15 accredited programs at 14 schools in Washington, ranked for 2027: automotive and aviation maintenance. Renton Technical College in Renton, WA has the highest score, and automotive service technicians and mechanics here earn a median $57,270.
By Trevor Rupe, Contributor at Savo Media Group Updated
At a Glance
15 ranked programs at 14 schools in Washington: 10 automotive and 5 aviation maintenance.
Renton Technical College in Renton, WA scores highest, 58.8 out of 100 (automotive).
BLS reports a May 2025 median of $57,270 for automotive service technicians and mechanics (SOC 49-3023) in Washington.
Published prices run from $4,711 a year, in-state (Green River College) to $23,462 for the 12-month program (Perry Technical Institute).
13 of 14 ranked mechanic schools in Washington are public institutions.
Top Mechanic Schools in Washington
These mechanic schools in Washington run in score order. Ranks are this state’s; each card also gives the national rank in its trade.
Rank 1
Automotive Technology
Renton Technical College
Renton, WA
Score58.8
ASE Accredited Program
Public
Certificate of Completion, 80 credits
Cost
$6,308a year, in-state
Graduation rate
46%within 150% of normal time
Auto technician pay in Washington
$57,270median, BLS May 2025
Awards
49in 2024-25
Why it ranks here
Ranked #100 of 415 automotive programs nationally. Ranked on a price of $6,308 a year, in-state, a 46% graduation rate and 49 awards in 2024-25.
10 ranked automotive programs at 10 schools in Washington. Renton Technical College (Renton, WA) leads and stands #100 of 415 nationally, in the top quarter, on a score of 58.8. Green River College is the lowest priced at $4,711 a year, in-state, against $23,462 for the 12-month program at Perry Technical Institute. Automotive programs are taught in Renton, WA, Auburn, WA, Vancouver, WA, Lakewood, WA, Mount Vernon, WA and Walla Walla, WA, and 3 more cities. The largest, in Yakima, WA, awarded 50 credentials in 2024-25. BLS reports a May 2025 median of $57,270 for automotive service technicians and mechanics (SOC 49-3023) in Washington, $6,650 above the national median of $50,620.
5 ranked aviation maintenance programs at 5 schools in Washington. The best placed is Clover Park Technical College (Lakewood, WA), #51 of 148 nationally and in the upper half, scoring 56.9. Everett Community College is the lowest priced at $5,032 a year, in-state, against $6,634 a year at Clover Park Technical College. Aviation maintenance programs are taught in Lakewood, WA, Everett, WA, Moses Lake, WA, Seattle, WA and Spokane, WA. The largest, in Moses Lake, WA, awarded 93 credentials in 2024-25. BLS reports a May 2025 median of $98,980 for aircraft mechanics and service technicians (SOC 49-3011) in Washington, $19,110 above the national median of $79,870.
BLS counts 12,930 wage and salary jobs for automotive service technicians and mechanics in Washington, a thinner market than the national average. The medians below describe each occupation in the state, not the graduates of the mechanic schools in $Washington above.
BLS median pay in Washington by occupation, May 2025
Occupation
Median
Lowest 10%
Highest 10%
Jobs
U.S. median
Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics SOC 49-3023
$57,270
under $39,470
over $95,620
12,930
$50,620
Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists SOC 49-3031
$77,900
under $54,720
over $102,800
7,410
$61,770
Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians SOC 49-3011
$98,980
under $58,450
over $117,740
4,480
$79,870
Largest metropolitan areas for automotive service technicians and mechanics: Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA at $59,290 (6,860 jobs), Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA at $60,450 (4,180 jobs) and Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA at $54,840 (1,100 jobs).
For bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists: Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA at $82,330 (3,740 jobs) and Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA at $71,990 (2,330 jobs).
For aircraft mechanics and service technicians: Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA at $103,900 (3,950 jobs) and Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA at $83,760 (610 jobs).
Mechanic Salary in Washington has the full percentiles, every metropolitan area BLS publishes and the five mechanic trades side by side.
For 2027, Renton Technical College in Renton, WA has the highest score of the 15 ranked programs in Washington, 58.8 out of 100. Among the mechanic schools in Washington, the leaders by trade are Renton Technical College (automotive) and Clover Park Technical College (aviation maintenance). 13 of the 14 ranked schools with a recorded control are public.
Which mechanic schools in Washington are accredited?
The 14 ranked mechanic schools in Washington hold ASE Education Foundation accreditation in automotive and FAA Part 147 certification for aviation maintenance, and each met the federal entry bar for the ranking.
How much do mechanics make in Washington?
In the Bureau of Labor Statistics May 2025 estimates, Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics in Washington earn a median of $57,270, $6,650 above the national median of $50,620; Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists earn a median of $77,900, $16,130 above 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 Washington cost?
Among the mechanic schools in Washington with a published price, tuition and fees run from $4,711 a year, in-state at Green River College (Auburn, WA) to $23,462 for the 12-month program at Perry Technical Institute (Yakima, WA). The median across the state is about $5,312 a year.
Sources for Washington 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.
