by our College Data Analytics TeamA major in Autobody/Collision & Repair Technology/Technician involves the study of Autobody/collision And Repair Technology/technician. A Program That Prepares Individuals To Apply Technical Knowledge And Skills To Repair, Reconstruct And Finish Automobile Bodies, Fenders, And External Features. Includes Instruction In Structure Analysis, Damage Repair, Non-Structural Analysis, Mechanical And Electrical Components, Plastics And Adhesives, Painting And Refinishing Techniques, And Damage Analysis And Estimating. Examples: [Auto Body Refinisher], [Auto Body Technician], [Automotive Collision Repair Technician], [Automotive Painter], [Automotive Refinishing Technician], [Motor Vehicle Body Painter], [Motor Vehicle Body Refinisher], [Motor Vehicle Body Refinisher Sub-Trade], [Painting (Autobody)]. Read on to learn the key facts every autobody/collision & repair technology/technician student should know — including career paths, salary data, the skills you will develop, and the best colleges offering autobody/collision & repair technology/technician programs.
Across the country, autobody/collision & repair technology/technician draws strong interest, with 5,464 degrees awarded annually.
Our 2026 Best Autobody/Collision & Repair Technology/Technician Schools ranking analyzes these 273 schools to determine the best overall colleges for autobody/collision & repair technology/technician students. Continue reading to check out one of our many unbiased rankings of autobody/collision & repair technology/technician programs later in this article.
Coursework for Autobody/Collision & Repair Technology/Technician emphasize a specific mix of skills, knowledge, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in the occupations autobody/collision & repair technology/technician graduates commonly enter.
The skill set built by a autobody/collision & repair technology/technician program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:
According to O*NET, a autobody/collision & repair technology/technician major emphasizes the following knowledge areas:
There are several autobody/collision & repair technology/technician degree levels. The table below shows the typical length of the most common levels, and how many graduates earn each one.
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate | Varies | 2,771 |
| Associate Degree | 2 years | 590 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 2,043 |
People currently working in careers related to autobody/collision & repair technology/technician tend to have obtained the following education levels.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| High school diploma or equivalent | 60.3% |
| Less than a high school diploma | 21.0% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 15.5% |
| Some college courses | 2.6% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 0.5% |
| Bachelor’s degree | 0.1% |
View the chart below to get an idea of what level of education most of those in autobody/collision & repair technology/technician careers hold.
Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*
Studying autobody/collision & repair technology/technician prepares you for numerous career paths. These are some of the most common occupations related to autobody/collision & repair technology/technician.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to autobody/collision & repair technology/technician.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | 836,825 | 9.2% |
| Automotive Body and Related Repairers | 547,821 | -4.2% |
| Automotive Glass Installers and Repairers | 419,867 | 12.5% |
| Insurance Appraisers, Auto Damage | 67,376 | 8.6% |
The U.S. Department of Education tracks median earnings of autobody/collision & repair technology/technician graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. These numbers tend to grow as graduates gain experience.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $37,744 |
| 4 years | $43,612 |
| 5 years | $49,558 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.
Salaries for autobody/collision & repair technology/technician graduates vary widely by occupation. The following table shows the top highest-paying careers autobody/collision & repair technology/technician grads often go into.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Insurance Appraisers, Auto Damage | $119,691 |
| Automotive Glass Installers and Repairers | $76,815 |
| Automotive Body and Related Repairers | $50,670 |
| Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | $46,060 |
With 273 different autobody/collision & repair technology/technician programs to choose from, finding the best fit can be a challenge. We have analyzed these schools to produce unbiased autobody/collision & repair technology/technician school rankings to help you.
Students interested in autobody/collision & repair technology/technician, you may also want to explore other closely related fields of study within the same broad area.
More about our data sources and methodologies.
