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Auto mechanic schools in Virginia
Virginia has 15 accredited campuses awarding auto tech credentials. If you finish and work as an automotive technician in Virginia, expect to start around $36,540–$45,080 and reach a median of $59,330 with experience; the top quarter earn $76,540 or more (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025, Virginia). Graduates of these Virginia programs — every graduate, whatever job they took — earned a median of $29,092 in their first year, against $33,710 nationally; that is the figure used to rank campuses below.
What automotive service technicians and mechanics earn in Virginia
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; 17,880 employed in Virginia. National median: $50,620.
Campuses in Virginia, ranked by what their graduates earned
Cities: AlbertaAnnandaleCedar BluffDanvilleDublinHamptonLocust GroveMartinsvilleMelfaNorfolkRichmondRoanokeVirginia BeachWeyers Cave
| Campus | City | Type | Grads / yr | Earnings, yr 1 | Program debt | Completion | Cost / yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tidewater Community College | Norfolk | Public | 295 | $42,438 | $5,841 | 32% | not reported |
| Northern Virginia Community College | Annandale | Public | 91 | $37,471 | not reported | 33% | not reported |
| Advanced Technology Institute | Virginia Beach | for-profit | 82 | $29,092 | $12,000 | 79% | not reported |
| Tidewater Tech-Trades | Norfolk | for-profit | 72 | $27,441 | $14,750 | 71% | not reported |
| J Sargeant Reynolds Community College | Richmond | Public | 20 | not reported | not reported | 32% | not reported |
| New River Community College | Dublin | Public | 16 | not reported | not reported | 50% | not reported |
| Blue Ridge Community College | Weyers Cave | Public | 15 | not reported | not reported | 40% | not reported |
| Germanna Community College | Locust Grove | Public | 15 | not reported | not reported | 47% | not reported |
| Virginia Western Community College | Roanoke | Public | 12 | not reported | not reported | 40% | not reported |
| Southside Virginia Community College | Alberta | Public | 11 | not reported | not reported | 42% | not reported |
| Danville Community College | Danville | Public | 10 | not reported | not reported | 39% | not reported |
| Patrick & Henry Community College | Martinsville | Public | 10 | not reported | not reported | 42% | not reported |
| Eastern Shore Community College | Melfa | Public | 9 | not reported | not reported | 41% | not reported |
| Virginia Peninsula Community College | Hampton | Public | 8 | not reported | not reported | 34% | not reported |
| Southwest Virginia Community College | Cedar Bluff | Public | 7 | not reported | not reported | 46% | not reported |
Earnings are median wages and self-employment income reported to the IRS (W-2 and Schedule SE) for graduates who received federal aid and were working and not enrolled, measured in the calendar year after finishing. They are pay only: health insurance, retirement contributions and other benefits are not included.
Ranked by median earnings of this program's graduates one year after completion (College Scorecard field-of-study, Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) 2022-23 Completions survey; College Scorecard June 2026; Database of Accredited Postsecondary Institutions and Programs (DAPIP), September 2026); campuses without a reported figure follow, by credentials awarded. "Program debt" is the median federal loan debt for graduates of this program at this campus. Completion is the campus-wide 150%-of-time rate. "Not reported" means the federal file suppresses the value for privacy.