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Becoming an Auto Mechanic or Automotive Technician in Oregon

Individuals looking for jobs in the automotive industry in Oregon will find themselves with many options. Popular automotive careers fall under categories such as automotive technicians and mechanics, automotive body and related repairers, automotive glass installers and repairers, bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists. [En Español]

Educational opportunities and gaining experience are the best ways to advance in the automotive industry. Once a mechanic receives the Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) certification, they can obtain higher-ranking and higher paying jobs. ASE certifications are given to mechanics who have enough related experience and pass the certification exam.

A few ASE certifications available to mechanics include:

  • Truck equipment certification tests
  • Light truck certification tests
  • Light repair certification test
  • Engine machinist certification tests

School bus certification tests

  • Alternate fuels certification test
  • Damage analysis and estimating certification test
  • Transit bus certification tests

Parts specialist certification tests

Job Outlook in Oregon

Job Outlook in OregonIn May of 2020 there were approximately 7,370 automotive service technicians and mechanics employed in the state of Oregon, according to the most recent report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Additionally, there were 1,520 automotive body repairers, 230 automotive glass installers and repairers, and 3,640 bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists employed throughout the state.

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Mechanic Salaries in Oregon

This includes information for Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics, Automotive Glass Installers and Repairers, Automotive Body and Related Repairers, and Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists. The salary data is categorized by percentile and region, highlighting significant variations based on experience and geographic location.

In Oregon, Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics earn between $28,000 and $70,000 annually. Automotive Glass Installers and Repairers have salaries ranging from $26,000 to $66,000. Automotive Body and Related Repairers earn between $30,000 and $76,000, while Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Specialists earn between $32,000 and $80,000.

Salaries in Oregon by Occupation

Occupation 10th Percentile 25th Percentile Median 75th Percentile 90th Percentile
Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics $14.00 / $29,120 $17.50 / $36,400 $21.50 / $44,720 $28.00 / $58,240 $34.00 / $70,720
Automotive Glass Installers and Repairers $13.00 / $27,040 $16.50 / $34,320 $20.00 / $41,600 $25.00 / $52,000 $31.00 / $64,480
Automotive Body and Related Repairers $14.50 / $30,160 $18.00 / $37,440 $23.50 / $48,880 $30.50 / $63,440 $37.50 / $78,000
Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Specialists $15.50 / $32,240 $19.50 / $40,560 $25.00 / $52,000 $32.50 / $67,600 $38.50 / $80,080

Auto Mechanic Salaries in Oregon by Region

Region Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics Automotive Glass Installers and Repairers Automotive Body and Related Repairers Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Specialists
Portland $30,000 – $65,000 $28,000 – $62,000 $33,000 – $72,000 $36,000 – $78,000
Eugene $29,000 – $63,000 $27,000 – $60,000 $32,000 – $70,000 $35,000 – $76,000
Salem $28,000 – $62,000 $26,000 – $58,000 $31,000 – $68,000 $34,000 – $74,000
Bend $30,000 – $64,000 $28,000 – $61,000 $33,000 – $71,000 $36,000 – $77,000

Auto Mechanic Schools in Oregon

Although there are no National Automotive Technicians Education Foundation (NATEF) certified high school programs in Oregon, there are many educational opportunities in post-secondary schools.

Blue Mountain Community College in Pendelton, Oregon, offers associate and certification programs in diesel technology. The associate program in diesel technology is two years fully focused on diesel engines and technology. Blue Mountain Community College also offers a diesel technology teaching assistant certification.

NATEF-certified Mount Hood Community College offers both certificate and degree programs. The certificate programs available include a nine-month maintenance and light repair program and the Ford ASSET program with certification in automotive technology. Courses for the maintenance and light repair program can count towards completion of any Chrysler MCAP, Subaru-U and Ford ASSET programs.

Linn-Benton Community College in Albany, Oregon, offers a certificate program and two associate degree programs for automotive technology. Like Mount Hood Community College, Linn-Benton offers an Associate of Applied Sciences for automotive technology as well as an automotive maintenance and light-repair certificate program that takes one year to complete. Linn-Benton Community College is also NATEF certified and works in partnership with Chrysler.

Where to Find Work in Oregon

The city with the most automotive technicians in Oregon is Eugene with 600 employees. For automotive technicians looking to work in a place with a greater need for mechanics, Corvallis, Albany and Grants Pass all have fewer than 200 employed technicians. The Bend-Redmond area has the highest annual salary of $61,210 for automotive technicians.

Albany, Bend and Medford are the best locations for automotive body repairers to work with fewer than 100 employees in each city. Medford would be a perfect location for automotive body repairers with a small number of employees and an average salary of $59,430 annually. Mechanics in the Portland area who are interested in glass installation and repair can expect an average salary around $52,620 a year.

Bend, Oregon, has the lowest reported annual salaries for bus and truck mechanics and diesel specialists, averaging around $46,920 per year, or $21 an hour. Albany has the smallest population of bus and truck mechanics and diesel specialists employing 100 mechanics as of May 2020, according to BLS. Between Medford and Eugene, Medford has the highest average income of $59,550, just $100 more than Eugene’s average annual salary. For bus and truck mechanics and diesel specialists, Medford has the most competitive wages, but Albany has the greatest need for mechanics and a relatively competitive income.

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