Best Auto Mechanic Schools In North Carolina Ranked For 2026

Associate DegreePrivate for-profit

UTI’s Mooresville campus offers a 51-week Automotive & EV Technology program leading to an Associate of Occupational Studies degree. Training combines instructor-led online lessons with in-person lab work. The curriculum includes battery-electric vehicle technology and hybrid systems alongside transmission, electrical, and chassis study. Students can add a separate 15-week NASCAR Technician and Pit Crew Training elective after the core program.

Automotive Awards

506

Certificates & degrees · 2023–24

Schoolwide Graduation

65%

Institution-wide · 150% time

Certificate · Associate DegreePublic

Wake Technical Community College’s automotive degree requires 65 credits in a five-semester plan. Eight credits come from technical electives, with options in electric vehicles, driver-assistance systems, welding, and work-based learning. Required Engine Performance II has six weekly lab hours alongside classroom instruction. The program offers daytime, on-campus study, accepts fall and spring entrants, and has limited enrollment.

Annual In-State Tuition

$1,824

Institution-wide · 2024–25

Automotive Awards

155

Certificates & degrees · 2023–24

Schoolwide Graduation

33%

Institution-wide · 150% time

Certificate · Associate DegreePublic

Central Piedmont Community College’s automotive associate degree offers General Motors ASEP and BMW ADP training options. Students provide their own hand tools, protective clothing, and textbooks. Nine credits of technical electives can include work-based learning, shop management, or specialized labs. In-person automotive classes and labs are held at Levine and Merancas campuses, with combined classroom, lab, and online delivery also available.

Annual In-State Tuition

$2,432

Institution-wide · 2024–25

Automotive Awards

249

Certificates & degrees · 2023–24

Schoolwide Graduation

31%

Institution-wide · 150% time

Certificate · Associate DegreePublic

Wilkes Community College’s Automotive Systems Technology A.A.S. requires at least 76 credits across a five-term plan. Computer skills and transportation welding appear in the first term, while sustainable transportation and climate control fill the summer session. Selected laboratory requirements allow work-based learning substitutions totaling up to five credits. The program holds ASE Education Foundation accreditation and adds advanced electronics in the final term.

Annual In-State Tuition

$2,432

Institution-wide · 2024–25

Automotive Awards

57

Certificates & degrees · 2023–24

Schoolwide Graduation

55%

Institution-wide · 150% time

Certificate · Associate DegreePublic

Randolph Community College’s automotive AAS requires 74 to 76 credits across five semesters. Electric-vehicle, hybrid-vehicle, and advanced driver-assistance courses are required parts of the sequence. Students can select work-based learning in place of the engine-repair and automatic-transmission labs. The final semester includes both auto shop management and light-duty diesel, broadening the program beyond passenger-car repair systems.

Annual In-State Tuition

$2,280

Institution-wide · 2024–25

Automotive Awards

47

Certificates & degrees · 2023–24

Schoolwide Graduation

58%

Institution-wide · 150% time

Certificate · Associate DegreePublic

Craven Community College’s automotive associate degree has a 65-credit, five-semester plan. Summer study combines engine repair and its lab with emerging transportation technology, while the final spring includes separate automatic and manual transmission labs. The program also identifies a transfer relationship with East Carolina University’s Industrial Technology bachelor’s degree for students who want to continue beyond the automotive AAS.

Annual In-State Tuition

$1,824

Institution-wide · 2024–25

Automotive Awards

52

Certificates & degrees · 2023–24

Schoolwide Graduation

48%

Institution-wide · 150% time

Certificate · Associate DegreePublic

Davidson-Davie Community College’s automotive associate degree requires 71 credits in its current catalog. The program starts in fall at Davidson Campus and follows a two-year plan. Required study includes applied physics, a separate engine-repair lab, and sustainable transportation. The summer term combines auto shop management with research writing and climate-control coursework, connecting technical repair with communication and business skills.

Annual In-State Tuition

$1,824

Institution-wide · 2024–25

Automotive Awards

51

Certificates & degrees · 2023–24

Schoolwide Graduation

46%

Institution-wide · 150% time

Certificate · Associate DegreePublic

Forsyth Technical Community College offers a Toyota T-TEN associate degree with day and online classes over two years. The published plan includes work-based learning in both terms of the second year and a four-credit hybrid-electric transportation course. Training is based at the Transportation Technology Center in Winston-Salem, and the first fall pairs electrical and electronics classes with separate laboratory courses.

Annual In-State Tuition

$1,824

Institution-wide · 2024–25

Automotive Awards

85

Certificates & degrees · 2023–24

Schoolwide Graduation

34%

Institution-wide · 150% time

Certificate · Associate DegreePublic

Fayetteville Technical Community College’s Ford Maintenance and Light Repair program combines Ford credentials with automotive courses that can transfer into its associate degree. Classes run in eight-week blocks with rolling start dates. The first part covers brakes, electrical diagnosis, shop safety, and computer-based diagnostic equipment. The program includes Ford Service Technician Specialty Training in steering and suspension, electrical systems, climate control, and brakes.

Annual In-State Tuition

$2,432

Institution-wide · 2024–25

Automotive Awards

198

Certificates & degrees · 2023–24

Schoolwide Graduation

24%

Institution-wide · 150% time

Certificate · Associate DegreePublic

Wayne Community College’s multiple-manufacturer automotive degree requires 68 credits in a five-semester plan. Students can complete the degree on campus or choose work-based learning at a local repair facility, with driving-record and employer screening requirements for that option. The program also offers Mopar CAP training. Students supply a laptop, hand tools, safety glasses, and uniforms for the automotive coursework.

Annual In-State Tuition

$2,432

Institution-wide · 2024–25

Automotive Awards

47

Certificates & degrees · 2023–24

Schoolwide Graduation

49%

Institution-wide · 150% time

Certificate · Associate DegreePublic

Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College’s automotive degree requires 65 credits over five semesters. Students must earn at least a C in the program’s ACA, AUT, TRN, and WBL courses. The final two semesters include work-based learning with a college-approved employer. Training facilities in the Dogwood Building include six repair bays, alignment racks, a chassis dynamometer, and an engine machine shop.

Annual In-State Tuition

$2,432

Institution-wide · 2024–25

Automotive Awards

59

Certificates & degrees · 2023–24

Schoolwide Graduation

40%

Institution-wide · 150% time

Certificate · Associate DegreePublic

Blue Ridge Community College’s automotive associate degree requires at least 69 credits. Students choose six major-elective credits from options that include hybrid-electric transportation, diesel electric-drive, gaseous fuels, and work-based learning. Automotive courses are offered at both the Henderson County and Transylvania County campuses. The program holds ASE Education Foundation accreditation at the Master Automotive Service Technician level.

Annual In-State Tuition

$2,432

Institution-wide · 2024–25

Automotive Awards

43

Certificates & degrees · 2023–24

Schoolwide Graduation

50%

Institution-wide · 150% time

Certificate · Associate DegreePublic

Vance-Granville Community College’s automotive degree sequence requires 65–66 credits across six terms, including two summers. Engine Performance II combines classroom study with six weekly lab hours, and students complete a second writing course in research or technical reports. A major elective can include work-based learning, automotive shop management, or introductory Spanish, giving the degree a choice beyond its required repair courses.

Annual In-State Tuition

$1,824

Institution-wide · 2024–25

Automotive Awards

32

Certificates & degrees · 2023–24

Schoolwide Graduation

53%

Institution-wide · 150% time

Certificate · Associate DegreePublic

Gaston College’s automotive AAS follows a two-year plan that includes summer coursework in brakes, climate control, computer literacy, and cutting processes. A valid driver’s license is required for full participation. In the final spring, students can take Work-Based Learning II in place of Automotive Servicing II, adding an employment-based option to the published repair and diagnostics sequence.

Annual In-State Tuition

$2,432

Institution-wide · 2024–25

Automotive Awards

33

Certificates & degrees · 2023–24

Schoolwide Graduation

63%

Institution-wide · 150% time

CertificatePublic

Coastal Carolina Community College’s automotive diploma requires 48 credits over fall, spring, and summer. Its chassis and powertrain maintenance courses each include six weekly lab hours, while summer study also covers automotive management. The program has limited enrollment. Students seeking a smaller evening route can take the 13-credit automotive certificate, which combines electrical, brakes, safety and emissions, and management coursework.

Annual In-State Tuition

$2,432

Institution-wide · 2024–25

Automotive Awards

41

Certificates & degrees · 2023–24

Schoolwide Graduation

49%

Institution-wide · 150% time

Certificate · Associate DegreePublic

Guilford Technical Community College’s general automotive degree has a 67-credit, five-semester plan with a choice between automotive servicing courses and work-based learning. Daytime automotive classes run between 8 a.m. and 1:30 p.m., and evening courses begin at 5:30 p.m. Students need a minimum tool kit for every automotive class, along with the required textbooks.

Annual In-State Tuition

$2,128

Institution-wide · 2024–25

Automotive Awards

71

Certificates & degrees · 2023–24

Schoolwide Graduation

31%

Institution-wide · 150% time

CertificatePublic

Montgomery Community College’s automotive diploma follows fall, spring, and summer study. The sequence begins with brake systems, transportation electricity, and computer skills, then adds advanced electrical and electronics work in spring. Summer Engine Performance II includes six weekly lab hours. Students also make a science or math choice between Conceptual Physics and Mathematical Measurement and Literacy.

Annual In-State Tuition

$2,432

Institution-wide · 2024–25

Automotive Awards

23

Certificates & degrees · 2023–24

Schoolwide Graduation

84%

Institution-wide · 150% time

Certificate · Associate DegreePublic

Alamance Community College’s automotive students follow a prescribed five-semester course sequence and train in the Advanced Applied Technology Center. The degree plan includes work-based learning in the second fall, as well as sustainable transportation, green-vehicle safety, and emerging technology courses. Students also budget for program-required items such as uniforms and supplies in addition to tuition and books.

Annual In-State Tuition

$2,432

Institution-wide · 2024–25

Automotive Awards

45

Certificates & degrees · 2023–24

Schoolwide Graduation

39%

Institution-wide · 150% time

Certificate · Associate DegreePublic

Catawba Valley Community College offers day and evening automotive study, with a six-semester full-time day plan and a longer typical evening schedule. Students choose four program-elective credits from areas such as diesel, marine systems, shop management, and work-based learning. Toyota TECS Elite adds an 80-hour practical training component toward Toyota Maintenance Certification, and the automotive program holds Master-level ASE Education Foundation accreditation.

Annual In-State Tuition

$2,128

Institution-wide · 2024–25

Automotive Awards

45

Certificates & degrees · 2023–24

Schoolwide Graduation

35%

Institution-wide · 150% time

Certificate · Associate DegreePublic

Sandhills Community College’s Automotive Systems Technology degree has a 69-credit minimum and a six-semester plan that includes summer study. Students supply hand tools, with the program asking them to secure the first set within three weeks of class. Required coursework includes automotive management and transportation welding, while work-based learning is one of the degree’s restricted elective options.

Annual In-State Tuition

$1,824

Institution-wide · 2024–25

Automotive Awards

23

Certificates & degrees · 2023–24

Schoolwide Graduation

53%

Institution-wide · 150% time

Certificate · Associate DegreePublic

Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute offers automotive courses during the day and evening at Caldwell Campus. The degree’s special admission requirements include placement tests and a mechanical aptitude test. Students can choose work-based learning in place of Automotive Servicing I, and the program includes Subaru’s web-based vehicle-systems training through Subaru University. The automotive curriculum holds Master-level ASE Education Foundation accreditation.

Annual In-State Tuition

$2,432

Institution-wide · 2024–25

Automotive Awards

31

Certificates & degrees · 2023–24

Schoolwide Graduation

45%

Institution-wide · 150% time

Certificate · Associate DegreePublic

Central Carolina Community College offers its automotive AAS as a five-semester daytime program at Lee Main Campus. The course plan includes state safety and emissions inspection work and advanced driver-assistance systems. A separate electric-vehicle degree track at the same campus adds study of high-voltage batteries, inverters, charging systems, and advanced hybrid and EV diagnostics with a separate lab.

Annual In-State Tuition

$2,432

Institution-wide · 2024–25

Automotive Awards

32

Certificates & degrees · 2023–24

Schoolwide Graduation

43%

Institution-wide · 150% time

Certificate · Associate DegreePublic

Nash Community College’s Automotive Systems Technology degree checklist follows a five-semester plan, including summer study. The sequence relies on seasonal offerings: engine repair and basic transportation electricity start in fall, while advanced automotive electricity and shop management are summer courses. Students also take computer applications and choose technical electives. The engine-performance sequence builds from engine repair through progressively advanced engine-performance coursework.

Annual In-State Tuition

$2,600

Institution-wide · 2024–25

Automotive Awards

34

Certificates & degrees · 2023–24

Schoolwide Graduation

41%

Institution-wide · 150% time

Certificate · Associate DegreePublic

Martin Community College’s automotive degree plan combines vehicle repair with welding, industrial controls, and management. Its five-term sequence begins with chassis and powertrain maintenance, then places cutting and basic welding in the second fall. The final spring includes motors and controls, industrial safety, and principles of management. Work-based learning is available among the degree’s other-requirement selections.

Annual In-State Tuition

$2,432

Institution-wide · 2024–25

Automotive Awards

29

Certificates & degrees · 2023–24

Schoolwide Graduation

39%

Institution-wide · 150% time

Certificate · Associate DegreePublic

Southwestern Community College’s automotive AAS has a 71-credit, five-semester course plan and allows fall or spring starts. Required study includes sustainable transportation, light-duty diesel, and emerging transportation technology. Engine Performance II carries six weekly lab hours, while the final spring includes auto shop management. The sequence combines vehicle diagnostics with technical computer study and the business side of running a shop.

Annual In-State Tuition

$3,792

Institution-wide · 2024–25

Automotive Awards

27

Certificates & degrees · 2023–24

Schoolwide Graduation

53%

Institution-wide · 150% time

Certificate · Associate DegreePublic

Beaufort County Community College’s automotive AAS requires at least 68 credits, including separate engine-repair and automatic-transmission labs. Students can choose work-based learning within the auto shop and safety requirement. The college also partners with Feyer Ford through Ford ACE, giving automotive students access to Ford and Lincoln training in subjects such as electrical systems and new vehicle models.

Annual In-State Tuition

$2,432

Institution-wide · 2024–25

Automotive Awards

20

Certificates & degrees · 2023–24

Schoolwide Graduation

48%

Institution-wide · 150% time

Certificate · Associate DegreePublic

Durham Technical Community College’s Automotive Systems Technology A.A.S. requires at least 67 credits and is based at Main Campus. The automotive program offers day classes, with evening study available for specified certificate options. Students start with transportation introduction and electrical fundamentals, then combine classroom work with automotive shop labs. The college identifies the program as accredited by the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence.

Annual In-State Tuition

$2,078

Institution-wide · 2024–25

Automotive Awards

14

Certificates & degrees · 2023–24

Schoolwide Graduation

45%

Institution-wide · 150% time

Certificate · Associate DegreePublic

Pitt Community College’s automotive associate degree requires 67 credits and is planned for five semesters of full-time study. The program caps enrollment at 18 students in the first year and 15 in the second. Students train with named diagnostic and measurement equipment, while one textbook covers the automotive classes. A student purchasing program provides an option for obtaining Snap-on tools.

Annual In-State Tuition

$3,648

Institution-wide · 2024–25

Automotive Awards

30

Certificates & degrees · 2023–24

Schoolwide Graduation

35%

Institution-wide · 150% time

Certificate · Associate DegreePublic

Cape Fear Community College’s automotive associate degree requires 68 credits, with six credits of electives that can include advanced driver-assistance systems, shop management, or advanced engine performance. Required coursework includes separate engine, automatic-transmission, and advanced-electronics labs. The program also lists apprenticeship partners ranging from CarMax and Capital Ford of Wilmington to local independent repair and tire businesses.

Annual In-State Tuition

$2,432

Institution-wide · 2024–25

Automotive Awards

21

Certificates & degrees · 2023–24

Schoolwide Graduation

34%

Institution-wide · 150% time

CertificatePublic

Lenoir Community College offers its automotive associate degree at Main Campus in Kinston, with 65–66 credits required. A four-credit choice can include hybrid-electric transportation, additional servicing, or work-based learning. The suggested sequence marks certificate completions during the first year, then places transportation electricity and computer skills in summer. This gives students identifiable progress points within the longer degree.

Annual In-State Tuition

$2,432

Institution-wide · 2024–25

Automotive Awards

20

Certificates & degrees · 2023–24

Schoolwide Graduation

36%

Institution-wide · 150% time

Certificate · Associate DegreePublic

Rowan-Cabarrus Community College’s automotive associate degree lists a 70-credit requirement and a five-semester course sequence. Students provide their own hand tools, protective clothing, and textbooks. The first year includes basic welding and transportation computer skills, while the final spring offers a choice between Automotive Servicing I and work-based learning. Separate engine and transmission labs are part of the repair coursework.

Annual In-State Tuition

$1,824

Institution-wide · 2024–25

Automotive Awards

17

Certificates & degrees · 2023–24

Schoolwide Graduation

35%

Institution-wide · 150% time

Certificate · Associate DegreePublic

Carteret Community College’s automotive associate degree requires 63–64 credits in a five-semester plan. Several repair courses use eight-week blocks, with engine repair and suspension scheduled before brakes in the first spring. The degree includes a diesel fuel and power systems course as well as automatic and manual transmission labs. The math choice is measurement and literacy or conceptual physics with its lab.

Annual In-State Tuition

$2,128

Institution-wide · 2024–25

Automotive Awards

11

Certificates & degrees · 2023–24

Schoolwide Graduation

49%

Institution-wide · 150% time

Certificate · Associate DegreePublic

Tri-County Community College’s automotive degree at Main Campus requires 70–71 credits over five semesters. The course plan includes light-duty diesel fuel systems, hybrid-electric technology, and emerging transportation study alongside conventional repair. Students bringing earlier automotive coursework need recent credits: the automotive department does not accept classes more than five years old toward its curriculum requirements.

Annual In-State Tuition

$2,304

Institution-wide · 2024–25

Automotive Awards

8

Certificates & degrees · 2023–24

Schoolwide Graduation

54%

Institution-wide · 150% time

Certificate · Associate DegreePublic

McDowell Technical Community College’s automotive degree requires 73 credits and publishes separate odd-year and even-year course schedules. This rotation changes when engine repair, brakes, suspension, and other systems appear in the plan. Students select major coursework from a list that includes hybrid-electric transportation and light-duty diesel. Work-based learning is also an option within the degree, subject to coordinator approval.

Annual In-State Tuition

$1,824

Institution-wide · 2024–25

Automotive Awards

7

Certificates & degrees · 2023–24

Schoolwide Graduation

48%

Institution-wide · 150% time

Certificate · Associate DegreePublic

Surry Community College’s Automotive Systems Technology degree builds on the certificate and diploma coursework. Additional degree coursework covers transmission labs, advanced electronics, engine performance, and World of Work. Students can choose work-based learning in place of Automotive Servicing II. The automatic and manual transmission courses are writing intensive, with a prior English-course requirement that affects course planning.

Annual In-State Tuition

$2,550

Institution-wide · 2024–25

Automotive Awards

20

Certificates & degrees · 2023–24

Schoolwide Graduation

6%

Institution-wide · 150% time

Certificate · Associate DegreePublic

Haywood Community College’s automotive degree follows a 71-credit, five-semester plan that includes substantial diesel study in the final spring. Students begin with transportation welding and computer skills, then take auto shop management in the second fall. Required diesel-engine and diesel-electronics courses each combine classroom instruction with extended labs, giving the degree a scope that reaches beyond passenger-car repair.

Annual In-State Tuition

$2,432

Institution-wide · 2024–25

Automotive Awards

13

Certificates & degrees · 2023–24

Schoolwide Graduation

34%

Institution-wide · 150% time

Certificate · Associate DegreePublic

Halifax Community College’s automotive degree follows a 68-credit, five-semester plan, with climate-control coursework in summer. Engine repair and its lab begin in the first fall, while the second year adds shop management and professional reporting. Students use a textbook covering the automotive classes and an Electude online access code, so the program also requires a computing device and reliable high-speed internet.

Annual In-State Tuition

$2,432

Institution-wide · 2024–25

Automotive Awards

10

Certificates & degrees · 2023–24

Schoolwide Graduation

35%

Institution-wide · 150% time

CertificatePublic

Edgecombe Community College’s Automotive Systems Technology diploma uses a fall-and-spring plan totaling 43–45 credits. Engine repair and powertrain diagnosis appear in the first semester, followed by emerging transportation technology and sustainable transportation in spring. Students choose either basic welding or conceptual physics with a lab, and the course choice also determines which semester that requirement fits into the plan.

Annual In-State Tuition

$2,432

Institution-wide · 2024–25

Automotive Awards

9

Certificates & degrees · 2023–24

Schoolwide Graduation

37%

Institution-wide · 150% time

Certificate · Associate DegreePublic

South Piedmont Community College’s automotive associate degree combines online and in-person study over two years. Its current curriculum map offers work-based learning with a seminar as an alternative to Introduction to Computers. Selected courses can also be satisfied through articulated noncredit coursework or industry certifications. The final spring includes both emerging transportation technology and basic welding for transportation.

Annual In-State Tuition

$1,824

Institution-wide · 2024–25

Automotive Awards

2

Certificates & degrees · 2023–24

Schoolwide Graduation

38%

Institution-wide · 150% time

Associate DegreePublic

Southeastern Community College’s 69-credit Automotive Systems Technology A.A.S. combines mechanical repair with hybrid, electric-vehicle, and sustainable transportation courses. The program also requires Pathway to Employment–Transportation, which covers practical job preparation and workplace skills. A separate automatic-transmission lab provides four lab hours with its paired transmission course, giving the degree a defined place for additional drivetrain practice.

Annual In-State Tuition

$2,432

Institution-wide · 2024–25

Automotive Awards

1

Certificates & degrees · 2023–24

Schoolwide Graduation

43%

Institution-wide · 150% time

Certificate · Associate DegreePublic

Wilson Community College’s Automotive Systems Technology A.A.S. follows a five-semester plan with a summer term. Students begin with brake systems, electrical fundamentals, and computer skills for transportation, then move through engine, climate-control, and drivetrain coursework. In the final semester, the plan offers a choice between work-based learning and Automotive Servicing II alongside advanced engine performance and sustainable transportation.

Annual In-State Tuition

$2,432

Institution-wide · 2024–25

Automotive Awards

7

Certificates & degrees · 2023–24

Schoolwide Graduation

27%

Institution-wide · 150% time