About half of career and technical education programs in North America are ASE Accredited, and that translates into students achieving ASE certification on their way to an entry-level career.
ASE accreditation is a good sign for industry and educators alike. Accreditation means a program completed the ASE Education Foundation’s thorough evaluation process and meets industry training standards.
“Just like ASE Certification exists to give both industry and the driving public a yardstick to recognize those automotive professionals who have gone the extra mile to prove themselves, ASE program accreditation identifies programs that meet tough industry standards while meeting the needs of local employers,” says Dave Johnson, ASE president and CEO.
“Our research data shows that ASE Certified professionals have 40% higher productivity, 60% fewer comebacks, 30% lower turnover and 20% higher earnings. These are all key performance indicators employers look for when making hiring decisions and most report seeing candidates with ASE Certifications puts them at the front of the line.
“Having recognized professional credentials is an advantage our Entry-Level ASE Certification provides to those students who achieve certified status prior to graduation.”
ASE’s tests enable up-and-coming technicians to receive vital industry certifications before even entering a service bay full time, maximizing their performance and earning capabilities on day one. Better promoting these advantages to industry would drive hiring managers to seek out more ASE-engaged candidates and likely drive educators to make testing a higher point of emphasis with their students.
“The instructors in our ASE Accredited programs are very proud of their students who achieve certification, and many promote the value of professional credentials to career success,” Johnson adds. “Here again, having industry and education both recognizing the value and accountability certification provides to CTE students benefits everyone.”
The positive news is many students who take ASE certification tests seem to understand their value, often taking multiple before completing their education.
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At the post-secondary level, students are more likely to be taking ASE professional tests, which are more challenging. Many students wait to attempt those tests until they have been in the workforce for a year or more. But in the 2025 ASE Education Foundation Student Survey survey, 44% of students in their second year of college or later had taken ASE professional certification tests.
At the high school level, ASE Entry-Level testing is more widespread. In the 2025 survey, 71% of high school students completing two or more years of training had taken at least one ASE Entry-Level certification test. In the 2024-25 school year, more than 68,000 students nationwide took ASE Entry-Level tests, and more than 50,000 passed at least one test. ASE reports more than 2,500 students in ASE accredited programs passed eight automotive Entry-Level tests and earned a G1 Maintenance and Light Repair professional ASE certification.
“While many students did well on ASE Entry-Level certification tests, it is worth noting that students in ASE accredited programs had a 65% pass rate overall, which was 4% higher than the pass rate for students in non-accredited programs,” says ASE Education Foundation President Mike Coley. “This is another indication that ASE accredited programs provide students with demonstrably better outcomes, and that benefits both the students and their eventual employers.”
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This is borne out by one of the final questions in the 2025 survey: “How likely would you be to recommend this program to a friend?” ASE accredited programs have a significantly higher net promoter score than non-accredited programs — 53% higher among high school students and 20% among college students, ASE reports.
