U.S. Coast Guard · Mechanical Maintenance

MK Machinery Technician (MK)

As of July 24, 2026, the best public Coast Guard rating table lists two documented Machinery Technician (MK) score paths: AR+MC+AS = 154 or VE+AR = 105. A later Coast Guard notice says non-diver A-school composites were adjusted while the current row-level list is internal, so treat 154/105 as public baselines and confirm the live requirement with a recruiter. MKs operate and repair engines, hydraulics, HVAC, and auxiliary machinery.

last verified 2026-07-24

MK (Machinery Technician (MK)) is in the Coast Guard and requires a minimum AFQT of 32 and one of these line-score paths: AR+MC+AS of at least 154 or VE+AR of at least 105. Last verified 2026-07-24 against U.S. Coast Guard COMDTINST M1500.10C Enclosure (3).

Quick check

Can I qualify for this job?

Enter the scores you already know. Leave a box blank if you do not have that score yet. Any one listed line-score path can qualify.

AFQT minimum 32Enter AFQT
AR+MC+AS minimum 154Enter AR+MC+AS
VE+AR minimum 105Enter VE+AR

Plain requirement

What you need.

  • Min AFQT32
  • Training~13 weeks
  • AR+MC+AS line score≥ 154
  • VE+AR line score≥ 105

Meet any one listed line-score path.

AFQT 32 is a percentile. The line scores above are not — they are Coast Guard composites, weighted sums of your ASVAB subtest standard scores. Work yours out from your score sheet with the Coast Guard ASVAB line score calculator.

Source: U.S. Coast Guard COMDTINST M1500.10C Enclosure (3) · last verified 2026-07-24.

Role brief

About MK — Machinery Technician (MK).

As of July 24, 2026, the best public Coast Guard rating table lists two documented Machinery Technician (MK) score paths: AR+MC+AS = 154 or VE+AR = 105. A later Coast Guard notice says non-diver A-school composites were adjusted while the current row-level list is internal, so treat 154/105 as public baselines and confirm the live requirement with a recruiter. MKs operate and repair engines, hydraulics, HVAC, and auxiliary machinery.

Initial training

How MK training works.

FormatRating A-school
LocationCoast Guard Training Center Yorktown, Virginia
Length~13 weeks

The current Coast Guard career and Yorktown school pages describe a 13-week MK rating course after recruit training. It covers mechanical and electrical theory, engine overhaul and maintenance, hydraulics, pumps, refrigeration, HVAC, outboard motors, troubleshooting, leadership, and maintenance administration.

Source: U.S. Coast Guard Training Center Yorktown — Machinery Technician A-School · last verified 2026-07-24 · date retrieved 2026-07-24.

After training

Common MK follow-on schools and paths.

  • Specialized Machinery Technician C-schoolsThe Yorktown school lists follow-on courses in naval engineering administration, hydraulics, refrigeration and air conditioning, diesel engines, gas turbines, and equipment-specific maintenance.
  • Law-enforcement boarding qualificationThe Coast Guard MK career page says many MKs train to conduct law-enforcement boardings in addition to engineering work.
  • Engineering Technology educationThe Coast Guard career page identifies Engineering Technology as a Coast Guard-funded degree path available to the MK rating.

Starting pay · 2026

What this job pays as a junior enlisted member.

Base pay is set by pay grade, not by job — every Coast Guard enlistee at the same grade earns the same monthly base pay. These are the 2026 active-duty rates (3.8% raise, effective 2026-01-01).

GradeRankMonthly base payService
E-1Seaman Recruit (SR)$2,407after 4 months of service
E-2Seaman Apprentice (SA)$2,698under 2 years
E-3Seaman (SN)$2,837under 2 years
E-4Petty Officer 3rd Class$3,142under 2 years
  • Plus food allowance (BAS)$460/moFlat enlisted rate, tax-free, paid on top of base pay.
  • Plus housing allowance (BAH)Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) is paid on top of base pay and is tax-free, but it varies by duty-station ZIP code, pay grade, and whether you have dependents — there is no single nationwide figure. Use the official DoD BAH calculator for your assignment location.DoD BAH rate lookup →

Source: DFAS 2026 active-duty basic pay tables (3.8% raise, effective Jan 1 2026) · last verified 2026-05-23 · date retrieved 2026-05-23.

Eligibility notes

What MK candidates should check.

  • COMDTINST M1500.10C Enclosure (3) lists two MK score paths: AR+MC+AS = 154 or VE+AR = 105. This page treats them as alternatives and presents both as documented public baselines.
  • Why public pages disagree: the Coast Guard announced in 2021 that composite requirements for every non-diver A-school were adjusted by 10 points while the component subtests stayed the same. It did not publish a complete replacement table, and COMDTINST 1500.10D now places the live row-level requirements in the internal PSC EPM-2 listing. Do not treat 154/105—or an inferred 144/95—as an uncaveated current guarantee; confirm the active MK requirement and waiver rules with a recruiter.
  • For the AR+MC+AS path, prepare Arithmetic Reasoning, Mechanical Comprehension, and Auto and Shop Information. For the VE+AR path, prepare Word Knowledge and Paragraph Comprehension (which form Verbal Expression) plus Arithmetic Reasoning.
  • The current Coast Guard MK career page and Yorktown school page both describe a 13-week rating course. That corrects the prior 18-week figure and does not include Coast Guard recruit training, A-school wait time, or optional follow-on C-schools.
  • The current MK career page describes work on internal-combustion engines, HVAC, hydraulics, and basic electrical systems. It also notes that MKs can serve at nearly every unit and that many train for law-enforcement boardings.

What ASVAB score do you need for Coast Guard Machinery Technician (MK)?

The best public Coast Guard rating table lists two MK paths: AR+MC+AS = 154 or VE+AR = 105. A later policy adjusted non-diver A-school composites, but the current row-level list is internal, so use 154/105 as documented public baselines and confirm the active number with a recruiter. Last reviewed July 24, 2026.

Is the Coast Guard MK ASVAB score 154/105 or 144/95?

M1500.10C publishes AR+MC+AS = 154 or VE+AR = 105. The Coast Guard later said non-diver A-school composites were adjusted by 10 points without publishing a complete replacement table. Because the live PSC EPM-2 list is internal, this page does not turn that blanket notice into an inferred 144/95 guarantee.

Do Coast Guard MK candidates need both listed score paths?

No. The public table uses “or”: AR+MC+AS = 154 or VE+AR = 105. This page therefore treats either public path as satisfying the documented score baseline, subject to the current internal list and recruiter confirmation.

Which ASVAB subtests should I study for Coast Guard MK?

The first public path uses Arithmetic Reasoning, Mechanical Comprehension, and Auto and Shop Information. The second uses Verbal Expression—built from Word Knowledge and Paragraph Comprehension—plus Arithmetic Reasoning. AR matters in both paths.

How long is Coast Guard MK A-school?

The current Coast Guard career and Yorktown training pages both describe a 13-week Machinery Technician rating course in Yorktown, Virginia. The 13 weeks cover MK A-school only; recruit training, wait time, and follow-on specialty schools are separate.

What does a Coast Guard Machinery Technician do?

MKs maintain and repair engines, pumps, hydraulics, refrigeration and HVAC equipment, outboard motors, and basic electrical systems on cutters and at shore units. The Coast Guard also says many MKs qualify for law-enforcement boardings.

What are the rating requirements for MK Machinery Technician (MK)?

The Coast Guard Machinery Technician (MK) rating (MK) requires a minimum AFQT of 32 and one of these line-score paths: AR+MC+AS of at least 154 or VE+AR of at least 105, with initial training of about 13 weeks. Those are the ASVAB-based entry requirements; a recruiter confirms the full enlistment picture (medical, background, and current openings). Source: U.S. Coast Guard COMDTINST M1500.10C Enclosure (3), last verified 2026-07-24.

Source: U.S. Coast Guard COMDTINST M1500.10C Enclosure (3) · last verified 2026-07-24 · date retrieved 2026-07-24.

Nearby targets

Related Coast Guard score targets.

Related

Practice AFQT plus MK line-score subtests.

AFQT + AR+MC+AS / VE+AR practice targets

Independent test-prep — not affiliated with DoD or the ASVAB program. See officialasvab.com for the test program.

Sources