What is a Maintenance and Repair Worker?
Job Description & Duties Perform work involving the skills of two or more maintenance or craft occupations to keep machines, mechanical equipment, or the structure of an establishment in repair. Duties may involve pipe fitting; boiler making; insulating; welding; machining; carpentry; repairing electrical or mechanical equipment; installing, aligning, and balancing new equipment; and repairing buildings, floors, or stairs.
Life As a Maintenance & Repair Worker: What Do They Do?
- Operate cutting torches or welding equipment to cut or join metal parts.
- Paint or repair roofs, windows, doors, floors, woodwork, plaster, drywall, or other parts of building structures.
- Inspect, operate, or test machinery or equipment to diagnose machine malfunctions.
- Assemble, install, or repair wiring, electrical or electronic components, pipe systems, plumbing, machinery, or equipment.
- Clean or lubricate shafts, bearings, gears, or other parts of machinery.
- Set up and operate machine tools to repair or fabricate machine parts, jigs, fixtures, or tools.
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Qualities of a Maintenance & Repair Worker
Below is a list of the skills most Maintenance and Repair Workers say are important on the job.
Equipment Maintenance: Performing routine maintenance on equipment and determining when and what kind of maintenance is needed.
Repairing: Repairing machines or systems using the needed tools.
Troubleshooting: Determining causes of operating errors and deciding what to do about it.
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Equipment Selection: Determining the kind of tools and equipment needed to do a job.
Types of Maintenance & Repair Worker Jobs
- I&C Technician (Instrument and Controls Technician)
- Maintenance Journeyman
- Equipment Technician
- Building Engineer
- Hydroelectric Operations Maintenance Worker
Is There Going to be Demand for Maintenance and Repair Workers?
There were about 1,432,600 jobs for Maintenance and Repair Worker in 2016 (in the United States). New jobs are being produced at a rate of 7.9% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 112,500 new jobs for Maintenance and Repair Worker by 2026. The BLS estimates 154,700 yearly job openings in this field.

The states with the most job growth for Maintenance & Repair Worker are Utah, Colorado, and Nevada. Watch out if you plan on working in Maine, Maryland, or Alaska. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
Do Maintenance and Repair Workers Make A Lot Of Money?
The typical yearly salary for Maintenance and Repair Workers is somewhere between $23,540 and $62,400.

Maintenance and Repair Workers who work in District of Columbia, Alaska, or Connecticut, make the highest salaries.
How much do Maintenance and Repair Workers make in each U.S. state?
State | Annual Mean Salary |
---|---|
Alabama | $37,520 |
Alaska | $50,610 |
Arizona | $37,710 |
Arkansas | $33,030 |
California | $45,800 |
Colorado | $41,500 |
Connecticut | $47,990 |
Delaware | $41,430 |
District of Columbia | $52,570 |
Florida | $35,670 |
Georgia | $37,070 |
Hawaii | $47,310 |
Idaho | $36,920 |
Illinois | $44,420 |
Indiana | $40,340 |
Iowa | $41,520 |
Kansas | $37,480 |
Kentucky | $39,360 |
Louisiana | $36,760 |
Maine | $39,840 |
Maryland | $43,940 |
Massachusetts | $47,460 |
Michigan | $37,770 |
Minnesota | $44,490 |
Mississippi | $33,130 |
Missouri | $38,200 |
Montana | $37,720 |
Nebraska | $39,660 |
Nevada | $45,880 |
New Hampshire | $42,720 |
New Jersey | $45,540 |
New Mexico | $36,270 |
New York | $46,030 |
North Carolina | $39,620 |
North Dakota | $39,990 |
Ohio | $41,270 |
Oklahoma | $34,700 |
Oregon | $39,620 |
Pennsylvania | $40,130 |
Rhode Island | $45,130 |
South Carolina | $36,850 |
South Dakota | $37,410 |
Tennessee | $38,800 |
Texas | $37,970 |
Utah | $39,360 |
Vermont | $41,150 |
Virginia | $41,560 |
Washington | $44,940 |
West Virginia | $34,290 |
Wisconsin | $41,840 |
Wyoming | $41,020 |
What Tools & Technology do Maintenance and Repair Workers Use?
Below is a list of the types of tools and technologies that Maintenance and Repair Workers may use on a daily basis:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Office
- Microsoft Outlook
- Web browser software
- Data entry software
- SAP
- Microsoft Windows
- Microsoft Project
- Autodesk AutoCAD
- IBM Notes
- Google Docs
- National Instruments LabVIEW
- Supervisory control and data acquisition SCADA software
- Dassault Systemes CATIA
- YouTube
- Oracle Primavera Enterprise Project Portfolio Management
- PTC Creo Parametric
- Apple macOS
How to Become a Maintenance & Repair Worker
What kind of Maintenance and Repair Worker requirements are there?

What work experience do I need to become a Maintenance & Repair Worker?

Maintenance and Repair Workers Sector

The table below shows the approximate number of Maintenance and Repair Workers employed by various industries.

Other Jobs You May be Interested In
Those interested in being a Maintenance and Repair Worker may also be interested in:
- Automotive Master Mechanics
- Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers
- Medical Equipment Repairers
- Animal Trainers
Are you already one of the many Maintenance and Repair Worker in the United States? If you’re thinking about changing careers, these fields are worth exploring:
References:
Image Credit: Margo Wright via Public domain
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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