Find Trade Colleges
Home Appliance Repairers: Career Profile
Repair, adjust, or install all types of electric or gas household appliances, such as refrigerators, washers, dryers, and ovens.
What Tasks Do Home Appliance Repairers Take On?
Typical responsibilities of home appliance repairers include:
- Bill customers for repair work, and collect payment.
- Observe and examine appliances during operation to detect specific malfunctions such as loose parts or leaking fluid.
- Talk to customers or refer to work orders to establish the nature of appliance malfunctions.
- Refer to schematic drawings, product manuals, and troubleshooting guides to diagnose and repair problems.
- Trace electrical circuits, following diagrams, and conduct tests with circuit testers and other equipment to locate shorts and grounds.
- Replace worn and defective parts such as switches, bearings, transmissions, belts, gears, circuit boards, or defective wiring.
- Provide repair cost estimates, and recommend whether appliance repair or replacement is a better choice.
- Disassemble appliances so that problems can be diagnosed and repairs can be made.
Skills and Knowledge
Top home appliance repairers draw on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Most Important Skills
The abilities that matter most in this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Top Knowledge Areas
Types of Home Appliance Repairers Jobs
People in this occupation may also be known by titles such as:
- Air-Conditioner Window Unit Installer (AC Window Unit Installer)
- Air-Conditioner Window Unit Servicer (AC Window Unit Servicer)
- Appliance Adjuster
- Appliance Advisor
- Appliance Installer
- Appliance Mechanic
- Appliance Repair Mechanic
- Appliance Repair Service Consultant
Job Outlook
The U.S. employs around 165,121 home appliance repairers working in the United States today. Employment is projected to grow by +12.5% over the projection horizon.
How Much Do Home Appliance Repairers Make?
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $63,817 |
| Hourly median | $30.68 |
| 10th percentile | $37,106 |
| 25th percentile | $50,462 |
| 75th percentile | $77,172 |
| 90th percentile | $90,527 |
Pay can vary substantially based on experience, location, and industry.
Home Appliance Repairers Salary by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| Massachusetts | $64,460 |
| Rhode Island | $62,350 |
| Nevada | $61,520 |
| Minnesota | $59,300 |
| Connecticut | $58,280 |
| Hawaii | $58,240 |
| Virginia | $58,240 |
| Illinois | $57,890 |
| Vermont | $57,500 |
| Alaska | $55,050 |
| New York | $54,860 |
| New Jersey | $53,390 |
| New Hampshire | $52,640 |
| Michigan | $52,070 |
| Colorado | $52,070 |
| Delaware | $52,000 |
| Oregon | $51,830 |
| California | $51,460 |
| Pennsylvania | $50,420 |
| Washington | $50,360 |
| Wisconsin | $49,910 |
| Georgia | $49,710 |
| Maryland | $49,470 |
| Maine | $48,700 |
| Kentucky | $48,570 |
| Tennessee | $48,290 |
| North Dakota | $47,980 |
| South Dakota | $47,530 |
| Indiana | $47,460 |
| Ohio | $47,360 |
| Arizona | $47,170 |
| Florida | $46,930 |
| North Carolina | $46,850 |
| Texas | $46,590 |
| Montana | $45,330 |
| South Carolina | $45,330 |
| New Mexico | $45,250 |
| Iowa | $44,520 |
| Kansas | $44,200 |
| Idaho | $43,820 |
| Nebraska | $43,680 |
| Wyoming | $42,530 |
| Louisiana | $38,950 |
| Oklahoma | $38,750 |
| Alabama | $37,770 |
| Arkansas | $37,610 |
| Utah | $34,920 |
| Mississippi | $33,540 |
| West Virginia | $30,010 |
| Puerto Rico | $29,120 |
Where Home Appliance Repairers Earn the Most
Compensation for home appliance repairers shift depending on where you work. Top regions by median wage:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| New England | $58,998 | 4.9% | 1.07 |
| Far Western US | $52,254 | 14.6% | 0.96 |
| Great Lakes | $52,068 | 14.7% | 1.08 |
| Middle Atlantic | $51,854 | 9.0% | 1.14 |
| Southeast | $47,501 | 28.5% | 1.16 |
| Southwest | $45,954 | 13.8% | 1.05 |
| Rocky Mountains | $45,649 | 5.2% | 1.48 |
| Plains States | $33,358 | 9.4% | 1.32 |
Top Metro Areas
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ | NJ | $91,230 | |
| Trenton-Princeton, NJ | NJ | $73,560 | 60 |
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | VA | $73,510 | 360 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | MA | $64,800 | 460 |
| Fargo, ND-MN | ND | $64,180 | 40 |
| Roanoke, VA | VA | $63,440 | 40 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | CA | $62,480 | 100 |
| Kahului-Wailuku, HI | HI | $62,440 | 40 |
Industry Breakdown
The largest employers of home appliance repairers are found across these industries:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Other Services (except Public Administration) | 13,520 | $50,070 |
| Retail Trade | 12,050 | $46,790 |
| Wholesale Trade | 3,330 | $49,970 |
| Construction | 880 | $58,240 |
| Real Estate and Rental and Leasing | 360 | $42,120 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | 350 | $76,260 |
| Manufacturing | 280 | $60,500 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 280 | $46,740 |
Home Appliance Repairers work in the following industries:
Tools and Technology
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Operating system software: Microsoft Windows (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
What the Workplace Is Like
The on-the-job environment of home appliance repairers tends to involve the following characteristics:
- Telephone Conversations
- Contact With Others
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Deal With External Customers or the Public in General
- Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls
How to Become Home Appliance Repairers
Entry-level home appliance repairers positions require a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education. The role falls in Some Preparation Needed (Job Zone 2), indicating the level of preparation typically expected.
Related Careers
Similar Occupations
- Mechanical Engineers (Supplemental)
- Lighting Technicians (Supplemental)
- Boilermakers (Supplemental)
- Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters (Supplemental)
- Electric Motor, Power Tool, and Related Repairers (Primary-Short)
- Electrical and Electronics Installers and Repairers, Transportation Equipment (Primary-Long)
- Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Commercial and Industrial Equipment (Supplemental)
- Electronic Equipment Installers and Repairers, Motor Vehicles (Primary-Long)
Where to Study
Future home appliance repairers typically earn programs in:
Mechanic and Repair Technologies/Technicians
1 programs across 1 majors
References
Statistics shown above are sourced from the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 49-9031.00 (Home Appliance Repairers).