Which schools offer WIOA-approved auto body repair classes?

197 schools offer these programs, and each state on this page approved its programs for workforce funding. Pick a state on the map or compare them belowCompare the states below, then open one to see each program with its price and how past students did.

What does an auto body repairer do, and how do you become one?

Automotive body repairers restore, refinish and replace vehicle bodies and frames; glass repairers replace windshields and window glass. Most employers prefer workers who have finished a collision repair program, which trade and technical schools usually run as a 6-month to 1-year certificate and some community colleges as a 2-year program; new workers still need 2 or 3 years on the job to work independently, and certification is recommended though not required.¹ Body shops covered by a federal air rule must train and certify everyone who spray-paints vehicles within 180 days of hiring, in spray gun setup and technique and spray booth upkeep, with refresher training every five years.²

PR1 VI1

Approved programsup to 12 to 89 to 12more than 12

How much do auto body repair classes cost?

Most auto body programs approved for WIOA funding cost $3,134 to $9,664 if you pay yourself. Certificates and short courses mostly cost $2,900 to $7,760 and two-year degrees $7,500 to $14,338. Prices also differ by state: most cost $565 to $1,018 in Virginia and $8,500 to $20,516 in Pennsylvania.

That is the price of the whole program as the school reports it. If you qualify, WIOA funding can pay part or all of it, depending on local limits (who qualifies). The figures cover only programs approved for WIOA funding; other schools and programs may cost more or less.

Compare auto body repair classes by state: cost, pay and results

Auto body repair classes by state
State	Programs	Most cost	Earned a year, estimated	Working 6 months later	Finished
Alabama	1	Too few figures to show
Arizona	1	Too few figures to show
Arkansas	8	$6,827 to $9,702	about $29,900	44%	46%
California	15	$1,076 to $2,520	Not enough data	Not enough data	87%
Colorado	14	$4,881 to $24,716	Not enough data	Not enough data	Not enough data
Florida	8	$4,088 to $5,347	Not enough data	Not enough data	69%
Georgia	10	$2,816 to $5,560	Not reported	Not reported	Not enough data
Illinois	16	Left out	Not enough data	Not enough data	Not reported
Indiana	1	Too few figures to show
Iowa	12	$6,702 to $14,488	about $26,100	71%	50%
Kansas	1	Too few figures to show
Kentucky	9	Too few figures to show
Louisiana	2	Too few figures to show
Maine	1	Too few figures to show
Michigan	1	Too few figures to show
Minnesota	31	$2,662 to $10,126	about $35,600	80%	64%
Mississippi	4	Not enough data	Not enough data	Not enough data	Left out
Missouri	25	$4,512 to $7,623	Not reported	Not reported	Not reported
Montana	1	Too few figures to show
Nebraska	9	$5,220 to $7,308	about $38,600	77%	61%
New Mexico	1	Not enough data	Not enough data	Not enough data	Left out
New York	2	No figures reported
North Carolina	11	$3,180 to $4,758	about $31,700	74%	52%
North Dakota	2	Too few figures to show
Ohio	3	Too few figures to show
Oklahoma	11	$2,104 to $3,253	about $29,000	Left out	76%
Pennsylvania	14	$8,500 to $20,516	Not enough data	Left out	Not enough data
Puerto Rico	1	No figures reported
South Dakota	3	Not enough data	Not enough data	Left out	Not enough data
Tennessee	14	$4,320 to $5,492	about $28,300	78%	76%
Texas	21	$5,077 to $11,100	about $22,800	69%	39%
US Virgin Islands	1	Too few figures to show
Utah	3	Not enough data	Not enough data	Left out	Not enough data
Virginia	7	$565 to $1,018	Not enough data	Not enough data	Not enough data
Washington	26	$2,774 to $9,091	about $26,800	70%	74%
Wisconsin	10	$8,227 to $12,597	about $36,500	79%	62%
Wyoming	1	Too few figures to show

Each figure is the middle program in that state. Yearly earnings are the reported quarter times four, an estimate. Only programs approved for workforce funding are counted; other schools may offer auto body repair classes too. Source: US Department of Labor, program year 2024 (July 2024 to June 2025).How these figures are made

Collision repair certificate, refinishing course or degree? What the 301 programs are

By kind, the 301 programs approved for WIOA funding are auto body certificate or diploma (181 programs), auto body (associate degree, 54 programs), painting and refinishing course (19 programs), structural or non-structural repair certificate (18 programs), and 29 more of 4 other kinds.

Across the US, 97 of the 301 programs take students without a high school diploma, 186 ask for a diploma or equivalent and 18 ask for earlier courses first.

Are there free auto body repair classes in the US?

Yes, if you qualify. WIOA (public workforce funding) can pay for any program counted on this page, in full or in part, depending on local limits.³⁴⁵
Ask an American Job Center whether you qualify, or call 1-877-872-5627.⁶ Before funding training, the center goes through an assessment and a career plan with you.⁵
Or pay yourself. Without funding, prices differ by state: most auto body programs cost $565 to $1,018 in Virginia and $8,500 to $20,516 in Pennsylvania. Each state's page lists every program with its price.

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

Other training by state

Approved programs per field across every state. Each opens that field's comparison by state.

Where the auto body repair program numbers by state come from

Which auto body repair programs are counted?

Programs each state approved for WIOA funding (public workforce funding under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act), from the US Department of Labor's file for program year 2024 (July 2024 to June 2025), covering programs approved as of June 30, 2025. Each state keeps its approved programs on an eligible training provider list (ETPL).⁷ Schools that never applied for approval are missing.

What the figures for each state mean

Each figure is the middle program among those that report it: half did better, half did worse. Prices are what most programs cost if you pay yourself (the middle half). Earnings are for the second quarter after students left, times four. Where a figure is missing, the table says why: "Not reported", "Left out" or "Not enough data" (what each means).

Sources for the facts about auto body repair classes

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Auto body repair classes by state