Heavy Equipment Technician Education Requirements And Courses

Heavy equipment technician education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025

2 min read

Usually, heavy equipment technicians don't need a college education. The most common degree for heavy equipment technicians is associate degree with 35% graduates, with only 28% heavy equipment technician graduates earning high school diploma. Heavy equipment technicians who decided to graduate from college often finish Ferris State University or University of Phoenix. Some good skills to have in this position include customer service, cdl and mechanical problems.

Popular heavy equipment technician certifications include Commercial Driver License (CDL), OSHA Safety Certificate , or EPA Amusement Operators Safety Certification (EPA). To improve heavy equipment technician qualification and skills, we prepared some online courses to help in heavy equipment technician education paths.

What education do you need to become a heavy equipment technician?

What degree do you need to be a heavy equipment technician?

The most common degree for heavy equipment technicians is associate degree, with 35% of heavy equipment technicians earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are high school diploma degree at 28% and high school diploma degree at 16%.

Associate, 35%

High School Diploma, 28%

Diploma, 16%

Bachelor's, 11%

Other Degrees, 10%

What should I major in to become a heavy equipment technician?

You should major in automotive technology to become a heavy equipment technician. 44% of heavy equipment technicians major in automotive technology. Other common majors for a heavy equipment technician include heavy/industrial equipment maintenance technologies and business.

Automotive Technology, 44%

Heavy/Industrial Equipment Maintenance Technologies, 8%

Business, 7%

General Studies, 5%

Other Majors, 36%

Rank	Major	Percentages
1	Automotive Technology	43.9%
2	Heavy/Industrial Equipment Maintenance Technologies	7.9%
3	Business	6.5%
4	General Studies	4.5%
5	Industrial Technology	4.2%

Rank

Major

Percentages

Automotive Technology

43.9%

Heavy/Industrial Equipment Maintenance Technologies

7.9%

Business

6.5%

General Studies

4.5%

Industrial Technology

4.2%

20 best online courses for heavy equipment technicians

Advertising disclosure

1. Electrical Power Equipment

4.6

(939)

Learn how electrical equipments operate and how they fit together into a network...

2. Electrical Control & Protection Systems

4.6

(1,763)

This course introduces electrical control & protection systems which are a critical part of any electrical substation...

3. High Voltage Electric Vehicle Safety

4.4

(302)

Electric Vehicle Safety Battery Pack Fire Safety Electric Shock Safety Accidental Safety High Voltage Components...

4. Construction Site Electrical System Design

4.6

(454)

Learn how to design a safe, flexible and durable electrical system for any construction site...

5. Electric Vehicle Battery Management System - Course

4.2

(398)

Battery management system battery design & modelling Electric vehicle Lithium ion battery management Simulation...

6. Electric Vehicle Technology - A Beginner's Course

4.3

(3,094)

Electric Vehicle Tech & Components Motors Battery management system Charging technology Electric Vehicle testing...

7. Electrical Control & Protection Systems part 2

4.7

(718)

This course introduces electrical control & protection systems which are a critical part of any electrical substation...

8. Railway Systems Engineering (Equivalent to Micro MSc )

4.3

(377)

A Journey in the World of Railway Systems Operation Rolling Stock Traction System Engineering Infrastructure...

9. Functional Safety for Safety Instrumented Systems

4.1

(263)

The most complete course available on Functional Safety. 2+ hours of videos, case studies, assignments, & more...

10. Electrical Control & Protection Part 4

4.5

(293)

This course introduces electrical control & protection systems which are a critical part of any electrical network...

11. ISO 22000:2018. Food Safety Management System

4.4

(976)

Understand the requirements for a food safety management system applicable for any organization in the food chain...

12. Electric Vehicles Comprehensive Course

4.1

(285)

Electric vehicles, Electric vehicle, Battery management system, EV, Battery cars, EV course, Electric vehicle batteries...

13. Garnett Cross Training in the Maintenance of Oil Hydraulics

4.5

(555)

This course will prepare you to work with hydraulic systems, plan maintenance and perform troubleshooting...

14. Electric Vehicle Education

(522)

Vehicle Types, Nomenclature, How They Work, Charging, Performance, Cost of Ownership, Features, Benefits, And More.....

15. Aerospace Engineering: Aircraft Systems and Avionics

4.6

(960)

Aerospace and Aeronautical Engineering: Master the Systems of Airplanes - Hydraulics, Avionics, Electric, Propulsion...

16. Electric Vehicle Crash Course

(321)

EV Projects & Prototype Development...

17. Advanced Process Control & Safety Instrumented Systems SIS

4.5

(783)

Learn how the main process equipment such as chemical reactors , pumps , compressors & heat exchangers are controlled...

18. Lithium Battery Technology for Electric Vehicle - Advanced

4.4

(471)

Electric Vehicle Batteries Selection Sizing Methods Battery Management BMS Pack Design Battery Testing Methods...

19. Become a Pharmacy Technician

4.7

(2,374)

A Video Study Guide for the Pharmacy Technician Certification Exam...

20. Product Development & Systems Engineering

4.6

(3,086)

The complete Product Development & Systems Engineering course! Earn 25 contact hours AND prepare to take the INCOSE Exam...

Average heavy equipment technician salary by education level

Heavy equipment technicians with a Bachelor's degree earn more than those without, at $46,033 annually. With a Associate degree, heavy equipment technicians earn a median annual income of $44,742 compared to $44,104 for heavy equipment technicians with an High School Diploma degree.

Heavy equipment technician education level	Heavy equipment technician salary
High School Diploma or Less	$44,104
Bachelor's Degree	$46,033
Some College/ Associate Degree	$44,742