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Maintenance and Repair Workers, General: Career Profile
Perform work involving the skills of two or more maintenance or craft occupations to keep machines, mechanical equipment, or the structure of a building in repair. Duties may involve pipe fitting; HVAC maintenance; insulating; welding; machining; carpentry; repairing electrical or mechanical equipment; installing, aligning, and balancing new equipment; and repairing buildings, floors, or stairs.
The Daily Work of Maintenance and Repair Workers, General Take On?
The core tasks performed by maintenance and repair workers, general include:
- Perform routine maintenance, such as inspecting drives, motors, or belts, checking fluid levels, replacing filters, or doing other preventive maintenance actions.
- Inspect, operate, or test machinery or equipment to diagnose machine malfunctions.
- Adjust functional parts of devices or control instruments, using hand tools, levels, plumb bobs, or straightedges.
- Repair machines, equipment, or structures, using tools such as hammers, hoists, saws, drills, wrenches, or equipment such as precision measuring instruments or electrical or electronic testing devices.
- Order parts, supplies, or equipment from catalogs or suppliers.
- Diagnose mechanical problems and determine how to correct them, checking blueprints, repair manuals, or parts catalogs, as necessary.
- Design new equipment to aid in the repair or maintenance of machines, mechanical equipment, or building structures.
- Assemble, install, or repair wiring, electrical or electronic components, pipe systems, plumbing, machinery, or equipment.
Key Skills and Knowledge
Effective maintenance and repair workers, general rely on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Top Skills
The abilities most important for this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Top Knowledge Areas
Other Maintenance and Repair Workers, General Job Titles
People in this occupation may also be known by titles such as:
- Apartment Maintenance Tech (Apartment Maintenance Technician)
- Apartment Maintenance Worker
- Bench Repair Technician
- Building Engineer
- Building Maintenance Engineer
- Building Maintenance Mechanic
- Building Maintenance Repairer
- Building Mechanic
Job Outlook
The U.S. employs around 546,392 maintenance and repair workers, general working in the United States today. Demand is forecast to grow by +2.5% over the projection horizon.
How Much Do Maintenance and Repair Workers, General Make?
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $48,754 |
| Hourly median | $23.44 |
| 10th percentile | $29,286 |
| 25th percentile | $39,020 |
| 75th percentile | $58,489 |
| 90th percentile | $68,223 |
Pay can vary substantially based on experience, location, and industry.
Pay by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $60,600 |
| Washington | $57,910 |
| Minnesota | $57,750 |
| Hawaii | $57,480 |
| New York | $56,180 |
| Massachusetts | $56,040 |
| California | $56,030 |
| Alaska | $55,650 |
| Illinois | $54,220 |
| Connecticut | $53,570 |
| Vermont | $53,290 |
| New Hampshire | $51,720 |
| Wisconsin | $51,470 |
| Iowa | $51,270 |
| New Jersey | $51,240 |
| Colorado | $51,130 |
| Oregon | $51,120 |
| Ohio | $50,520 |
| Nevada | $50,170 |
| Rhode Island | $49,920 |
| Maryland | $49,790 |
| North Dakota | $49,510 |
| Indiana | $49,290 |
| Nebraska | $49,150 |
| Delaware | $49,130 |
| Utah | $49,070 |
| Virginia | $49,070 |
| Pennsylvania | $48,950 |
| Maine | $48,590 |
| Missouri | $48,270 |
| Wyoming | $47,960 |
| Arizona | $47,260 |
| North Carolina | $47,200 |
| Michigan | $47,170 |
| Idaho | $47,030 |
| Tennessee | $46,880 |
| South Carolina | $46,800 |
| Georgia | $46,770 |
| Kansas | $46,590 |
| South Dakota | $46,420 |
| Kentucky | $46,110 |
| Montana | $45,710 |
| Florida | $45,000 |
| Texas | $44,940 |
| New Mexico | $41,860 |
| Louisiana | $41,660 |
| Alabama | $41,600 |
| Arkansas | $40,870 |
| Oklahoma | $40,710 |
| Mississippi | $40,580 |
| West Virginia | $39,900 |
| Virgin Islands | $39,390 |
| Guam | $29,190 |
| Puerto Rico | $22,000 |
Where Maintenance and Repair Workers, General Earn the Most
Compensation for maintenance and repair workers, general vary by region. These regions lead on median pay:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Far Western US | $55,515 | 13.6% | 0.84 |
| New England | $53,788 | 3.8% | 0.81 |
| Middle Atlantic | $53,168 | 16.2% | 1.11 |
| Plains States | $51,189 | 7.0% | 1.02 |
| Great Lakes | $50,989 | 15.5% | 1.10 |
| Rocky Mountains | $49,196 | 3.7% | 0.95 |
| Southeast | $45,444 | 25.9% | 1.06 |
| Southwest | $44,833 | 13.4% | 1.07 |
Where the Jobs Cluster
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | CA | $63,470 | 15,870 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | CA | $63,300 | 7,010 |
| Kahului-Wailuku, HI | HI | $61,570 | 1,310 |
| Sheboygan, WI | WI | $60,610 | 760 |
| Napa, CA | CA | $60,510 | 860 |
| Vallejo, CA | CA | $60,500 | 1,250 |
| Modesto, CA | CA | $60,040 | 1,820 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | MN | $59,970 | 17,750 |
Top Industries Employing Maintenance and Repair Workers, General
Most maintenance and repair workers, general are found across these industries:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Real Estate and Rental and Leasing | 314,320 | $47,610 |
| Manufacturing | 206,550 | $60,440 |
| Accommodation and Food Services | 131,030 | $38,380 |
| Health Care and Social Assistance | 127,220 | $47,420 |
| Educational Services | 112,460 | $49,290 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 95,710 | $47,210 |
| Transportation and Warehousing | 58,610 | $62,690 |
| Other Services (except Public Administration) | 53,520 | $45,030 |
The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.
Software Maintenance and Repair Workers, General Use
- Operating system software: Apple macOS (hot technology)
- Computer aided design CAD software: Autodesk AutoCAD (hot technology)
- Web page creation and editing software: Facebook (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Google Docs (hot technology)
- Operating system software: Linux (hot technology)
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Project management software: Microsoft Project (hot technology)
- Operating system software: Microsoft Windows (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
The Day-to-Day Environment
The work environment for maintenance and repair workers, general is shaped by the following characteristics:
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Contact With Others
- Telephone Conversations
- Health and Safety of Other Workers
Getting Started in This Career
Typical maintenance and repair workers, general positions require some college, no degree as the typical entry-level education. This career aligns with Medium Preparation Needed (Job Zone 3), reflecting the level of preparation typically expected.
Related Careers
Similar Occupations
- Boilermakers (Primary-Long)
- Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters (Primary-Short)
- Helpers–Electricians (Supplemental)
- Helpers–Pipelayers, Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters (Supplemental)
- Electric Motor, Power Tool, and Related Repairers (Supplemental)
- Electrical and Electronics Installers and Repairers, Transportation Equipment (Supplemental)
- Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Commercial and Industrial Equipment (Supplemental)
- Farm Equipment Mechanics and Service Technicians (Primary-Long)
Degree Programs
Aspiring maintenance and repair workers, general often complete programs in:
Construction Trades
1 programs across 1 majors
Sources
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: 49-9071.00 (Maintenance and Repair Workers, General).
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