Automotive Engineering Technician
I-08I Other Industrial controls jobs · Skilled level · O*NET 17-3027.01
- Texas median
whole occupation, 2025 - $76,610
- work over
40 h a week - 63%
- load index
from O*NET data - 2.5/5
- Texas jobs
2024 to 2034 - +4.5%
Pay
This level's pay
No published pay record names this level: no public record found in sources S1-S7 that names this rung. The occupation-wide figure below is for all experience levels.
Whole occupation: Automotive Engineering Technicians (17-3027), Texas BLS OEWS May 2025
- Series OEUS480000000000017302713 (median), Texas, May 2025, read 2026-10-03
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025. Base pay (straight-time, excludes overtime).
- Based on an estimated 2,140 jobs in Texas (series OEUS480000000000017302701).
BLS OEWS May 2025
- Series OEUS480000000000017302713 (median), Texas, May 2025, read 2026-10-03
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025. Base pay (straight-time, excludes overtime).
- Based on an estimated 2,140 jobs in Texas (series OEUS480000000000017302701).
Outlook 2024 to 2034, all Automotive Engineering Technicians, not level-specific TWC, BLS
- Texas Workforce Commission long-term projections (via Projections Central) 2024-2034, Texas, read 2026-10-03
- Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections 2024-2034, United States, read 2026-10-03
TWC, BLS
- Texas Workforce Commission long-term projections (via Projections Central) 2024-2034, Texas, read 2026-10-03
- Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections 2024-2034, United States, read 2026-10-03
- Texas
- +4.5% jobs · about 160 openings a year (1,800 jobs in 2024)
- United States
- +0.0% jobs · about 3,200 openings a year (38,300 jobs in 2024)
Openings include people retiring or changing jobs, not only growth.
Hours O*NET 31.0
- Duration of Typical Work Week (4.C.3.d.8), O*NET Work Context, data 07/2016, n = 27 respondents, O*NET OnLine
O*NET 31.0
- Duration of Typical Work Week (4.C.3.d.8), O*NET Work Context, data 07/2016, n = 27 respondents, O*NET OnLine
Schedule: regular 70% · irregular 30% · seasonal 0%
Physical load 2.5 of 5, our index from O*NET Method
- Engineer Tsai index (et_physical_v1): mean of a body index (2.21, 6 measures) and an exposure index (2.8, 7 measures), built from O*NET Work Context means, 1 to 5: Spend Time Standing; Spend Time Climbing Ladders, Scaffolds, or Poles; Spend Time Walking or Running; Spend Time Kneeling, Crouching, Stooping, or Crawling; Spend Time Keeping or Regaining Balance; Spend Time Bending or Twisting Your Body; Outdoors, Exposed to All Weather Conditions; Exposed to Very Hot or Cold Temperatures; Exposed to Cramped Work Space, Awkward Positions; Exposed to High Places; Exposed to Hazardous Conditions; Exposed to Hazardous Equipment; Wear Specialized Protective or Safety Equipment such as Breathing Apparatus, Safety Harness, Full Protection Suits, or Radiation Protection.
- O*NET OnLine
Method
- Engineer Tsai index (et_physical_v1): mean of a body index (2.21, 6 measures) and an exposure index (2.8, 7 measures), built from O*NET Work Context means, 1 to 5: Spend Time Standing; Spend Time Climbing Ladders, Scaffolds, or Poles; Spend Time Walking or Running; Spend Time Kneeling, Crouching, Stooping, or Crawling; Spend Time Keeping or Regaining Balance; Spend Time Bending or Twisting Your Body; Outdoors, Exposed to All Weather Conditions; Exposed to Very Hot or Cold Temperatures; Exposed to Cramped Work Space, Awkward Positions; Exposed to High Places; Exposed to Hazardous Conditions; Exposed to Hazardous Equipment; Wear Specialized Protective or Safety Equipment such as Breathing Apparatus, Safety Harness, Full Protection Suits, or Radiation Protection.
- O*NET OnLine
Body
- Standing3.15
- Bending or twisting2.41
- Walking or running2.27
- Kneeling or crawling2.12
- Keeping balance1.81
- Climbing ladders1.52
Exposure
- Hazardous equipment3.67
- Hazardous conditions3.33
- Very hot or cold2.85
- Cramped space2.81
- Outdoors, all weather2.78
- Protective gear2.48
- High places1.67
Getting in
- License
- No license for this job title at the 8 Texas and federal licensing agencies read on 2026-10-03 (TDLR, TSBPE, TCEQ, TCFP, TEA, TBPELS, NRC and EPA).
- Degree
- 41% hold a bachelor's or higher; most common: Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree
- Experience
- Over 1 year, up to and including 2 years of related experience is the most common answer (30% of workers).
O*NET
- O*NET Related Work Experience, Automotive Engineering Technicians, O*NET OnLine
- Preparation
- Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed
- Why this level
- Skilled: O*NET Job Zone 3 (1-2 start, 3-4 skilled, 5 senior).
Moves to the side 6
- I Mechanical Engineering Technician O*NET lists Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians as a related occupation (Primary-Short); skills and knowledge profile similarity r = 0.88.
- I Robotic Technician O*NET lists Robotics Technicians as a related occupation (Primary-Short); skills and knowledge profile similarity r = 0.87. License: depends on the work.
- I3 Controls Technician O*NET lists Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians as a related occupation (Primary-Short); skills and knowledge profile similarity r = 0.86. License: depends on the work.
- I Locomotive Electrician O*NET lists Electrical and Electronics Installers and Repairers, Transportation Equipment as a related occupation (Primary-Long); skills and knowledge profile similarity r = 0.85.
What the work is 6 core tasks
Assist engineers in determining the practicality of proposed product design changes and plan and carry out tests on experimental test devices or equipment for performance, durability, or efficiency.
- Document test results, using cameras, spreadsheets, documents, or other tools.
- Set up mechanical, hydraulic, or electric test equipment in accordance with engineering specifications, standards, or test procedures.
- Read and interpret blueprints, schematics, work specifications, drawings, or charts.
- Inspect or test parts to determine nature or cause of defects or malfunctions.
- Monitor computer-controlled test equipment, according to written or verbal instructions.
- Analyze test data for automotive systems, subsystems, or component parts.
Core tasks ranked by O*NET task Importance (IM, 1-5), top 6.
Top skills
- Reading Comprehension
- Critical Thinking
- Speaking
- Active Listening
- Complex Problem Solving
- Operations Monitoring
- Quality Control Analysis
- Writing
Sources (4)
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025, Texas, series OEUS480000000000017302713, read 2026-10-03
- Texas Workforce Commission long-term projections (via Projections Central) 2024-2034, Texas, read 2026-10-03
- Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections 2024-2034, United States, read 2026-10-03
- O*NET 31.0 Database (August 2026), 17-3027.01 Automotive Engineering Technicians, read 2026-10-03
This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. Engineer Tsai has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. CC BY 4.0 · O*NET license
Pay: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Base pay; excludes overtime. Outlook: BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034 (United States) and Texas Workforce Commission long-term projections 2024-2034, read through Projections Central.
