automotive equipment rental and leasing companies; Federal, State, and local governments; and other organizations. About 16 percent of service technicians were self-employed, more than twice the proportion for all installation, maintenance, and repair occupations.
Median hourly earnings of automotive service technicians and mechanics, including commission, were $14.71 in 2002. The middle 50 percent earned between $10.61 and $19.84. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $8.14, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $25.21.