Best degree programs for First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers, ranked by enrollment
10 college programs and 308 schools train First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers. Compare graduates per year, cost and pay, $79,860 median wage, 617,500 U.S. jobs. Federal data.
10 college programs at 308 schools train first-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers, graduating 18,669 people a year (IPEDS completions). The largest is Operations Management and Supervision. The job pays a median of $79,860 (BLS OEWS May 2025).
About first-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
Directly supervise and coordinate the activities of mechanics, installers, and repairers. May also advise customers on recommended services. Excludes team or work leaders.
Fields of study that lead to this job
Grouped at the 4-digit CIP level, the tier our program pages are built on. Numbers are graduates per year.
10 degree programs that lead to this job
Ranked by graduates per year (IPEDS completions). Graduate earnings and debt are College Scorecard figures for people who finished the program, reported at the 4-digit CIP level, so specializations within one field share a figure. That is a different measurement from the occupation-wide wages further down this page.
| # | Program | Graduates / yr | Share of pipeline | Schools | Grad earnings (1 yr) | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CIP 52.0205 | 11,666 | 62.5% | 144 | $43,506 | $25,000 |
| 2 | CIP 46.0303 | 2,855 | 15.3% | 79 | $39,766 | $9,500 |
| 3 | CIP 46.0301 | 2,336 | 12.5% | 60 | $39,766 | $9,500 |
| 4 | CIP 47.0600 | 814 | 4.4% | 27 | $37,089 | $11,790 |
| 5 | CIP 47.0617 | 479 | 2.6% | 13 | $37,089 | $11,790 |
| 6 | Mechanics and Repairers, Generalmain feeder CIP 47.0000 | 329 | 1.8% | 13 | $24,070 | $8,751 |
| 7 | CIP 47.0701 | 63 | 0.3% | 8 | — | — |
| 8 | CIP 47.0704 | 61 | 0.3% | 3 | — | — |
| 9 | CIP 47.0703 | 41 | 0.2% | 5 | — | — |
| 10 | CIP 47.0618 | 25 | 0.1% | 1 | $37,089 | $11,790 |
Top 50 schools by graduates into this job
Counting every feeder program a school offers, not just its largest one.
What first-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers earn
What people already working in this job earn (BLS OEWS May 2025). Not graduate earnings.
Top-paying states
Top-paying metro areas
Job outlook
Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections, 2024 to 2034.
Where the jobs are, state by state
Pick a state for in-state pay, the schools there, and the programs they run.
| State | Median pay | Jobs | Concentration | Schools | Graduates / yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Florida | $75,900 | 41,250 | 1.05× | 14 | 5,641 |
| Indiana | $79,650 | 13,210 | 1.04× | 8 | 2,092 |
| Texas | $76,760 | 75,340 | 1.35× | 30 | 1,859 |
| Ohio | $78,730 | 19,410 | 0.88× | 22 | 897 |
| Arizona | $76,240 | 13,490 | 1.05× | 11 | 740 |
| New Hampshiremoderate | $87,560 | 3,360 | 1.24× | 3 | 720 |
| Wisconsin | $82,570 | 10,640 | 0.91× | 16 | 693 |
| New York | $91,150 | 26,930 | 0.70× | 10 | 467 |
| North Carolinamoderate | $76,800 | 21,110 | 1.08× | 4 | 348 |
| Kansas | $78,390 | 6,780 | 1.19× | 7 | 325 |
| Georgia | $77,010 | 23,180 | 1.19× | 9 | 307 |
| Michigan | $77,810 | 15,740 | 0.90× | 15 | 286 |
| Oklahoma | $77,040 | 10,260 | 1.51× | 10 | 285 |
| Minnesota | $87,160 | 9,110 | 0.78× | 8 | 246 |
| Illinois | $83,180 | 17,710 | 0.73× | 14 | 229 |
| Washington | $94,420 | 14,680 | 1.04× | 7 | 211 |
| Arkansas | $71,460 | 7,590 | 1.47× | 6 | 208 |
| Oregon | $86,970 | 7,120 | 0.91× | 9 | 200 |
| Coloradomoderate | $83,260 | 13,590 | 1.19× | 3 | 188 |
| Nebraska | $77,850 | 4,610 | 1.13× | 5 | 173 |
| Hawaii | $87,550 | 3,380 | 1.36× | 5 | 162 |
| South Carolina | $75,120 | 10,140 | 1.11× | 5 | 153 |
| Louisianamoderate | $75,550 | 10,490 | 1.37× | 4 | 151 |
| Missouri | $77,470 | 11,220 | 0.96× | 5 | 148 |
| Tennesseemoderate | $75,830 | 15,070 | 1.16× | 4 | 146 |
| Utah | $78,930 | 6,980 | 1.01× | 5 | 144 |
| Mississippi | $70,900 | 6,930 | 1.50× | 6 | 142 |
| California | $93,660 | 51,670 | 0.71× | 5 | 141 |
| South Dakotalimited | $80,810 | 1,750 | 0.96× | 1 | 125 |
| Iowamoderate | $78,340 | 6,450 | 1.04× | 3 | 121 |
| Virginia | $80,770 | 16,910 | 1.04× | 6 | 121 |
| Pennsylvania | $79,400 | 20,220 | 0.84× | 6 | 120 |
| North Dakotalimited | $90,600 | 1,920 | 1.13× | 2 | 115 |
| Alabamamoderate | $74,830 | 13,390 | 1.60× | 4 | 103 |
| Nevadalimited | $79,860 | 5,450 | 0.88× | 1 | 90 |
| Maryland | $82,330 | 10,120 | 0.92× | 5 | 76 |
| Delawarelimited | $83,250 | 1,890 | 0.98× | 1 | 74 |
| Wyominglimited | $87,460 | 2,030 | 1.82× | 2 | 71 |
| Montanalimited | $81,440 | 2,690 | 1.32× | 1 | 65 |
| West Virginiamoderate | $71,360 | 4,070 | 1.46× | 3 | 54 |
| Mainemoderate | $79,260 | 2,640 | 1.04× | 4 | 48 |
| Idahomoderate | $74,940 | 3,780 | 1.11× | 3 | 40 |
| District of Columbialimited | $83,460 | 1,260 | 0.45× | 1 | 27 |
| Massachusettsmoderate | $92,250 | 12,140 | 0.84× | 4 | 25 |
| New Jerseylimited | $92,680 | 14,930 | 0.88× | 2 | 20 |
| New Mexicolimited | $77,550 | 3,780 | 1.09× | 2 | 15 |
| Connecticutlimited | $94,050 | 6,230 | 0.92× | 1 | 12 |
| Rhode Islandlimited | $78,840 | 1,460 | 0.73× | 1 | 2 |
Skills and tools
From O*NET, the U.S. Department of Labor's occupational database. Importance is a 1 to 5 scale.
What they do day to day
- Inspect, test, and measure completed work, using devices such as hand tools or gauges to verify conformance to standards or repair requirements.
- Inspect and monitor work areas, examine tools and equipment, and provide employee safety training to prevent, detect, and correct unsafe conditions or violations of procedures and safety rules.
- Interpret specifications, blueprints, or job orders to construct templates and lay out reference points for workers.
- Monitor employees' work levels and review work performance.
- Perform skilled repair or maintenance operations, using equipment such as hand or power tools, hydraulic presses or shears, or welding equipment.
- Compute estimates and actual costs of factors such as materials, labor, or outside contractors.
- Monitor tool and part inventories and the condition and maintenance of shops to ensure adequate working conditions.
- Requisition materials and supplies, such as tools, equipment, or replacement parts.
Skills
- Monitoring4.0
- Critical Thinking3.8
- Speaking3.8
- Active Listening3.6
- Reading Comprehension3.6
- Active Learning3.3
- Learning Strategies3.1
- Writing3.0
Knowledge areas
- Administration and Management4.0
- Mechanical3.8
- Customer and Personal Service3.7
- Administrative3.3
- English Language3.2
- Personnel and Human Resources3.2
Abilities
- Oral Expression4.0
- Written Comprehension4.0
- Oral Comprehension4.0
- Inductive Reasoning3.9
- Deductive Reasoning3.9
- Near Vision3.9
Core activities
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems4.3
- Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings4.3
- Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work4.2
- Getting Information4.2
- Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards4.2
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates4.2
Tools and technology
hotmarks an O*NET hot technologyHow to get in
How to become a First-Line Supervisors of Mechanic
Job zone 3 of 5 · SVP 6.0 to < 7.0- Typical entry education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Work experience needed
- Less than 5 years
Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job.
Employees in these occupations usually need one or two years of training involving both on-the-job experience and informal training with experienced workers. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.
Every major mapped to this job
The official federal mapping behind the rankings above.
All 12 majors mapped to First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers10 of them graduated someone in the latest IPEDS year. NCES CIP 2020 → SOC 2018 crosswalk.+
- 46.0301Electrical and Power Transmission Installation/Installer, General
- 46.0303Lineworker
- 47.0000Mechanics and Repairers, General
- 47.0600Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technology/Technician, General
- 47.0617High Performance and Custom Engine Technician/Mechanic
- 47.0618Recreation Vehicle (RV) Service Technician
- 47.0701Energy Systems Installation and Repair Technology/Technician
- 47.0703Solar Energy System Installation and Repair Technology/Technician
- 47.0704Wind Energy System Installation and Repair Technology/Technician
- 47.0705Hydroelectric Energy System Installation and Repair Technology/Technician(no graduates reported)
- 47.0706Geothermal Energy System Installation and Repair Technology/Technician(no graduates reported)
- 52.0205Operations Management and Supervision
Related careers
Jobs O*NET identifies as close to this one, with their own pay and outlook.
Common questions
What degree do you need to become a First-Line Supervisors of Mechanic?+
High school diploma or equivalent is the typical entry-level education BLS reports for this occupation. The most common program people actually graduate from is Operations Management and Supervision, which awarded 11,666 degrees in 2024-25, 62.5% of everyone graduating from a program that feeds this career.
Which college majors lead to becoming a First-Line Supervisors of Mechanic?+
The NCES CIP-to-SOC crosswalk maps 10 programs to this occupation. The largest are Business Administration, Electrical and Power Transmission Installers, Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians, Mechanics and Repairers, plus 1 more. Together they graduate about 18,669 people a year.
How much do first-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers earn?+
The median is $79,860 a year (BLS OEWS May 2025). The middle range runs from $49,600 at the 10th percentile to $126,790 at the 90th. This is pay for people already working in the occupation, not the same thing as graduate earnings one year after finishing a degree.
Is demand for first-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers growing?+
BLS projects a +3.1% change in employment between 2024 and 2034, about as fast as average, with roughly 52,400 openings a year nationally once retirements and job changes are counted.
How many schools offer programs for this career?+
308 institutions reported graduates from at least one of the 10 programs that feed this occupation in IPEDS 2024-25. Rankings on this page use graduates per year, because the federal data publishes no enrollment count by program.
What other job titles do first-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers work under?+
Employers advertise this work under many names. O*NET records Service Manager, Maintenance Foreman, Maintenance Manager, Maintenance Supervisor among the most commonly reported, all mapping to SOC 49-1011.
About the data on this page
Rankings use IPEDS completions 2024-25, degrees awarded per year. That is the closest federal measure of how many people a program puts into a career, because no federal dataset publishes enrollment by program. Wages and employment come from BLS OEWS May 2025, growth and openings from BLS Employment Projections 2024-34, and which majors lead to which jobs from the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk. Occupation descriptions, tasks, skills and tools are O*NET 30.3 (CC BY 4.0, U.S. Department of Labor/ETA).
BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics
May 2025Wages, employment counts, location quotients and metro breakdowns.
BLS Employment Projections
2024–34Projected growth, annual openings and typical entry-level education.
IPEDS Completions
2024-25 (provisional)Graduates per year by program and institution — the ranking metric.
College Scorecard, Field of Study
2020-21 cohortsMedian graduate earnings one year after completion, and median debt.
Census Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes
latest availableGraduate earnings 1/5/10 years out, where the state participates.
NCES CIP 2020 and the CIP-to-SOC 2018 crosswalk
CIP 2020 / SOC 2018Which college programs officially lead to this occupation.
O*NET Database 30.3
30.3Tasks, skills, knowledge, tools, job zone and alternate job titles.
Official source →CC BY 4.0, U.S. Department of Labor / ETA
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