Best Auto Mechanic Schools In South Dakota Ranked For 2026

Lake Area Tech lists an 18-month, four-semester Automotive Technology Associate of Applied Science requiring 71 credits. Students can start in either the fall or spring term.

Students spend most of their time in a full-scale automotive shop working on cars, trucks, and SUVs. Training includes diagnostics, issue identification, repairs, alignment, balancing, and professional service equipment.

The program includes gas, diesel, hybrid, and electric vehicles. Second-year Automotive Technology students can also pursue a Light Duty Diesel Option focused on passenger vehicles with diesel drivetrains.

Lake Area Tech identifies the program as certified by the ASE Education Foundation and says ASE-certified instructors prepare students with training that meets current industry standards.

Automotive Technology graduates interested in a Diesel Technology AAS can transfer some completed coursework. The diesel route takes 18 months and offers Diesel Truck or Tractor options.

The program page lists a 100% placement rate for students employed within six months of graduation and an average salary of $52,811.20 after six months of employment.

Southeast Tech identifies Automotive Technology as a program certified by the ASE Education Foundation. The college describes the training as preparation to service, repair, and maintain cars and trucks.

Published curriculum areas include suspension and steering, brake systems, drivetrains and axles, transmissions, electrical systems, engine performance, and heating and air conditioning.

Students learn to diagnose issues, interpret technical information, and apply repairs with computerized diagnostic equipment and industry-standard tools. The college describes the training as beginning with core systems and diagnostics.

Training takes place in the high-tech auto lab inside The HUB, where Southeast Tech says students work with the tools and technology used in professional shops.

Alongside technical work, the program includes customer communication and teamwork practice. The college connects those skills to explaining work clearly and collaborating in a fast-paced shop.

The 18-month degree requires 65.5 to 68.5 credits, including 15 general education credits. The catalog provides four-semester plans for fall and spring starts.

AT 132 covers Hybrid and Electric Vehicle Systems for two credits. Welding and Fabrication for General Applications adds another two-credit technical course.

Nine-credit courses cover drivetrains, electrical and electronic systems, and engine performance. Other requirements include engine overhaul, engine construction, and Shop and Parts Management.

Students may take a three-credit internship alongside the required technical coursework, accounting for the upper end of the degree’s published credit range.

OLC lists Automotive Technology as a two-year Associate of Applied Science. The suggested plan includes six pre-program credits followed by automotive terms of 15, 15, 12, and 12 credits.

The plan lists Math 093 and Reading and Writing 093 as non-credit readiness requirements or test-out options, alongside CS 103 and OEd 103 before the automotive sequence begins.

Students receive hands-on, real-world experience while learning the strategies, processes, and practices used in automotive repair. OLC frames the training around vehicle operating systems and practical service work.

By graduation, students are expected to apply theory of vehicle operating systems, diagnose and repair those systems, and interpret service information for work in the automotive field.

The college says the Automotive Technology AAS prepares students for ASE Automobile and Light Truck Certification Tests, which it identifies as a leading certification for automotive repair professionals.