Best Auto Mechanic Schools In Seattle Ranked For 2026

UEI lists the Tacoma Automotive Technician program as a hybrid diploma with an approximate 10-month length and nine course modules. Students complete part of the program online and attend on-site labs using actual vehicles.

A high school diploma or equivalent is required for enrollment. As of the September 2026 review, the Tacoma program page lists September 28, 2026 as its next class start.

Course modules cover engine design, evaluation, diagnosis, and disassembly; electrical systems including batteries, charging, lighting, and instrumentation; and engine performance and ignition using onboard diagnostic information, scan testers, and symptom charts.

The Preventative Maintenance and Hybrid Technology module covers hybrid diagnostic and safety procedures, professional communication, workflow management, and working as part of a service team.

UEI College Tacoma holds institutional accreditation from the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges. The campus opened in 2021 and offers the automotive diploma at its East 72nd Street location.

The certificate is taught in person, with students usually attending Monday through Thursday. Automotive Technology operates through full-time cohorts.

Students enroll in either a 7 a.m.–1 p.m. morning cohort or a 2–8 p.m. afternoon cohort; introductory automotive classes are offered in fall or spring quarters.

AUT 130 covers engine disassembly, cleaning, inspection, measurement, cylinder-head rebuilding, engine-block overhaul, and reassembly. The course carries eight credits within the certificate’s technical core.

Required supplies include hard-toed boots, coveralls, and at least $300 in tools. The college also lists $189 for ASE testing and approximately $85 per quarter for books and supplies.

Students need placement eligibility for MATH 110 or higher and ENGL 107 or higher. The college provides directed self-placement tools for both subjects.

Shoreline lists Automotive Service Technician as a 101-credit Associate of Applied Arts and Sciences degree taught on campus, with fall, winter, spring, and summer starting quarters.

The degree alternates classroom study with a dealership internship, giving students additional theory and higher-level hands-on practice while they complete the Automotive Service Technician route.

The AST degree identifies Subaru University and Nissan Technical Training Academy as industry partners through which students earn certifications while developing advanced repair skills.

The AST degree builds on the General Service Technician I certificate. Applicants must meet program eligibility requirements and apply to both the college and the automotive program.

LWTech lists an Auto Repair Technician AAS, an Auto Repair Technician Certificate of Proficiency, an Electric Vehicle Technician Certificate of Completion, and a General Service Technician Certificate of Completion.

The program lists fall and spring entry and requires summer-quarter coursework. Course offerings follow a quarterly schedule, so students progress through a planned sequence.

The General Service Technician Certificate of Completion includes in-class support with writing, mathematics, note-taking, presentation skills, study techniques, and career readiness.

The Auto Repair pathway includes a premium education partnership with Audi of America, which the college says provides graduates with exposure and practical experience connected to dealer-based technician work.

Green River says students can complete the Automotive Technology program in as little as six quarters. New students must complete the college application and placement assessment, meet with an advisor, and show a valid driver’s license.

The AAS combines general education with certificates covering brakes, steering and suspension; electrical systems; engine performance; HVAC; and transmission and transaxle systems.

Students work in two modern shops with ten bays each and troubleshoot real customer vehicles when instructors approve the work. Listed equipment includes Hunter tire and alignment tools, newer and factory scan tools, and four- and eight-channel scopes.

Green River says it provides personal protective equipment and uniforms, while second-year students must buy a tool set estimated at $1,400 to $5,000. The page also identifies the program as an ASE-accredited professional training program.

Through Subaru-U, students can take most of the entry-level training required for Subaru technicians. Subaru has also donated three newer vehicles to Green River’s automotive program.

The AAT requires 115 technical credits plus 18 general education credits, for a total of 133. Admission dates are listed for fall, winter, spring, and summer.

Cooperative work experience is available with instructor permission, with the credit amount based on time spent in the placement. Program outcomes also require diagnosis and repair of customer-owned vehicles.

To remain in the program, students must have required textbooks by the start of the third week and required tools by the start of the second quarter.

All technical courses require a 2.0 GPA or higher. General education includes communication, a college-level math course, science or social science or humanities, and College Success for All.

RTC offers a Certificate of Completion and an Automotive Technology Associate of Applied Science, both with fall, winter, and spring enrollment points.

The AAS requires four general education courses totaling 20 credits in addition to technical instruction across the eight NATEF/ASE repair areas.

Certificate students graduate with an ASE Refrigerant Recovery and Recycling Certificate, while RTC also provides opportunities for additional ASE certifications across the repair areas.

INDS 101 CPR/First Aid/AED certification is required in the first quarter. Equivalent prior certification may qualify for credit if it remains valid through graduation and meets the college’s review.

The program includes support in mathematics, reading, writing, and study skills. Students complete an I-BEST identification survey, and those placed into I-BEST also complete an intake form.

SPSCC lists Automotive Technology as an Associate in Applied Science and Basic Automotive Technology as a Certificate of Proficiency. The page describes the certificate as a starting point before students continue toward the associate degree.

SPSCC offers evening automotive courses so students can work during the day while completing the degree. Its published quarterly plan outlines the course progression.

SPSCC teaches in a modern industry-standard shop certified by the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence. The curriculum is designed around all eight ASE areas, including systems such as brakes, electrical, transmissions, HVAC, and engine performance.

The program’s I-BEST model places a professional-technical instructor and a second instructor in first-year classes. The support instructor helps students strengthen English, writing, and math while they study automotive content.

Students can service community members’ vehicles through the Automotive Services Department. The college operates the repair service as a student training facility, providing practical experience with customer vehicles.

Bates lists Automotive Technology as a 142-credit Associate in Applied Science completed over eight quarters at its South Campus, with posted program hours of 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Students train in a fully operational auto service facility serving the public. Their work includes diagnosis, repairs, engine and transmission overhauls, and computerized diagnostic tools.

The AAS includes five credits each in communication, quantitative studies, and a science or humanities distribution. The listed choices include technical writing, business math, and interpersonal communication.

AUTOM 296 Work-Based Learning Experience is listed as an elective carrying one to 13 credits. It is separate from the required quarterly technical sequence.