Occupations/17-2141.02
Automotive Engineers
Develop new or improved designs for vehicle structural members, engines, transmissions, or other vehicle systems, using computer-assisted design technology. Direct building, modification, or testing of vehicle or components.
Usually a four-year bachelor’s degree.
AI automation risk
47%
Mixed exposure
Human characteristics
55%
Balanced human and task mix
Task orientation
34%
More resilient
A day in this job
- Mostly human
Design or analyze automobile systems in areas such as aerodynamics, alternate fuels, ergonomics, hybrid power, brakes, transmissions, steering, calibration, safety, or diagnostics.
- Task
Conduct or direct system-level automotive testing.
- Task
Provide technical direction to other engineers or engineering support personnel.
The tasks we can read here lean on people, judgment, or hands-on work. The AI risk number is still this job’s rank against other occupations.
Core tasks
- 01Conduct or direct system-level automotive testing.
- 02Provide technical direction to other engineers or engineering support personnel.
- 03Perform failure, variation, or root cause analyses.
- 04Calibrate vehicle systems, including control algorithms or other software systems.
- 05Design or analyze automobile systems in areas such as aerodynamics, alternate fuels, ergonomics, hybrid power, brakes, transmissions, steering, calibration, safety, or diagnostics.
- 06Prepare or present technical or project status reports.
Model drivers (O*NET 1–5)
- Repeating same tasks2.67
- Degree of automation2.24
- Time sitting3.95
- Originality (ability)3.88
- Conflict situations2.70
- Hands-on objects/tools2.33
- Outdoors / weather2.29
- Disease exposure1.05
- Decision freedom4.00
Top abilities
- Written Comprehension4.00
- Problem Sensitivity4.00
- Oral Expression4.00
- Oral Comprehension4.00
- Inductive Reasoning4.00
- Deductive Reasoning4.00
- Written Expression3.88
- Originality3.88
Essential skills
- Reading Comprehension4.00
- Active Listening3.75
- Writing3.88
- Speaking3.88
- Mathematics3.88
- Science3.25
- Critical Thinking4.12
- Active Learning3.38
- Learning Strategies2.88
- Monitoring3.12
CIP matches
Schools offering related programs
12 of 55 shown
Earnings are College Scorecard medians for that program, 1 and 2 years after completion. A dash means the Department suppressed the cell or the campus is not in the field file.
| Institution | Program | Tuition | Admit | Grad 6-yr | Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Stanford University Stanford, CA · Private nonprofit | Mechanical Engineering 14.1901 | $62,400 | 4% | 96% | 1 yr $77,966 2 yr $78,343 Bachelor's · CIP 14.19 |
University of Michigan-Ann Arbor Ann Arbor, MI · Public | Mechanical Engineering 14.1901 | $17,700 | 18% | 93% | 1 yr $77,283 2 yr $76,070 Bachelor's · CIP 14.19 |
University of California-Berkeley Berkeley, CA · Public | Mechanical Engineering 14.1901 | $14,800 | 11% | 93% | 1 yr $76,711 2 yr $74,038 Bachelor's · CIP 14.19 |
University of California-Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA · Public | Mechanical Engineering 14.1901 | $13,800 | 9% | 92% | 1 yr $76,146 2 yr $75,518 Bachelor's · CIP 14.19 |
University of Southern California Los Angeles, CA · Private nonprofit | Mechanical Engineering 14.1901 | $68,200 | 12% | 92% | 1 yr $74,244 2 yr $67,420 Bachelor's · CIP 14.19 |
Texas A & M University-College Station College Station, TX · Public | Mechanical Engineering 14.1901 | $13,200 | 63% | 83% | 1 yr $73,406 2 yr $73,697 Bachelor's · CIP 14.19 |
Ohio State University-Main Campus Columbus, OH · Public | Mechanical Engineering 14.1901 | $12,800 | 53% | 83% | 1 yr $73,123 2 yr $73,052 Bachelor's · CIP 14.19 |
Purdue University-Main Campus West Lafayette, IN · Public | Mechanical Engineering 14.1901 | $10,000 | 53% | 83% | 1 yr $72,483 2 yr $71,255 Bachelor's · CIP 14.19 |
Houston Community College Houston, TX · Public | Mechanical Engineering 14.1901 | $4,300 | 100% | 24% | 1 yr $72,373 2 yr $71,202 Bachelor's · CIP 14.19 |
San Jose State University San Jose, CA · Public | Mechanical Engineering 14.1901 | $8,200 | 77% | 71% | 1 yr $72,022 2 yr $63,600 Bachelor's · CIP 14.19 |
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Champaign, IL · Public | Engineering Mechanics 14.1101 | $17,500 | 45% | 85% | 1 yr $71,486 2 yr $74,307 Bachelor's · CIP 14.11 |
Vanderbilt University Nashville, TN · Private nonprofit | Mechanical Engineering 14.1901 | $63,600 | 7% | 93% | 1 yr $69,490 2 yr $66,377 Bachelor's · CIP 14.19 |