Local Automotive Training Comparisons

Best Auto Mechanic Schools In Jacksonville Ranked For 2026

Compare 2 automotive school options within 50 miles of Jacksonville. Compare credentials, costs, and program details alongside each institution’s location.

Edited By Taylor RupeUpdated September 8, 2026 · Our Methodology

Florida geographic illustration for the best auto mechanic schools in Jacksonville guide — Florida · Geographic Illustration

Schools Compared: 2
Annual Tuition From: $16,614
Florida Median Pay: $48,260
Florida Employment: 49,930

The local programs differ in award type, annual charges, and location. If you are comparing the best auto mechanic schools in Jacksonville, this search covers 2 nearby school options. The May 2025 BLS OEWS median wage for automotive service technicians and mechanics was $48,260 statewide in Florida.

Jacksonville has 1 public campus and 1 private campus in this comparison. Jacksonville is a compact two-school comparison, with a private associate option closer than the public certificate choices. A map comparison puts Jones Technical Institute at 10.7 straight-line miles, while Jones Technical Institute reports the most awards, 95. The nearby mix covers certificate and associate degree options.

Distances are straight-line estimates from a representative point in Jacksonville to each institution’s federally reported location. They measure geographic proximity, not driving time or the location of every teaching site. Salary figures below describe Florida, not this city.

Compare The Best Auto Mechanic Schools In Jacksonville

Ranked schools receive a comparison score from automotive credential awards (50%), annual institution-wide tuition (30%), and schoolwide graduation rate (20%). These measures help compare reported scale, cost, and institutional completion. Read The Full Ranking Method.

School	Location	Annual In-State Tuition	Automotive Awards
Jones Technical Institute	Jacksonville, FL	$16,614	95
First Coast Technical College	Saint Augustine, FL		22

Tuition is the institution’s annual undergraduate figure for 2024–25, excluding fees, tools, housing, and other expenses. Awards are credentials reported in 2023–24, not a count of unique graduates. Blank cells indicate an omitted measure.

Jacksonville, FL · 10.7 Miles From Jacksonville

Jones Technical Institute

59.7Score

Associate DegreePrivate nonprofit

An Occupational Degree With A Graduate Toolkit

J-Tech pairs an occupational associate route with a professional tool set retained after graduation and training in a large automotive lab.

Jones Technical Institute offers an approximately 21-month Automotive Technology occupational associate degree and a shorter diploma. Students train in a 26,000-square-foot lab, and the school provides a 613-piece professional tool set that graduates keep.

Jones Technical Institute is 10.7 straight-line miles from Jacksonville and offers associate degree options across 95 awards. Annual institution tuition is $16,614 for both in-state and out-of-state students. The 71% graduation rate is schoolwide.

Annual In-State Tuition: $16,614
Automotive Awards: 95
Schoolwide Graduation: 71%

Program Details

Researched September 8, 2026

Award Choices: The 2026–27 catalog lists a 91-quarter-credit occupational associate degree lasting about 21 months, plus a 60-credit diploma lasting about 12 months.
J-Tech 2026–2027 Catalog, Volume 2
Graduate Tools: Automotive students receive a 613-piece professional tool set to keep upon graduation.
Automotive Technology - JTech
Lab Equipment: The 26,000-square-foot lab includes computerized alignment and wheel-balancing equipment, an exhaust-gas analyzer, diagnostic scanners, and lab scopes.
Automotive Technology - JTech J-Tech 2026–2027 Catalog, Volume 2
Advanced Diagnostics: The associate curriculum requires Advanced Technology, a five-credit course using scan-tool data and oscilloscopes to diagnose vehicle-module communication systems.
J-Tech 2026–2027 Catalog, Volume 2
College Coursework: The occupational associate degree also requires Applied Mathematics, Applied Physical Science, and Technical Writing and Business Communications.
J-Tech 2026–2027 Catalog, Volume 2

Explore Jones Technical Institute Federal School Record ↗

Saint Augustine, FL · 34.2 Miles From Jacksonville

First Coast Technical College

59.3Score

CertificatePublic

Two Stages At A Full-Service Automotive Center

First Coast’s sequence leads from foundational service into engine performance, transmissions, drivetrains, and HVAC, with training alongside an ASE Master Technician.

First Coast Technical College divides automotive training into two stages at its St. Augustine main campus. Technology 1 must be completed before Technology 2, and both programs hold master-level ASE Education Foundation accreditation. Students work on foreign, domestic, and alternative-fuel vehicles.

First Coast Technical College is 34.2 straight-line miles from Jacksonville and offers certificate options across 22 awards. The 77% graduation rate is schoolwide.

Automotive Awards: 22
Schoolwide Graduation: 77%

Program Details

Researched September 8, 2026

Sequential Programs: Technology 1 requires 1,050 hours over 32 weeks; Technology 2 adds 750 hours over 24 weeks and requires successful completion of Technology 1.
Master Automotive Service Technology 1 & 2 - First Coast Technical College (FCTC)
Training Vehicles: Students diagnose and repair foreign, domestic, and alternative-fuel vehicles in a full-service automotive center.
Master Automotive Service Technology 1 & 2 - First Coast Technical College (FCTC)
Master Accreditation: Both programs are ASE Education Foundation accredited at the Master Automobile Service Technology level.
Master Automotive Service Technology 1 & 2 - First Coast Technical College (FCTC)
Tuition And Lab Costs: For 2026–27, Technology 1 lists $6,717 in tuition and lab charges and Technology 2 lists $5,246.19, plus books, uniforms, and fees.
Master Automotive Service Technology 1 & 2 - First Coast Technical College (FCTC)
Basic-Skills Scores: The listed CASAS requirements are reading 239 and math 241.
Master Automotive Service Technology 1 & 2 - First Coast Technical College (FCTC)

Explore First Coast Technical College Federal School Record ↗

Best Auto Mechanic Schools In Jacksonville

The nearby schools cover different price and credential decisions, so one number cannot settle the choice. Jones Technical Institute sits 10.7 straight-line miles from Jacksonville. Jones Technical Institute reports the most awards, with 95. The schools include certificate and associate degree routes; straight-line distance is a map measure, not a driving estimate.

The local map separates convenience, award scope, and tuition. Jones Technical Institute lists $16,614 for both in-state and out-of-state tuition. In-state and out-of-state figures are separate tuition categories.

Straight-line distance and annual tuition show different parts of the city comparison. Jones Technical Institute offers associate degree options at 10.7 straight-line miles; First Coast Technical College offers certificate options at 34.2 straight-line miles. 1 nearby school offers an associate degree.

Auto Mechanic Pay In Florida

The May 2025 BLS survey reports a $48,260 median annual wage for automotive service technicians and mechanics in Florida, across 49,930 jobs. The median is the midpoint for the occupation, not an offer to new graduates.

10th Percentile: $31,970
Median: $48,260
90th Percentile: $79,180

Experience, employer, and the work you do affect where you fall in that spread. Explore Auto Mechanic Salaries.

School Credentials And ASE Certification

A college certificate is an academic credential; professional ASE certification requires passing the relevant ASE test and satisfying its work experience rule. For the A1–A9 automobile tests, that rule is two years of qualifying repair experience. You can take most tests before completing the experience requirement, but passing alone does not make you certified.

Completing an ASE-accredited automotive program can count for one year of that experience. An eligible ASE-accredited manufacturer co-op program can count for the full two years when it includes the required hands-on work. These substitutions cannot be combined. Source: ASE Work Experience Rules.

Our certificate and associate degree comparison explains the academic routes, while the ASE certification guide covers professional credentials. The school cost guide separates tuition, fees, and tools.

Jacksonville Auto Mechanic School Questions

What Is The May 2025 Wage Reference For Jacksonville?

The May 2025 BLS OEWS median for automotive service technicians and mechanics in Florida is $48,260. The middle figure is a statewide occupation measure, with the 10th percentile at $31,970 and the 90th percentile at $79,180.

Which Campus Is Closest To Jacksonville?

Jones Technical Institute is 10.7 straight-line miles from Jacksonville and shows 95 awards across associate degree credentials. Its schoolwide graduation rate is 71%.

Which School Has The Most Listed Awards Near Jacksonville?

Jones Technical Institute lists $16,614 in annual in-state institution tuition. It also shows 95 awards in the Jacksonville comparison.

Sources For These School Comparisons

School records and program sources checked September 8, 2026. Federal figures retain their original reporting years; program details cite the school’s published requirements and costs. Send A Correction.

Best Auto Mechanic Schools In Jacksonville Ranked For 2026

Compare The Best Auto Mechanic Schools In Jacksonville

Jones Technical Institute

Program Details

First Coast Technical College

Program Details

Best Auto Mechanic Schools In Jacksonville

Auto Mechanic Pay In Florida

School Credentials And ASE Certification

Jacksonville Auto Mechanic School Questions

Sources For These School Comparisons

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