State School Rankings

Best Auto Mechanic Schools In New Jersey Ranked For 2026

Explore 12 automotive schools in New Jersey, with certificate and degree options, tuition, and facts about automotive training.

New Jersey geographic illustration for the best auto mechanic schools in New Jersey guide
New Jersey · Geographic Illustration
Schools Compared
12
Across The State
Annual Tuition From
$3,216
Institution-Wide · 2024–25
New Jersey Median Pay
$56,610
Automotive Mechanics · May 2025
New Jersey Employment
17,640
Occupation-Wide · BLS OEWS

The best auto mechanic schools in New Jersey include 12 schools and 14 automotive certificate and degree options. The state figures report 942 awards in 2023-24. New Jersey's May 2025 BLS OEWS median wage for automotive service technicians and mechanics was $56,610.

Rowan College of South Jersey-Gloucester Campus in Sewell reports 13 awards, a 39% schoolwide graduation rate, and $4,620 annual in-state tuition in an associate's program. UCNJ Union College of Union County reports seven awards and a 35% rate at $9,500 tuition. Camden County College reports $3,216 tuition and a short certificate program.

Compare The Best Auto Mechanic Schools In New Jersey

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.

SchoolLocationAnnual In-State TuitionAutomotive Awards
Universal Technical Institute-BloomfieldBloomfield, NJ415
Lincoln Technical Institute-UnionUnion, NJ215
Lincoln Technical Institute-MahwahMahwah, NJ119
Pennco Tech-BlackwoodBlackwood, NJ89
Mobile Technical TrainingSouth Hackensack, NJ51
Ocean County Vocational-Technical SchoolWaretown Center21
Rowan College of South Jersey-Gloucester CampusSewell, NJ$4,62013
Camden County CollegeBlackwood, NJ$3,2163
New Community Career & Technical InstituteExtension Branch, 210 West Bigelow Street, Newark3
UCNJ Union College of Union County, New JerseyUnion County Vocational-Technical School Automotive Facility · Scotch Plains, NJ$9,5007
Raritan Valley Community CollegeBranchburg, NJ$6,3842
Brookdale Community CollegeLincroft, NJ$8,1304

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.

01

Bloomfield, NJ

Universal Technical Institute-Bloomfield

94.0Score

CertificatePrivate for-profit

EV Coursework With A Ford Follow-On

Bloomfield offers a core certificate with electric-vehicle training and a clearly identified Ford specialization on the same campus.

UTI Bloomfield's Automotive & EV Technology certificate combines instructor-led online learning with campus laboratory work. The 51-week core includes battery-electric vehicles, hybrid systems, engine building, and computer performance tuning. Graduates can apply to the campus's additional 15-week Ford FACT program.

Automotive Awards
415
Certificates & degrees · 2023–24
Schoolwide Graduation
67%
Institution-wide · 150% time

Program Details

Researched September 8, 2026
Core Certificate

The automotive core takes 51 weeks and awards a certificate. Delivery combines online instruction with hands-on laboratory application.

Electric And Hybrid Training

Named classes include Battery Electric Vehicle Technology and Advanced Technology/Hybrid & Service Advising alongside braking, transmissions, HVAC, and electrical systems.

Performance Sequence

Power & Performance courses progress through engine building, bolt-on performance, and computer performance tuning.

Ford FACT

The optional 15-week Ford Accelerated Credential Training follows the core program and uses Ford diagnostic equipment and Service Technician Specialty Training.

02

Union, NJ

Lincoln Technical Institute-Union

93.5Score

CertificatePrivate for-profit

Foundation Courses Before Advanced Diagnosis

The course sequence builds electrical and workshop knowledge before requiring it in advanced vehicle-control and engine-management classes.

At Lincoln Tech in Union, students move from workshop practices, gasoline engines, and electrical systems into advanced diagnostics and repair. The certificate includes service-business coursework as well as technical training. Its campus has two automotive shops and 14 repair bays, with day, afternoon, and evening program options.

Automotive Awards
215
Certificates & degrees · 2023–24
Schoolwide Graduation
75%
Institution-wide · 150% time

Program Details

Researched September 8, 2026
55-Credit Certificate

The Union Automotive Service Technology certificate requires 1,320 instructional hours over approximately 57 weeks. Lincoln offers day, afternoon, and evening attendance.

Union Facilities

The 65,000-square-foot campus contains drive-in classrooms, two automotive shops, 14 repair bays, and additional training rooms.

Powertrain Electronics

Students use scan tools and exhaust-gas analysis equipment while studying ignition, fuel injection, emissions controls, air induction, and turbocharging.

Steering And Suspension

The curriculum includes computerized four-wheel alignment, electronic steering, computerized suspension, tire applications, and front- and rear-wheel-drive service.

03

Mahwah, NJ

Lincoln Technical Institute-Mahwah

89.6Score

CertificatePrivate for-profit

Repair Bays Plus Shop Operations

Mahwah pairs a substantial on-campus vehicle fleet with coursework on service write-ups, business records, and customer relations.

Lincoln Tech's Mahwah certificate combines vehicle repair with shop-management and service-operations courses. Students practice in 16 repair bays with access to more than 20 cars, including hybrids. The 55-credit program is planned for approximately 57 weeks, with separate day, afternoon, and evening schedules.

Automotive Awards
119
Certificates & degrees · 2023–24
Schoolwide Graduation
79%
Institution-wide · 150% time

Program Details

Researched September 8, 2026
Certificate Requirements

Automotive Service Technology consists of 55 semester credits and 1,320 instructional hours. Each listed schedule takes approximately 57 weeks, including breaks.

Mahwah Shop Facilities

The campus describes 16 functioning bays, rotator lifts, drive-in classrooms, and more than 20 training cars, including hybrid vehicles.

Electronic Diagnosis

Advanced Automotive Electronics and Diagnostics includes sensors, actuators, vehicle computers, oscilloscopes, multimeters, and scan-tool fault diagnosis.

Management And Operations

Service Shop Management covers customer relations, write-ups, staffing, records, insurance, and safety. Service Shop Operations applies earlier skills to entry-level workshop tasks.

04

Blackwood, NJ

Pennco Tech-Blackwood

84.1Score

CertificatePrivate for-profit

Day Or Evening Technical Training

The schedule choices suit students fitting trade-school attendance around other commitments, with both vehicle electronics and mechanical systems in the training.

Pennco Tech's Blackwood automotive route pairs mechanical repair with computerized diagnosis and hybrid-vehicle training. Its equipment list includes Hunter alignment systems, diagnostic scanners, and refrigerant-recovery units. Day and evening classes are available, and the school gives a 39-week program duration.

Automotive Awards
89
Certificates & degrees · 2023–24
Schoolwide Graduation
72%
Institution-wide · 150% time

Program Details

Researched September 8, 2026
Length And Entry

Pennco Tech lists 39 weeks and day or evening classes. Admission requires a high school diploma, GED, or equivalent.

Alignment And Climate Equipment

Students work with Hunter alignment racks, laser-alignment equipment, automotive air-conditioning tools, and A/C 134a refrigerant-recovery units.

Hybrid And Electronic Systems

Training includes electrical systems, hybrid school vehicles, diagnostic scan tools, and engine-performance equipment alongside transmissions, steering, and brakes.

Service Information

The curriculum includes Mitchell OnDemand and ALLDATA shop-manual systems, connecting repair practice with the electronic service information technicians use.

05

South Hackensack, NJ

Mobile Technical Training

78.1Score

CertificatePrivate for-profit

Aftermarket Installation And Customization

Choose this specialized route for audio, security, trim, and appearance work; its curriculum focuses on accessories and vehicle customization.

Mobile Technical Training concentrates on aftermarket electronics and vehicle customization in South Hackensack. Its 600-hour program combines car-audio integration, security and remote starters, custom enclosures, starlight headliners, tinting, detailing, and vinyl wrapping. This curriculum suits installation and customization work rather than a general engine-repair career.

Automotive Awards
51
Certificates & degrees · 2023–24
Schoolwide Graduation
88%
Institution-wide · 150% time

Program Details

Researched September 8, 2026
600-Hour Schedule

The course page lists 19 weeks, Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., plus six Friday sessions.

Electronic Installation

Course segments cover telematics, aftermarket audio integration, video and lighting, hands-on installation, and security and remote starters with relay applications.

Custom Fabrication And Finishes

Training includes enclosure design and construction, starlight headliners, window tinting, automotive detailing, and vinyl wrapping.

MECP And Practical Assessment

The curriculum includes a Mobile Electronics Certified Professional certification segment, laboratory time, and a final hands-on test.

06

Waretown Center

Ocean County Vocational-Technical School

55.4Score

CertificatePublic

Adult Evening Training In Waretown

The published five-evening schedule makes the time commitment clear for adults planning to study around daytime work.

Ocean County Vocational Technical School's Twilight Automotive Technology program serves adults in Waretown. Classes meet Monday through Friday from 4:30 to 9:30 p.m., beginning in September. The ten-month course prepares students across the major automotive repair systems and includes pathways to advanced college credit through named partner institutions.

Automotive Awards
21
Certificates & degrees · 2023–24
Schoolwide Graduation
65%
Institution-wide · 150% time

Program Details

Researched September 8, 2026
Ten Months And 900 Hours

The adult automotive program is a full-time, 900-hour route over ten months. Classes start in September at Waretown.

Adult Eligibility

Applicants must be at least 18 and have a high school diploma or GED. Instruction runs Monday through Friday, 4:30 to 9:30 p.m.

Repair Systems

Training covers engines, performance, electrical systems, brakes, steering, suspension, HVAC, automatic and manual transmissions, and drive axles.

College-Credit Agreements

OCVTS lists articulation agreements with Brookdale, Mercer County College, Lincoln Tech, and the University of Northwestern Ohio for advanced credit after successful completion.

07

Sewell, NJ

Rowan College of South Jersey-Gloucester Campus

34.9Score

Associate DegreePublic

Paid Internships Throughout The AAS

Required dealership internships connect each stage of college study to workplace practice, making this a sustained work-study commitment.

Rowan College of South Jersey's Gloucester automotive AAS alternates ten-week classroom blocks with paid dealership internships. This Ford ASSET partnership brings together the college, Gloucester County Institute of Technology, and Ford. The 2026-2027 plan requires at least 60 credits and a separate selective-admission process.

Annual In-State Tuition
$4,620
Institution-wide · 2024–25
Automotive Awards
13
Certificates & degrees · 2023–24
Schoolwide Graduation
39%
Institution-wide · 150% time

Program Details

Researched September 8, 2026
Two-Year Structure

The full-time AAS uses four 20-week semesters and requires at least 60 credits. Classroom instruction alternates with ten-week paid dealership internships.

Internship Progression

A ten-week dealership internship is a prerequisite for the following semester. Cooperative Education Work Experience appears throughout the degree plan.

Technical Sequence

The degree covers electrical systems, brakes, suspension, engine management, HVAC, manual and automatic transmissions, and automotive electronics.

Separate Admission

Applicants complete college admission, then a program portfolio and information session. RCSJ accepts one automotive cohort per academic year.

08

Blackwood, NJ

Camden County College

24.7Score

CertificatePublic

GM Dealer-Sponsored Certificate

This route makes dealership experience part of a short certificate, with sponsorship and tool ownership established before the practicum.

Camden County College's 26-credit GM technician certificate combines a fall foundation in brakes and electricity with spring and summer practical experience. Students need a sponsoring GM dealer before beginning the program. The certificate credits can also support continued study toward Camden's automotive associate degree.

Annual In-State Tuition
$3,216
Institution-wide · 2024–25
Automotive Awards
3
Certificates & degrees · 2023–24
Schoolwide Graduation
31%
Institution-wide · 150% time

Program Details

Researched September 8, 2026
26-Credit Plan

The curriculum starts with Automotive Fundamentals, Brake Systems, and Electrical/Electronic Principles, then adds HVAC, steering and suspension, computing, and practicums.

Required Dealership Experience

Graduation requires at least one nine-week practicum at a GM dealership. Practicum enrollment requires instructor permission.

Sponsorship And Screening

Students must secure GM dealer sponsorship before starting, provide their driving record, and be able to pass drug and background checks.

Student Tools

Students must own or purchase a basic tool set before their first dealership practicum. Camden supplies the required-tool list.

09

Extension Branch, 210 West Bigelow Street, Newark

New Community Career & Technical Institute

23.8Score

CertificatePrivate nonprofit

Nine-Month Training With Employment Support

Practical automotive assignments come with job-placement assistance, employability training, and financial coaching throughout the program.

New Community Career & Technical Institute runs its automotive program at a dedicated Newark branch on West Bigelow Street. The nine-month course combines vehicle and automotive-software practice with work-based learning, employment preparation, and financial coaching. Ford Motor Company is the program's training partner.

Automotive Awards
3
Certificates & degrees · 2023–24
Schoolwide Graduation
54%
Institution-wide · 150% time

Program Details

Researched September 8, 2026
1,200-Hour Program

The Automotive Technician Training Program runs for nine months and 1,200 hours, combining classroom lectures, hands-on assignments, and work-based learning.

Newark Teaching Site

Automotive instruction is based at the Extension Branch, 210 West Bigelow Street, Newark.

Admission Requirements

Students must be at least 18, hold a high school diploma or equivalent and state ID, and have or be pursuing a driver’s license.

Additional Credentials

NCCTI identifies OSHA credentials and First Aid and CPR certifications among the program outcomes, alongside preparation for entry-level dealership or repair-shop employment.

10

Union County Vocational-Technical School Automotive Facility · Scotch Plains, NJ

UCNJ Union College of Union County, New Jersey

15.1Score

Associate DegreePublic

A Scotch Plains Cooperative Degree

UCNJ suits students seeking an associate degree taught through a college and vocational-school partnership. Its Scotch Plains automotive location and four-semester sequence are useful planning details for commuters, while eligible students can pursue internships or apprenticeships.

UCNJ’s 60-credit Automotive Technology AAS is a cooperative program with Union County Vocational-Technical School. UCNJ faculty teach every course, and automotive classes take place at the vocational school’s facility on the Scotch Plains campus. The degree combines repair training with technical and business writing, computer applications, and optional workplace learning for eligible students.

Annual In-State Tuition
$9,500
Institution-wide · 2024–25
Automotive Awards
7
Certificates & degrees · 2023–24
Schoolwide Graduation
35%
Institution-wide · 150% time

Program Details

Researched September 8, 2026
60-Credit Associate Degree

The 2026–2027 catalog recommends four semesters totaling 60 credits, with loads of 17, 14, 15, and 14 credits.

Automotive Classes In Scotch Plains

All automotive courses are offered at the Union County Vocational-Technical School automotive facility on UCNJ’s Scotch Plains campus. UCNJ faculty teach the courses, and the automotive professors are ASE certified.

Workplace Learning Options

Eligible automotive students may participate in internships, mentoring, apprenticeships, and Cooperative Industrial Education. These are participation opportunities alongside the published degree sequence.

Technical Writing And Computer Applications

The first spring includes three-credit Introductory Technical and Business Writing and three-credit Introduction to Computer Applications, alongside brakes and automotive electrical coursework.

Advanced Electrical And Performance Sequence

Automotive Electrical 1 precedes four-credit Automotive Electrical 2 in the recommended plan. Engine Performance 1 and the three-credit Engine Performance 2 course similarly span the second year.

11

Branchburg, NJ

Raritan Valley Community College

10.7Score

CertificatePublic

Certificate-To-Degree Progression

Start with the repair-focused certificate, then apply completed automotive courses to the AAS if you want broader study.

Raritan Valley offers a one-year automotive certificate and a 60-credit AAS, with completed automotive certificate courses transferable into the degree. Manufacturer training includes Mopar CAP Local, Subaru University, Ford ACE, and Toyota. Both routes develop diagnostic skills through classroom study and practical shop work.

Annual In-State Tuition
$6,384
Institution-wide · 2024–25
Automotive Awards
2
Certificates & degrees · 2023–24
Schoolwide Graduation
31%
Institution-wide · 150% time

Program Details

Researched September 8, 2026
Credential Lengths

The certificate track requires 35 to 36 credits and is designed for one year when begun in fall. The AAS is a two-year, 60-credit route.

Manufacturer Training

RVCC identifies specialized certification tracks connected with Mopar CAP Local, Subaru University, Ford ACE, and Toyota.

Diagnostic Coursework

Certificate instruction covers fuel and electrical systems, engine analysis, suspension, and alignment. The degree adds broader study of brakes, transmissions, ignition, and electronics.

Driving Requirement

Automotive Technology students must hold a current valid driver’s license. The program combines lectures with work in a shop environment.

12

Lincroft, NJ

Brookdale Community College

9.9Score

CertificatePublic

Service, GM, Or Engineering Options

The separate degree tracks let you choose between repair-shop preparation, GM dealership work, and engineering-laboratory support.

Brookdale separates general vehicle service, GM dealership training, and automotive engineering support into three AAS options. The engineering route places more weight on mathematics and vehicle design, while GM ASEP alternates college study with dealership work. A 43-credit certificate offers another entry into hands-on testing and repair.

Annual In-State Tuition
$8,130
Institution-wide · 2024–25
Automotive Awards
4
Certificates & degrees · 2023–24
Schoolwide Graduation
30%
Institution-wide · 150% time

Program Details

Researched September 8, 2026
Three Degree Directions

AAS options cover general Automotive Technology, General Motors ASEP, and Automotive Engineering Technician work. The engineering option emphasizes scientific and mathematical concepts.

GM Work-Study

The two-year GM ASEP program divides each semester between college classes and employment at a GM dealership. Admission includes program-specific testing and prerequisites.

43-Credit Certificate

The Certificate of Achievement develops entry-level testing, diagnostic, and repair skills through practical classroom and laboratory work.

Training Facilities

Brookdale describes a 12-bay automotive laboratory and four additional classrooms with lifts, supported by manufacturer-certified instructors and laboratory assistants.

Best Auto Mechanic Schools In New Jersey

New Jersey's 942 awards cover 14 programs, so the state total says more about the catalog's listed activity than your likely outcome. Rowan's 13 awards and UCNJ's seven are associate's examples, while Camden's three are in a short certificate program.

New Jersey's reports include both associate's and short certificate choices, with very different published annual tuition figures. Rowan College of South Jersey-Gloucester Campus gives you the associate's example at $4,620. UCNJ Union College of Union County reports another associate's program at $9,500. Camden County College reports a $3,216 tuition figure and a certificate lasting 12 weeks to under 1 year. Brookdale Community College reports four awards and $8,130 tuition in a short certificate program.

The state's 942 awards cover 14 programs and do not equal 942 people.

Institution tuition and separate costs belong in different lines, as do certificate and associate degree routes.

Auto Mechanic Pay In New Jersey

The May 2025 BLS survey reports a $56,610 median annual wage for automotive service technicians and mechanics in New Jersey, across 17,640 jobs. The median is the midpoint for the occupation, not an offer to new graduates.

10th Percentile
$33,500
Median
$56,610
90th Percentile
$91,210

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.

New Jersey Auto Mechanic School Questions

What Is The May 2025 New Jersey Wage Median?
The May 2025 BLS OEWS median for automotive service technicians and mechanics in New Jersey is $56,610. The middle figure is a statewide occupation measure, with the 10th percentile at $33,500 and the 90th percentile at $91,210.
Where Does New Jersey Report Associate Degree Awards?
Rowan College of South Jersey-Gloucester Campus (associate degree, 13 awards), UCNJ Union College of Union County, New Jersey (associate degree, 7 awards) show associate degree credentials among the published school figures.
How Many Automotive Awards Are Reported In New Jersey?
The New Jersey schools span certificate and associate degree credentials across 14 automotive options and 942 awards in 2023-24. Universal Technical Institute-Bloomfield has the largest listed award count at 415. Camden County College lists $3,216 in annual in-state institution tuition.

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.

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