How To Become A Parts Associate: What It Is and Career Path

What is a parts associate and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

3 min read

Parts Associates are responsible for assisting customers in finding the right parts for their vehicle. They work one-on-one with clients to clarify issues and find details equaling their cars' make and model at a retail automotive store.

Typically, you need to possess a high school diploma or associate degree to become a Parts Associate. Besides this, you must be skilled and experienced in a relevant field with the previous carrier as a sales associate or related to secure a better post.

In general, most of the bachelors who gravitate in this field end up laying claim to annual earnings at $29,781. The current median pay for a Parts Associate ranges from $21,505 to $34,799 in the U.S. However, this figure can vary significantly depending upon your experience and skills.

ScoreParts AssociateUS Average

Salary

2.5

Avg. Salary $32,152

Avg. Salary $59,228

Diversity

6.6

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.39%

Asian 1.75%

Black or African American 4.46%

Hispanic or Latino 18.97%

Unknown 4.23%

White 70.20%

Gender

female 22.27%

male 77.73%

Age - 46

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 46

Stress level

7.9

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity level

5.1

Complexity level is intermediate

7 - challenging

Work life balance

6.0

Work life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a parts associate

Explore parts associate education requirements

Most common parts associate degrees

High School Diploma

36.7 %

Bachelor's

24.7 %

Associate

23.8 %

Start to develop specific parts associate skills

Skills	Percentages
Parts Inventory	16.48%
Customer Satisfaction	11.34%
Inventory Control	10.00%
Cycle Counts	7.98%
Computer System	7.75%

Complete relevant parts associate training and internships

Accountants spend an average of Less than 1 month on post-employment, on-the-job training. New parts associates learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a parts associate based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real parts associate resumes.

Research parts associate duties and responsibilities

Manage DIY services including battery installation, testing, wiper installs, etc.
Develop relationships with personnel from other Chrysler dealerships to participate in a mutually beneficial parts purchase and delivery co op.
Complete minor to extensive repair of motor cycles and ATV's.
Deliver items to customers, whether they are a dealership, bodyshop or regular customer.

Prepare your parts associate resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your parts associate resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a parts associate resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose from 10+ customizable parts associate resume templates

Build a professional parts associate resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your parts associate resume.