17 accredited programs at 12 schools in Arkansas, ranked for 2027: automotive, diesel, collision repair and aviation maintenance. Northwest Technical Institute in Springdale, AR has the highest score, and bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists here earn a median $52,330.
By Trevor Rupe, Contributor at Savo Media Group Updated
At a Glance
17 ranked programs at 12 schools in Arkansas: 9 automotive, 2 diesel, 2 collision repair and 4 aviation maintenance.
Northwest Technical Institute in Springdale, AR scores highest, 58.1 out of 100 (diesel).
BLS reports a May 2025 median of $44,160 for automotive service technicians and mechanics (SOC 49-3023) in Arkansas.
Published prices run from $2,570 a year, in-district (Arkansas Northeastern College) to $8,674 a year, in-state (Arkansas Tech University).
12 of 12 ranked mechanic schools in Arkansas are public institutions.
Top Mechanic Schools in Arkansas
These mechanic schools in Arkansas run in score order. Ranks are this state’s; each card also gives the national rank in its trade.
Rank 1
Diesel Truck Technology
Northwest Technical Institute
Springdale, AR
Score58.1
ASE Accredited Program
Public
Diploma
Cost
$6,277a year
Graduation rate
74%within 150% of normal time
Diesel technician pay in Arkansas
$52,330median, BLS May 2025
Graduate earnings
$50,748median four years after completing, certificate level; school-wide across its mechanic programs
Why it ranks here
Ranked #31 of 76 diesel programs nationally. Earns its place with a price toward the low end of ranked diesel programs ($6,277 a year) and a 74% graduation rate.
Source: IPEDS 2024-25 (provisional), College Scorecard, the ASE accreditation list and BLS OEWS May 2025.
Rank 2
Aviation Maintenance Technology
Arkansas State University Mid-South
West Memphis, AR
Score56.6
FAA Part 147
Public
Associate of Applied Science
Cost
$3,216a year, in-district
Graduation rate
58%within 150% of normal time
Awards
54in 2024-25
Why it ranks here
Ranked #55 of 148 aviation maintenance programs nationally. Scores well on a price toward the low end of ranked aviation maintenance programs ($3,216 a year, in-district) and a 58% graduation rate.
9 ranked automotive programs at 9 schools in Arkansas. The best placed is Northwest Technical Institute (Springdale, AR), #176 of 415 nationally and in the upper half, scoring 53.6. South Arkansas College is the lowest priced at $3,324 a year, in-district, against $8,674 a year, in-state at Arkansas Tech University. Automotive programs are taught in Springdale, AR, Russellville, AR, Harrison, AR, Pocahontas, AR, North Little Rock, AR and El Dorado, AR, and 3 more cities. The largest, in Hot Springs, AR, awarded 114 credentials in 2024-25. BLS reports a May 2025 median of $44,160 for automotive service technicians and mechanics (SOC 49-3023) in Arkansas, $6,460 below the national median of $50,620.
2 ranked diesel programs at 2 schools in Arkansas. The best placed is Northwest Technical Institute (Springdale, AR), #31 of 76 nationally and in the upper half, scoring 58.1. Arkansas State University-Beebe is the lowest priced at $3,336 a year, in-state, against $6,277 a year at Northwest Technical Institute. Diesel programs are taught in Springdale, AR and Beebe, AR. The largest, in Beebe, AR, awarded 28 credentials in 2024-25. BLS reports a May 2025 median of $52,330 for bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists (SOC 49-3031) in Arkansas, $9,440 below the national median of $61,770.
2 ranked collision repair programs at 2 schools in Arkansas. North Arkansas College (Harrison, AR) is the best of them at #37 of 59 nationally (lower half), with 51.2 points. North Arkansas College is the lowest priced at $3,504 a year, in-district, against $8,674 a year, in-state at Arkansas Tech University. Collision repair programs are taught in Harrison, AR and Russellville, AR. The best completion rate, 49% within 150% of normal time, belongs to the program in Russellville, AR. BLS reports a May 2025 median of $49,310 for automotive body and related repairers (SOC 49-3021) in Arkansas, $5,580 below the national median of $54,890.
4 ranked aviation maintenance programs at 4 schools in Arkansas. The best placed is Arkansas State University Mid-South (West Memphis, AR), #55 of 148 nationally and in the upper half, scoring 56.6. Arkansas Northeastern College is the lowest priced at $2,570 a year, in-district, against $6,300 a year, in-state at University of Arkansas-Pulaski Technical College. Aviation maintenance programs are taught in West Memphis, AR, Camden, AR, Blytheville, AR and North Little Rock, AR. The best completion rate, 62% within 150% of normal time, belongs to the program in Camden, AR. BLS reports a May 2025 median of $65,420 for aircraft mechanics and service technicians (SOC 49-3011) in Arkansas, $14,450 below the national median of $79,870.
BLS counts 7,310 wage and salary jobs for automotive service technicians and mechanics in Arkansas, a denser market than the national average. The medians below describe each occupation in the state, not the graduates of the mechanic schools in $Arkansas above.
BLS median pay in Arkansas by occupation, May 2025
Occupation
Median
Lowest 10%
Highest 10%
Jobs
U.S. median
Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics SOC 49-3023
$44,160
under $30,320
over $75,600
7,310
$50,620
Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists SOC 49-3031
$52,330
under $38,620
over $69,260
4,090
$61,770
Automotive Body and Related Repairers SOC 49-3021
$49,310
under $36,070
over $76,550
1,140
$54,890
Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians SOC 49-3011
$65,420
under $39,900
over $78,690
720
$79,870
Largest metropolitan areas for automotive service technicians and mechanics: Memphis, TN-MS-AR at $50,490 (2,980 jobs), Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR at $46,130 (2,160 jobs) and Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR at $46,840 (1,520 jobs).
For bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists: Memphis, TN-MS-AR at $61,360 (1,240 jobs) and Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR at $57,300 (950 jobs).
For automotive body and related repairers: Memphis, TN-MS-AR at $48,680 (520 jobs) and Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR at $54,560 (290 jobs).
For aircraft mechanics and service technicians: Memphis, TN-MS-AR at $92,180 (2,140 jobs) and Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR at $72,700 (320 jobs).
Mechanic Salary in Arkansas has the full percentiles, every metropolitan area BLS publishes and the five mechanic trades side by side.
For 2027, Northwest Technical Institute in Springdale, AR has the highest score of the 17 ranked programs in Arkansas, 58.1 out of 100. Among the mechanic schools in Arkansas, the leaders by trade are Northwest Technical Institute (automotive), Northwest Technical Institute (diesel), North Arkansas College (collision repair) and Arkansas State University Mid-South (aviation maintenance). All 12 are public institutions.
Which mechanic schools in Arkansas are accredited?
The 12 ranked mechanic schools in Arkansas hold ASE Education Foundation accreditation in automotive, diesel and collision repair and FAA Part 147 certification for aviation maintenance, and each met the federal entry bar for the ranking.
How much do mechanics make in Arkansas?
In the Bureau of Labor Statistics May 2025 estimates, Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics in Arkansas earn a median of $44,160, $6,460 below the national median of $50,620; Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists earn a median of $52,330, $9,440 below the national median of $61,770. These are medians for wage and salary workers in the occupation, not starting pay.
How much do mechanic schools in Arkansas cost?
Among the mechanic schools in Arkansas with a published price, tuition and fees run from $2,570 a year, in-district at Arkansas Northeastern College (Blytheville, AR) to $8,674 a year, in-state at Arkansas Tech University (Russellville, AR). The median across the state is about $4,776 a year.
Sources for Arkansas Mechanic School Rankings
U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS Completions (awards July 2024 to June 2025, provisional), tuition and fees for 2024-25, graduation rates within 150% of normal time and the institutional directory.
This site earns money from sponsored school listings served by the education ad network Esyoh, which are marked as ads wherever they appear. Schools pay to appear in those listings, not in the rankings: a listing is not scored, and no listing can change a ranking. Rankings come from published records, and program details from each school’s own published pages.
