Retraining Report
Find training

Auto mechanic classes in Columbus, Ohio

10 auto mechanic programs with costs, results and funding that can make them free

2 schools offer these automotive programs with classes in the Columbus area, and every one is approved for workforce funding. Each shows its price if you pay yourself and how past students did.

Automotive service technicians and mechanics inspect, maintain and repair cars and light trucks. Most complete a program in automotive service technology that leads to a certificate or an associate's degree, and employers may require or prefer certification.1 In Columbus, 4 of the 10 programs take students without a high school diploma.

See the 10 programs

All 58 auto mechanic programs in Ohio, including online programs

How much do auto mechanic classes cost in Columbus?

$2,007 to $16,736

from the lowest-priced program to the highest, if you pay yourself

In the typical program

Finished the program
Too few programs to say
Working 6 months later
Too few programs to say
Earned a year, estimated
Too few programs to say
Length
Not reported

Source: US Department of Labor, program year 2024 (July 2024 to June 2025). Only programs approved for workforce funding are listed; other schools in Columbus may also offer auto mechanic classes. How these figures are made

Are there free auto mechanic classes in Columbus?

Who qualifies, and other ways to pay: financial aid, grants and the GI Bill

All 10 auto mechanic programs in Columbus approved for WIOA funding

Filters
What you need to enroll
Kind of program
How it's taught
How to show the list

10 programs

  • Automotive technician (associate degree)In personNo diploma needed

    Automotive Technology

    Hocking College

    Nelsonville

    No diploma needed

    Hocking College, Nelsonville · Automotive technician (associate degree) · In person · No diploma needed

    Earned a year, estimated$37,100
    Price if you pay yourself$16,736
    Program website, Automotive Technology at Hocking College
    More details about Automotive Technology at Hocking College
    Finished
    29%
    Working at 6 months
    63%
    Earned in a quarter
    $9,266
    Length
    Not reported
    Cost of supplies
    None listed
    Students counted
    26
    a year, estimated
    $37,100
    price
    $16,736

  • Hybrid and electric vehiclesIn personPrerequisite courses

    Alternative Energy Automotive Certificate

    Columbus State Comm. College

    Columbus

    Prerequisite courses

    Columbus State Comm. College, Columbus · Hybrid and electric vehicles · In person · Prerequisite courses

    Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
    Price if you pay yourself$2,007
    Program website, Alternative Energy Automotive Certificate at Columbus State Comm. College
    More details about Alternative Energy Automotive Certificate at Columbus State Comm. College
    Finished
    Not reported
    Working at 6 months
    Not reported
    Earned in a quarter
    Not reported
    Length
    Not reported
    Cost of supplies
    None listed
    Students counted
    Not reported
    a year, estimated
    Not reported
    price
    $2,007

  • Automotive technicianIn personEducation and courses

    Master Automotive Service Technician (MAST) Certificate

    Columbus State Comm. College

    Columbus

    Education and courses

    Columbus State Comm. College, Columbus · Automotive technician · In person · Education and courses

    Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
    Price if you pay yourself$2,363
    Program website, Master Automotive Service Technician (MAST) Certificate at Columbus State Comm. College
    More details about Master Automotive Service Technician (MAST) Certificate at Columbus State Comm. College
    Finished
    Not reported
    Working at 6 months
    Not reported
    Earned in a quarter
    Not reported
    Length
    Not reported
    Cost of supplies
    $900
    Students counted
    Not reported
    a year, estimated
    Not reported
    price
    $2,363

  • Automotive technicianIn personAssociate's degree

    Master Automotive Service Technician Certificate

    Columbus State Comm. College

    Columbus

    Associate's degree

    Columbus State Comm. College, Columbus · Automotive technician · In person · Associate's degree

    Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
    Price if you pay yourself$2,363
    Program website, Master Automotive Service Technician Certificate at Columbus State Comm. College
    More details about Master Automotive Service Technician Certificate at Columbus State Comm. College
    Finished
    Not reported
    Working at 6 months
    Not reported
    Earned in a quarter
    Not reported
    Length
    Not reported
    Cost of supplies
    None listed
    Students counted
    Not reported
    a year, estimated
    Not reported
    price
    $2,363

  • Automotive technicianIn personPrerequisite courses

    Automotive Service Technician Certificate

    Columbus State Comm. College

    Columbus

    Prerequisite courses

    Columbus State Comm. College, Columbus · Automotive technician · In person · Prerequisite courses

    Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
    Price if you pay yourself$2,785
    School website, Automotive Service Technician Certificate at Columbus State Comm. College
    More details about Automotive Service Technician Certificate at Columbus State Comm. College
    Finished
    Not reported
    Working at 6 months
    Not reported
    Earned in a quarter
    Not reported
    Length
    Not reported
    Cost of supplies
    $1,000
    Students counted
    Not reported
    a year, estimated
    Not reported
    price
    $2,785

  • Maintenance and light repairIn personPrerequisite courses

    Maintenance and Light Repair (MLR) Certificate

    Columbus State Comm. College

    Columbus

    Prerequisite courses

    Columbus State Comm. College, Columbus · Maintenance and light repair · In person · Prerequisite courses

    Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
    Price if you pay yourself$3,964
    Program website, Maintenance and Light Repair (MLR) Certificate at Columbus State Comm. College
    More details about Maintenance and Light Repair (MLR) Certificate at Columbus State Comm. College
    Finished
    Not reported
    Working at 6 months
    Not reported
    Earned in a quarter
    Not reported
    Length
    Not reported
    Cost of supplies
    $1,800
    Students counted
    Not reported
    a year, estimated
    Not reported
    price
    $3,964

  • Manufacturer programIn personNo diploma needed

    FORD Maintenance and Light Repair (FORD-MLR) Certificate

    Columbus State Comm. College

    Columbus

    No diploma needed

    Columbus State Comm. College, Columbus · Manufacturer program · In person · No diploma needed

    Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
    Price if you pay yourself$4,142
    Program website, FORD Maintenance and Light Repair (FORD-MLR) Certificate at Columbus State Comm. College
    More details about FORD Maintenance and Light Repair (FORD-MLR) Certificate at Columbus State Comm. College
    Finished
    Not reported
    Working at 6 months
    Not reported
    Earned in a quarter
    Not reported
    Length
    Not reported
    Cost of supplies
    $1,800
    Students counted
    Not reported
    a year, estimated
    Not reported
    price
    $4,142

  • Maintenance and light repairIn personNo diploma needed

    Automotive Maintenance and Light Repair (MLR) Certificate

    Columbus State Comm. College

    Columbus

    No diploma needed

    Columbus State Comm. College, Columbus · Maintenance and light repair · In person · No diploma needed

    Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
    Price if you pay yourself$4,564
    Program website, Automotive Maintenance and Light Repair (MLR) Certificate at Columbus State Comm. College
    More details about Automotive Maintenance and Light Repair (MLR) Certificate at Columbus State Comm. College
    Finished
    Not reported
    Working at 6 months
    Not reported
    Earned in a quarter
    Not reported
    Length
    Not reported
    Cost of supplies
    $1,000
    Students counted
    Not reported
    a year, estimated
    Not reported
    price
    $4,564

  • Manufacturer program (associate degree)In personHigh school diploma or equivalent

    Automotive Technology - Ford ASSET Program

    Columbus State Comm. College

    Columbus

    High school diploma or equivalent

    Columbus State Comm. College, Columbus · Manufacturer program (associate degree) · In person · High school diploma or equivalent

    Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
    Price if you pay yourself$11,615
    Program website, Automotive Technology - Ford ASSET Program at Columbus State Comm. College
    More details about Automotive Technology - Ford ASSET Program at Columbus State Comm. College
    Finished
    Not reported
    Working at 6 months
    Not reported
    Earned in a quarter
    Not reported
    Length
    Not reported
    Cost of supplies
    $5,400
    Students counted
    Not reported
    a year, estimated
    Not reported
    price
    $11,615

  • Automotive technician (associate degree)In personNo diploma needed

    Automotive Technology Associate Degree

    Columbus State Comm. College

    Columbus

    No diploma needed

    Columbus State Comm. College, Columbus · Automotive technician (associate degree) · In person · No diploma needed

    Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
    Price if you pay yourself$12,216
    Program website, Automotive Technology Associate Degree at Columbus State Comm. College
    More details about Automotive Technology Associate Degree at Columbus State Comm. College
    Finished
    Not reported
    Working at 6 months
    Not reported
    Earned in a quarter
    Not reported
    Length
    Not reported
    Cost of supplies
    $1,500
    Students counted
    Not reported
    a year, estimated
    Not reported
    price
    $12,216

How to pay for auto mechanic classes in Columbus

WIOA funding can pay for auto mechanic classes in Columbus

Every program on this page is approved for WIOA funding: public workforce funding under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act. It can pay for training for eligible adults, people who lost their job and young people.2People on public assistance, with a low income or lacking basic skills come first, and veterans have priority.3

Ask at an American Job Center

Eligibility rules apply, and services vary from state to state. Your local American Job Center can tell you whether you qualify. The Department of Labor's page links to the center finder, or call 1-877-US-2JOBS (1-877-872-5627).4

Financial aid and grants for auto mechanic classes

Most students can get federal student aid for college, career school or trade school. A Federal Pell Grant, unlike a loan, usually doesn't have to be repaid. Ask the school whether its program qualifies.56

GI Bill for auto mechanic classes

Veterans, service members and qualified dependents can use GI Bill benefits for non-college training programs.7

The program list does not show which programs accept these. Ask the school.

Does WIOA pay for job training? Who qualifies and how to apply

Where the Columbus automotive program numbers come from

Which Columbus automotive programs are on this list?

These are the automotive programs with classes in the Columbus area that are approved for WIOA funding (public workforce funding under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act), as reported to the US Department of Labor for program year 2024 (July 2024 to June 2025). Each state keeps its approved programs on an eligible training provider list (ETPL).8 The list here covers programs approved as of June 30, 2025. Online programs are left out here; they are on the Ohio page. Schools that never applied for approval are missing, so this is a part of what the area offers.

How Columbus automotive program prices are reported

The price is tuition and required fees for someone paying without workforce funding, as the school reported it. Prices under $100 are treated as not reported, because the file holds many blanks entered as $0. Check the current price with the school.

What the graduate results of these programs measure

The figures at the top of this page are the middle program among those that report results: half did better, half did worse. Results describe students who left each program in recent years: the share who finished, the share working in the second quarter after leaving, and the middle earnings of those working in that quarter. States report earnings for that one quarter because they take them from the wage reports employers file every three months. The yearly figure here is that quarter times four, rounded to the nearest $100: an estimate, and an early one, since it is measured about half a year after training. The quarter as reported is under "More details" on each program. Results are withheld for small programs, and they describe past students, so they are no guarantee.

Why do some automotive programs say "Not reported"?

Where a school or the state left a field empty, or the Department of Labor withheld it, the page says "Not reported". Nothing here is estimated to fill a gap.

Why the kind of school is left off each program

The file also records whether a school is public, private or nonprofit, but those entries are wrong too often to print next to a school's name, so this page leaves them out.

Other training in Columbus

Sources for the facts about auto mechanic classes in Columbus

Show the 8 sourcesHide the sources
  1. US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook: Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics
  2. US Department of Labor, TrainingProviderResults.gov: About This Site
  3. US Department of Labor: WIOA Adult Program
  4. US Department of Labor: American Job Centers
  5. US Department of Education, Federal Student Aid: Eligibility for Federal Student Aid
  6. US Department of Education, Federal Student Aid: Don't Miss Out on Federal Pell Grants
  7. US Department of Veterans Affairs: GI Bill benefits for non-college degree programs
  8. US Department of Labor, Training and Employment Guidance Letter 8-19, Attachment I: Requirements for Training Providers, Program Eligibility, and the State Eligible Training Provider (ETP) List