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Auto mechanic schools in Washington
Washington has 24 accredited campuses awarding auto tech credentials. If you finish and work as an automotive technician in Washington, expect to start around $39,470–$45,740 and reach a median of $57,270 with experience; the top quarter earn $76,960 or more (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025, Washington). Graduates of these Washington programs — every graduate, whatever job they took — earned a median of $38,009 in their first year, against $33,710 nationally; that is the figure used to rank campuses below.
What automotive service technicians and mechanics earn in Washington
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; 12,930 employed in Washington. National median: $50,620.
Campuses in Washington, ranked by what their graduates earned
Cities: AberdeenAuburnBellinghamBremertonKirklandLakewoodLongviewMoses LakeMount VernonOlympiaPascoPort AngelesRentonSeattleShorelineSpokaneTacomaVancouverWalla WallaWenatcheeYakima
| Campus | City | Type | Grads / yr | Earnings, yr 1 | Program debt | Completion | Cost / yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Skagit Valley College | Mount Vernon | Public college | 20 | $47,741 | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Clover Park Technical College | Lakewood | Public college | 24 | $43,941 | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Spokane Community College | Spokane | Public college | 353 | $39,346 | $14,679 | not reported | not reported |
| Lake Washington Institute of Technology | Kirkland | Public college | 72 | $36,672 | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Walla Walla Community College | Walla Walla | Public college | 9 | $34,346 | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Perry Technical Institute | Yakima | non-profit career college | 42 | $32,704 | $7,892 | 79% | $27,818 |
| Wenatchee Valley College | Wenatchee | Public college | 15 | $27,943 | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| UEI College-Tacoma | Tacoma | for-profit career college | 34 | $27,015 | $9,500 | 58% | $41,364 |
| Shoreline Community College | Shoreline | Public community college | 95 | not reported | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Renton Technical College | Renton | Public college | 68 | not reported | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Green River College | Auburn | Public college | 29 | not reported | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Bellingham Technical College | Bellingham | Public college | 24 | not reported | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Bates Technical College | Tacoma | Public technical college | 19 | not reported | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Clark College | Vancouver | Public college | 18 | not reported | $9,625 | not reported | not reported |
| South Seattle College | Seattle | Public college | 18 | not reported | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| South Puget Sound Community College | Olympia | Public community college | 17 | not reported | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Big Bend Community College | Moses Lake | Public college | 8 | not reported | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Columbia Basin College | Pasco | Public college | 6 | not reported | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Grays Harbor College | Aberdeen | Public college | 6 | not reported | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Yakima Valley College | Yakima | Public college | 6 | not reported | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Lower Columbia College | Longview | Public college | 5 | not reported | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Seattle Central College | Seattle | Public college | 3 | not reported | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Olympic College | Bremerton | Public college | 1 | not reported | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Peninsula College | Port Angeles | Public college | 1 | not reported | not reported | not reported | not reported |
Earnings are median wages and self-employment income reported to the IRS (W-2 and Schedule SE) for graduates who received federal aid and were working and not enrolled, measured in the calendar year after finishing. They are pay only: health insurance, retirement contributions and other benefits are not included.
Ranked by median earnings of this program's graduates one year after completion (College Scorecard field-of-study, Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) 2022-23 Completions survey; College Scorecard June 2026; Database of Accredited Postsecondary Institutions and Programs (DAPIP), September 2026); campuses without a reported figure follow, by credentials awarded. "Program debt" is the median federal loan debt for graduates of this program at this campus. Completion is the campus-wide 150%-of-time rate. "Not reported" means the federal file suppresses the value for privacy.