How To Become A Transportation Mechanic: What It Is and Career Path

What is a transportation mechanic and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

3 min read

The average transportation mechanic salary is $42,103. The most common degree is a high school diploma degree with an automotive technology major. It usually takes 1-2 years of experience to become a transportation mechanic. Transportation mechanics with a EPA Amusement Operators Safety Certification (EPA) certification earn more money. Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow 4% and produce 12,600 job opportunities across the U.S.

ScoreTransportation MechanicUS Average

Salary

3.3

Avg. Salary $42,103

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

6.3

Growth rate 4%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

10.0

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 1.05%

Asian 2.33%

Black or African American 7.43%

Hispanic or Latino 20.50%

Unknown 4.97%

White 63.72%

Gender

female 7.43%

male 92.57%

Age - 42

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 - 42

Stress level

6.3

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity level

5.8

Complexity level is intermediate

7 - challenging

Work life balance

6.3

Work life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a transportation mechanic

Explore transportation mechanic education requirements

Most common transportation mechanic degrees

High School Diploma

61.0 %

Associate

17.8 %

Bachelor's

15.3 %

Start to develop specific transportation mechanic skills

Skills	Percentages
Combat	22.61%
USMC	18.91%
Hand Tools	10.13%
Preventative Maintenance	9.52%
Electrical Systems	7.48%

Complete relevant transportation mechanic training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 1-2 years on post-employment, on-the-job training. New transportation mechanics 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 transportation mechanic based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real transportation mechanic resumes.

Research transportation mechanic duties and responsibilities

Operate heavy machinery, hydraulic lifts, hoists and jacks, brake lathes.
Ensure all equipment are combat operational during operations mostly in hostile territory.
Document repairs, modifications and inspections in accordance with FAA requirements on both paper and in an automate maintenance information database.
Perform initial and in-process inspections; perform mechanical diagnostics and troubleshoot to localize defects and determine cause of malfunction.

Prepare your transportation mechanic resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your transportation mechanic 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 transportation mechanic resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose from 10+ customizable transportation mechanic resume templates

Build a professional transportation mechanic 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 transportation mechanic resume.