Automotive Career Paths

Maintain, diagnose, and repair diesel engines, including electrical and hydraulic systems, as a diesel technician. Diesel techs perform essential work in support of the trucking industry and can work on vehicles ranging from medium-duty to Class 8 trucks.

• Midwest region average salary: $71,407
• National average salary: $73,959

Service advisors serve as the go-between for customers and technicians. They talk with customers at the start of a service appointment, communicate about necessary repairs and routine maintenance, and build a relationship with their customers. Successful service advisors are excellent communicators who enjoy customer service.

• Midwest region average salary: $79,563
• National median salary: $86,433

Service managers maintain and manage the service department, ensuring that it operates efficiently and profitably. Effective service managers have strong leadership and problem-solving skills, in addition to being effective communicators.

• Midwest region average salary: $135,870
• National median salary: $154,200

Spend your work days repairing and maintaining motor vehicles. Successful service technicians enjoy problem-solving, working with their hands, and working to advance their skills.

• Midwest region average salary: $79,812
• National median salary: $72,202

Body shop managers are responsible for the overall success of the body shop, maintaining customer satisfaction standards, controlling expenses, and managing the department’s operating profit. Successful body shop managers will have strong leadership and customer service skills, as well as be detail oriented.

• Midwest region average salary: NA
• National median salary: $129,209

Repair and restore damaged vehicles to their proper working condition as a collision repair technician. This hands-on role requires attention to detail, problem solving, and dexterity.

• Midwest region average salary: NA
• National median salary: $88,802

Manage automobile parts inventory in support of the service department and body shop, as well as independent repair facilities.

• Midwest region average salary: $105,225
• National median salary: $117,821

Manage financial records and reports and facilitate account reconciliation.

• Midwest region average salary: NA
• National median salary: $64,835

In a dealership, fixed operations encompasses the service and parts departments. The fixed ops director is responsible for the overall success of those two departments.

• Midwest region average salary: NA
• National median salary: $223,284

Human resources managers are responsible for recruiting employees, conducting orientation and training, and overseeing performance management. Successful HR managers have strong communication and critical thinking skills, as well as an interest in employment law.

• Midwest region average salary: NA
• National median salary: $71,400

Office managers keep a dealership running, managing office operations and procedures.

• Midwest region average salary: $71,174
• National median salary: $68,642

Assist customers in selecting financing and insurance options as part of the sales process.

• Midwest region average salary: $176, 454
• National median salary: $179,498

Marketing specialists develop programs to ensure the growth and expansion of dealership products and services.

• Midwest region average salary: NA
• National median salary: $67, 248

A sales consultant works directly with customers to sell new or pre-owned vehicles. Sales consultants must have strong communication skills in order to effectively demonstrate vehicle features and educate customers about the differences between models.

• Midwest region average salary: $102,811
• National median salary: $92,132

Title clerks facilitate the process of titling and registering vehicles. A successful title clerk is detail-oriented and organized.