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Industrial Mechanics & Maintenance

Types of Degrees Industrial Mechanics & Maintenance Majors Are Earning

Those studying Industrial Mechanics & Maintenance have the option of earning degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Certificate	2,224
Associate’s Degree	1,279
Master’s Degree	4,418

What Industrial Mechanics & Maintenance Majors Need to Know

Coursework for Industrial Mechanics & Maintenance emphasize a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Industrial Mechanics & Maintenance graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

This major prepares you for careers needing Industrial Mechanics & Maintenance emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• Mechanical — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 5.2 / 7.
• Public Safety and Security — Importance 3.2 / 5; level 3.4 / 7.
• English Language — Importance 3.1 / 5; level 3.1 / 7.
• Engineering and Technology — Importance 3.1 / 5; level 3.5 / 7.
• Mathematics — Importance 3.1 / 5; level 3.5 / 7.

^{Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*}

Skills

The skill set emphasized by a Industrial Mechanics & Maintenance program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Repairing — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.5 / 7.
• Equipment Maintenance — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.5 / 7.
• Troubleshooting — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 3.5 / 7.
• Operations Monitoring — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 3.4 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 3.3 / 5; level 3.1 / 7.

Abilities

Abilities most relevant to Industrial Mechanics & Maintenance careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Arm-Hand Steadiness — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.3 / 7.
• Problem Sensitivity — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.2 / 7.
• Near Vision — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.6 / 7.
• Manual Dexterity — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 3.2 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 3.5 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Industrial Mechanics & Maintenance graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials	4.2 / 7
Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment	4.2 / 7
Getting Information	4.1 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.0 / 7
Handling and Moving Objects	4.0 / 7
Performing General Physical Activities	3.9 / 7
Controlling Machines and Processes	3.9 / 7
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events	3.9 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	3.8 / 7
Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment	3.8 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Industrial Mechanics & Maintenance professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	—
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	✓
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	✓
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	✓
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
SAP software	Enterprise resource planning ERP software	—
Microsoft Access	Data base user interface and query software	✓
Supervisory control and data acquisition SCADA software	Industrial control software	—
Programmable logic controller PLC software	Industrial control software	—
Structured query language SQL	Data base user interface and query software	—
IBM Maximo Asset Management	Enterprise resource planning ERP software	—
Computerized maintenance management system CMMS	Facilities management software	—

^{Source: ONET Online technology skills, weighted across related occupations.*}

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Industrial Mechanics & Maintenance graduates include:

• Service Technician
• Salvager
• Mechanic
• Oven Equipment Repairer
• Lubrication Equipment Servicer
• Pneumatic Tool Repairer
• Maintenance Technician
• Pneumatic Tube Repairer
• Regulator Mechanic
• Spray Gun Repairer
• Maintenance Mechanic
• Clay Structure Builder
• Bondactor Machine Operator
• Hot Repairman
• Cupola Repairer

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to Industrial Mechanics & Maintenance graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
High school diploma or equivalent	48.8%
Postsecondary certificate	38.4%
Some college courses	6.1%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	5.7%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	0.4%
Less than a high school diploma	0.4%
Bachelor’s degree	0.4%

^{Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*}

Who Is Earning a Degree in Industrial Mechanics & Maintenance?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly male, with men earning 92.8% of Industrial Mechanics & Maintenance degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	580	7.2%
Men	7,483	92.8%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Industrial Mechanics & Maintenance graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	5,155	63.9%
Asian	142	1.8%
Hispanic or Latino	1,394	17.3%
Black or African American	802	9.9%
American Indian / Alaska Native	69	0.9%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander	12	0.1%
Two or More Races	230	2.9%
Race Unknown	221	2.7%
International Students	38	0.5%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Industrial Mechanics & Maintenance Graduates Earn?

The U.S. Department of Education tracks median earnings of Industrial Mechanics & Maintenance graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. These numbers tend to grow steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$49,887
4 years	$52,783
5 years	$60,412

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $60,412 — roughly 21% above the 1-year mark.

^{Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.}

Online Industrial Mechanics & Maintenance Programs

Fully online options is tracked by IPEDS for Industrial Mechanics & Maintenance. The table below shows how many graduates earned at least some of their coursework online (Distance-Ed Available) versus completing the entire program online (Distance-Ed Only).

Award Level	Distance-Ed Available	Distance-Ed Only
Associate’s	1	3

^{Distance-Ed Only = degrees completed entirely online; Distance-Ed Available = degrees including at least some online coursework. Source: IPEDS Completions by Distance Education status.}

Is a Degree in Industrial Mechanics & Maintenance Worth It?

Strictly by the federal earnings tracker, Industrial Mechanics & Maintenance graduates earn a median of $52,783 four years after completion — roughly 39% above the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000).

^{ROI estimate compares the program’s 4-yr median earnings against the 2023 BLS CPS median earnings for high-school-only workers. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + BLS Current Population Survey.}

Related Programs

You may also be interested in these closely related fields of study:

Program	Annual Degrees Awarded
Heavy/Industrial Equipment Maintenance Technologies/Technicians	8,925
Heavy Equipment Maintenance Technology/Technician	814
Energy Systems Installation and Repair Technology/Technician	76
Wind Energy System Installation and Repair Technology/Technician	68
Heavy/Industrial Equipment Maintenance Technologies/Technicians, Other	48
Geothermal Energy System Installation and Repair Technology/Technician	—
Hydroelectric Energy System Installation and Repair Technology/Technician	—

References

The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students and international students. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

More about our data sources and methodologies.