How to Become an Automotive Service Technician in Missouri (2026)

Updated September 2, 2026 | TradeCareerPath Editorial Team

Missouri employs about 17,210 automotive service technicians earning a median $49,160 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Training as an Automotive Service Technician here means completing a postsecondary automotive, diesel, motorcycle, marine, or collision program plus ASE or OEM credentials. This is not a default RAPIDS apprenticeship.

Compare Automotive Service Technician Schools in Missouri

BOC Score, tuition, graduation rate, and median graduate earnings from federal IPEDS and U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard data. Tuition is the published annual figure for the latest reported year and excludes room, board, books and fees. Earnings are reported across all programs at the school (all majors), not a single trade. Distance is measured from the page's primary location.
#SchoolBOC Score (0–100)Tuition (published, per year)Median grad earnings (all majors)Graduation rateOnlineDistance
179.7Contact school for pricing$59,627100%—84 mi
274.7Contact school for pricing$47,22189%—109 mi
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369.9$8,160 in-state / $14,610 out-of-state$58,40784%—50 mi
457.2$5,250 in-state / $8,850 out-of-state$50,93738%Yes*118 mi
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555.0$2,424 in-state / $5,688 out-of-state$52,95631%Yes*115 mi
654.7$4,512 in-state / $7,200 out-of-state$42,62833%Yes*84 mi
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752.7Contact school for pricing$56,13773%—110 mi
846.2$4,272 in-state / $7,680 out-of-state$42,27248%Yes*95 mi
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945.8$3,630 in-state / $9,600 out-of-state$50,12134%Yes*112 mi
1045.5$4,176 in-state / $7,416 out-of-state$40,78944%Yes*38 mi
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Schools closest to the page's primary location are gathered first, then ranked by BOC Score; distance from the page's primary location is shown for reference. The BOC Score is an independent measure of school outcomes (graduation, earnings, net price, retention) expressed as a 0–100 percentile within each school's peer group; higher is better and advertising never affects it. *Online availability refers to coursework; hands-on trade training is completed in person. Read the full methodology.

Missouri employs approximately 17,210 automotive service technicians according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, with a median annual wage of $49,160 1. The state’s concentration of automotive service technician jobs is 1.29x the national average, indicating strong demand. Nationally, automotive service technician employment is projected to grow 4.2% from 2024 to 2034, with about 70,000 openings per year 2. This page covers how to become an Automotive Service Technician in Missouri, including licensing requirements, training programs, and salary data.

At a Glance

  • Training paths: trade-school or community-college program in the specialty (find programs)
  • Typical timeline: a postsecondary automotive, diesel, motorcycle, marine, or collision program plus ASE or OEM credentials. This is not a default RAPIDS apprenticeship
  • Exam: ASE or OEM certification
  • Median wage (Missouri): $49,160 per year 1

Quick Answers About How to Become an Automotive Service Technician in Missouri

How to become an Automotive Service Technician in Missouri? Complete a postsecondary automotive, diesel, motorcycle, marine, or collision program plus ASE or OEM credentials. This is not a default RAPIDS apprenticeship. Confirm credential rules with the program and employer.

How long does it take? Most people finish a postsecondary automotive, diesel, motorcycle, marine, or collision program plus ASE or OEM credentials. This is not a default RAPIDS apprenticeship. Confirm current hour totals with the program and employer.

Do I need a license in Missouri? Most states do not require a statewide occupational license. Employers typically expect ASE or OEM certification. See the licensing section below.

What do automotive service technicians earn in Missouri? The median annual wage for automotive service technicians in Missouri is $49,160 according to BLS data. Entry-level wages start around $34,950 and experienced professionals can earn $76,870 or more 1.

How to Become an Automotive Service Technician in Missouri

  1. Meet program entry rules. Programs typically require a high school diploma or GED.
  2. Complete a specialty program. Finish an automotive, diesel, motorcycle, marine, or collision program. Some union shops use apprenticeships; the default national path is a certificate plus ASE, not DAS as the only option.
  3. Earn ASE or OEM credentials. Pass ASE tests or OEM training the employer requires. Some states add a separate smog or emissions credential; it is not the whole mechanic license.

Steps and hour totals vary by credential level; confirm current requirements with the program and employer before you enroll.

Automotive Service Technician License Requirements in Missouri

Most states do not license auto, diesel, motorcycle, marine, or collision techs as a statewide journeyman card. Employers expect ASE or OEM credentials. Some states add a smog or emissions credential.

Typical path

  1. Complete a specialty program.

  2. Earn ASE or OEM credentials.

  3. Add a state smog or emissions credential only if that state and the job require one.

Hour totals, fees, and reciprocity rules change. Confirm current requirements with the employer before you enroll.

Automotive Service Technician Wages by Metro Area in Missouri

Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics Wages by Metro Area in Missouri

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics ( OES data), automotive service technicians and mechanics wages in Missouri vary by metro area.

Metro AreaEmploymentMedian Annual WageAvg. Annual WageEntry Level
(10th pctile)		Experienced
(90th pctile)
St. Louis7,590$58,190$57,060$36,280$78,140
Kansas City5,380$53,790$57,170$36,030$80,850
Springfield1,840$49,570$53,550$31,330$77,460
Columbia630$48,370$51,550$34,540$74,320
Joplin590$46,320$48,280$30,350$72,860
Jefferson City420$47,010$49,730$30,930$71,370
St. Joseph330$47,180$51,310$31,640$75,920
Cape Girardeau310$48,690$51,460$32,600$75,860

Wages reflect survey data and vary based on experience, credentials, employer, and local market conditions. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May .

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the job outlook for automotive service technicians in Missouri? Missouri currently employs approximately 17,210 automotive service technicians 1. Nationally, automotive service technician employment is projected to grow 4.2% from 2024 to 2034 2.

What training programs are available in Missouri? Options include trade schools, community colleges, and state-approved training programs. Use the school finder above to search for programs in Missouri.

How much do automotive service technicians earn in Missouri compared to the national average? The median annual wage for automotive service technicians in Missouri is $49,160, which is $510 below the national median of $49,670 according to BLS data 1.

In Missouri

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Citations

About this guide: Researched and written by the TradeCareerPath Editorial Team. Our editorial team researches and sources every trade school and career guide using federal labor and education data, including BLS OEWS and Employment Projections, DOL apprenticeship records, IPEDS, College Scorecard, and state licensing boards. We follow the editorial standards documented at /editorial-policy/.

References

  1. Bureau of Labor Statistics - Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics: https://www.bls.gov/oes/ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎

  2. Bureau of Labor Statistics - Employment Projections: https://www.bls.gov/emp/ ↩︎ ↩︎

Data sources

Figures on this page are sourced from the federal and state datasets below. Methodology: how we rank and source data.

DataProviderVintage
Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsMay 2025
Employment ProjectionsU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics2024-2034
Integrated Postsecondary Education Data SystemNational Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)2024
College Scorecard (school-level outcomes)U.S. Department of Educationlatest release
College Scorecard (field-of-study earnings)U.S. Department of Educationlatest release (updated 2026-06-12)
Occupational licensing requirementsCareerOneStop (U.S. Department of Labor)latest release (updated 2026-02-22)
Registered apprenticeship programsCareerOneStop / Apprenticeship.gov (U.S. Department of Labor)latest release (updated 2025-10-25)
O*NET occupation profiles (skills, tasks, tools, job zones)U.S. Department of Labor (O*NET / Employment & Training Admin.)O*NET 29.1 (updated 2026-06-13)