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Heavy Vehicle & Truck Maintenance

Types of Degrees Heavy Vehicle & Truck Maintenance Majors Are Earning

Students pursuing Heavy Vehicle & Truck Maintenance can earn degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Certificate	1,101
Associate’s Degree	254
Master’s Degree	729

What Heavy Vehicle & Truck Maintenance Majors Need to Know

Coursework for Heavy Vehicle & Truck Maintenance develop a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Heavy Vehicle & Truck Maintenance graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

This major prepares you for careers needing Heavy Vehicle & Truck Maintenance emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• Mechanical — Importance 4.8 / 5; level 6.1 / 7.
• Transportation — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 3.7 / 7.
• Computers and Electronics — Importance 3.3 / 5; level 3.6 / 7.
• English Language — Importance 3.2 / 5; level 3.2 / 7.
• Education and Training — Importance 3.2 / 5; level 3.4 / 7.

^{Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*}

Skills

Skills emphasized by a Heavy Vehicle & Truck Maintenance program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Repairing — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 3.8 / 7.
• Troubleshooting — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 3.8 / 7.
• Operations Monitoring — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 3.2 / 7.
• Equipment Maintenance — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 3.4 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 3.4 / 7.

Abilities

Innate abilities most relevant to Heavy Vehicle & Truck Maintenance careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Near Vision — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 3.7 / 7.
• Manual Dexterity — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 3.5 / 7.
• Finger Dexterity — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 3.7 / 7.
• Arm-Hand Steadiness — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 3.4 / 7.
• Deductive Reasoning — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 3.6 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Heavy Vehicle & Truck Maintenance graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Getting Information	4.4 / 7
Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment	4.4 / 7
Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment	4.3 / 7
Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials	4.2 / 7
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events	4.1 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.1 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	4.1 / 7
Handling and Moving Objects	4.0 / 7
Repairing and Maintaining Electronic Equipment	3.9 / 7
Performing General Physical Activities	3.8 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Heavy Vehicle & Truck Maintenance professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	—
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	—
Scheduling software	Calendar and scheduling software	—
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	—
Computer aided manufacturing CAM software	Computer aided manufacturing CAM software	—
SAP software	Enterprise resource planning ERP software	—
Database software	Data base user interface and query software	—
Shop management software	Facilities management software	—
Dassault Systemes SolidWorks	Computer aided design CAD software	—
Cummins INSITE	Analytical or scientific software	—
Computerized maintenance management system software CMMS	Facilities management software	—
Inventory tracking software	Inventory management software	—

^{Source: ONET Online technology skills, weighted across related occupations.*}

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Heavy Vehicle & Truck Maintenance graduates include:

• Engine Mechanic
• Heavy Duty Mechanic
• Service Advisor
• Truck Garage Mechanic
• Fleet Technician (Fleet Tech)
• Farm Implement Engine Mechanic
• Tractor Expert
• Bus Motor Mechanic
• Motor Coach Mechanic
• Boat Engine Mechanic
• General Repair Mechanic
• Diesel Engine Erector
• Industrial Truck Mechanic
• Engine Maintenance Mechanic
• Farm Machinery Engine Mechanic

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to Heavy Vehicle & Truck Maintenance graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
Postsecondary certificate	44.5%
High school diploma or equivalent	39.5%
Some college courses	14.4%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	1.0%
Less than a high school diploma	0.5%

^{Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*}

Who Is Earning a Degree in Heavy Vehicle & Truck Maintenance?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly male, with men earning 94.2% of Heavy Vehicle & Truck Maintenance degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	122	5.8%
Men	1,978	94.2%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Heavy Vehicle & Truck Maintenance graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	1,165	55.5%
Asian	21	1.0%
Hispanic or Latino	420	20.0%
Black or African American	276	13.1%
American Indian / Alaska Native	43	2.0%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander	5	0.2%
Two or More Races	84	4.0%
Race Unknown	78	3.7%
International Students	8	0.4%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Heavy Vehicle & Truck Maintenance Graduates Earn?

College Scorecard reports median earnings of Heavy Vehicle & Truck Maintenance graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Earnings tend to climb steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$37,744
4 years	$43,612
5 years	$49,558

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $49,558 — roughly 31% above the 1-year mark.

^{Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.}

Is a Degree in Heavy Vehicle & Truck Maintenance Worth It?

Looking purely at the federal earnings tracker, Heavy Vehicle & Truck Maintenance graduates earn a median of $43,612 four years after completion — roughly 15% above the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000).

^{ROI estimate compares the program’s 4-yr median earnings against the 2023 BLS CPS median earnings for high-school-only workers. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + BLS Current Population Survey.}

Related Programs

You may also be interested in these closely related fields of study:

Program	CIP Code
Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technology/Technician, General	47.06
Aircraft Powerplant Technology/Technician	47.0608
Airframe Mechanics and Aircraft Maintenance Technology/Technician	47.0607
Alternative Fuel Vehicle Technology/Technician	47.0614
Autobody/Collision and Repair Technology/Technician	47.0603
Automobile/Automotive Mechanics Technology/Technician	47.0604
Avionics Maintenance Technology/Technician	47.0609
Bicycle Mechanics and Repair Technology/Technician	47.0610
Diesel Mechanics Technology/Technician	47.0605
Engine Machinist	47.0615
High Performance and Custom Engine Technician/Mechanic	47.0617
Marine Maintenance/Fitter and Ship Repair Technology/Technician	47.0616

References

The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students and international students. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

More about our data sources and methodologies.