Automotive Collision Repair/Painting
Associate in Science
Program Details
The automotive collision repair/painting program prepares students for employment in the field and provides upgrade opportunities for currently employed personnel. By completing the degree and/or certificate requirements, students will gain proficiency in industry repair standards, vehicle identification and construction, estimating, body repairs, frame repairs, vehicle alignment, welding, and vehicle painting. In addition, completing the certificate requirements prepares students for employment in the fields of automotive insurance investigation, vehicle accident reconstruction, automotive collision repair, or automotive painting. Competencies will be assessed regularly by student performance in the automotive collision repair/painting classroom and laboratory. At least 50% of the major requirements for the Associate in Science degree must be completed at Compton College.
Automotive Collision Repair/Painting Pathways
Pathways listed below are for the catalog year 2026-2027. Maps for previous years are available on each pathway page. What is a catalog year?
Featured Careers
Find your calling. Explore high-earning careers with entry-level data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Automotive Body and Related Repairers
High school diploma/GED, Certificate after high school
- Job growth: Declining
- Low salary: 36,390
- High salary: 87,040
- Average salary: 51680
Automotive Glass Installers and Repairers
High school diploma/GED
- Job growth: Declining
- Low salary: 35,080
- High salary: 67,480
- Average salary: 47260
Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
High school diploma/GED, No high school diploma/GED
- Job growth: Declining
- Low salary: 35,480
- High salary: 72,800
- Average salary: 47590
All Careers in Automotive Collision Repair/Painting (17)
| Transportation Vehicle, Equipment & Systems Inspectors | High school diploma/GED, No high school diploma/GED | Stable | 85,750 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Insurance Appraisers, Auto Damage | Some college, Certificate after high school | Declining | 76,650 |
| Automotive Engineering Technicians | Associate's degree, Bachelor's degree | Declining | 68,730 |
| Rail Car Repairers | High school diploma/GED, Certificate after high school | Stable | 65,680 |
| Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, & Systems Assemblers | High school diploma/GED, Certificate after high school | Declining | 61,680 |
| Insulation Workers, Mechanical | High school diploma/GED, Certificate after high school | Stable | 57,250 |
| Tire Builders | High school diploma/GED, No high school diploma/GED | Stable | 55,580 |
| Glaziers | High school diploma/GED, No high school diploma/GED | Stable | 55,440 |
| Engine & Other Machine Assemblers | High school diploma/GED, Certificate after high school | Declining | 52,540 |
| Automotive Body and Related Repairers | High school diploma/GED, Certificate after high school | Declining | 51,680 |
| Automotive Service Technicians & Mechanics | Certificate after high school, High school diploma/GED | Stable | 49,670 |
| Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | High school diploma/GED, No high school diploma/GED | Declining | 47,590 |
| Automotive Glass Installers and Repairers | High school diploma/GED | Declining | 47,260 |
| Furniture Finishers | High school diploma/GED, No high school diploma/GED | Declining | 42,530 |
| Grinding & Polishing Workers, Hand | High school diploma/GED, No high school diploma/GED | Declining | 41,690 |
| Plating Machine Setters, Operators, & Tenders, Metal & Plastic | No high school diploma/GED, High school diploma/GED | Declining | 41,600 |
| Painting, Coating, & Decorating Workers | No high school diploma/GED, High school diploma/GED | Declining | 40,860 |
Learning Outcomes
Learning outcomes help you work towards your educational goals.
- Damage Repair Estimate Upon completion of this discipline's course of study, the student will be able to examine a damaged vehicle and create an informal written estimate of the parts, tools, materials and time needed to repair the vehicle.
- ASE Certification Tests Upon completion of this discipline's course of study, the student will be able pass at least one ASE certification test or practice test in Auto Collision Repair (B2, B3, B4, B5 or B6).
- I-CAR Welds Upon completion of this discipline's course of study, the student will be able pass the official I-CAR MIG welding qualification test or ECC imitation. Welds include butt weld, lap weld and plug weld in flat and vertical positions.