Maintenance and Repair Workers
O*NET title: Maintenance and Repair Workers, General
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.
Also called: Apartment Maintenance Tech (Apartment Maintenance Technician), Apartment Maintenance Worker, Bench Repair Technician, Building Engineer, Building Maintenance Engineer, Building Maintenance Mechanic
Median pay
$49,590
per year, U.S.
Pay range (10th–90th)
$35,350 – $77,180
People employed
1,529,700
Holland code
RCI
Realistic · Conventional · Investigative
Updated October 2026 · Data: O*NET 31.0 and BLS OEWS May 2025 · How we match careers
Is this career right for you?
These are the things that stand out in this job compared with other U.S. jobs (O*NET 31.0 work context). Answer honestly.
- 1.Are you OK with physical risk, such as hazardous equipment or conditions, with proper training?
- 2.Are you OK being on your feet and moving most of the day?
- 3.Are you OK working outdoors in all kinds of weather?
- 4.Are you happy talking and working with people most of the day?
- 5.Are you OK working more than 40 hours a week?
The hard parts
- Work outdoors in all weather
- Long hours on your feet
- Tight deadlines are common
Maintenance and Repair Workers pay by state
Highest-paying states
Annual median pay by state (50 states and DC with published data). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025.
What maintenance and repair workers do
- 01Perform routine maintenance, such as inspecting drives, motors, or belts, checking fluid levels, replacing filters, or doing other preventive maintenance actions.
- 02Inspect, operate, or test machinery or equipment to diagnose machine malfunctions.
- 03Adjust functional parts of devices or control instruments, using hand tools, levels, plumb bobs, or straightedges.
- 04Repair 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.
- 05Order parts, supplies, or equipment from catalogs or suppliers.
- 06Perform routine maintenance on boilers, such as replacing burners or hoses, installing replacement parts, or reinforcing structural weaknesses to ensure optimal boiler efficiency.
Skills that matter most
- Critical Thinking
- Active Learning
- Monitoring
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Listening
- Speaking
Knowledge
- Mechanical
- English Language
- Building and Construction
- Mathematics
- Production and Processing
Work styles that stand out
- Dependability
- Attention to Detail
Education and first steps
Share of workers by required education, as reported to O*NET.
How people get started
- Usually needs vocational training or an associate degree (O*NET Job Zone 3).
- Related work experience: over 2 years, up to and including 4 years.
- On-the-job training: over 1 month, up to and including 3 months.
Most common answers from O*NET 31.0 Education, Training and Experience.
Interest fit (Holland code)
O*NET occupational interest scores, scale 1–7. Take the Free Career Test to compare with your own.
Career changes
Change from maintenance and repair workers
- Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines90% · +32%
- Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters86% · +29%
- Electric Motor, Power Tool, and Related Repairers86% · +13%
- Hydroelectric Plant Technicians85% · group pay
- Farm Equipment Mechanics and Service Technicians85% · +14%
Change into maintenance and repair workers
Jobs whose skills carry over best (skill match, their median pay).
- Farm Equipment Mechanics and Service Technicians87% · $56,550
- Hydroelectric Plant Technicians85% · $102,040
- Electric Motor, Power Tool, and Related Repairers81% · $56,210
- Motorcycle Mechanics79% · $48,580
- Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters79% · $63,800
Majors that lead here
- Building/Property Maintenance
From the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk.