Hands-On Jobs
50 careers with the highest Realistic interest score in O*NET 31.0 (scale 1–7).
Updated October 2026 · Data: O*NET 31.0 and BLS OEWS May 2025 · How we match careers
| # | Career | Median pay | Usual preparation | Interest score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Elevator and Escalator Installers and Repairers | $109,910 | Training or associate | Realistic 7.00 |
| 2 | Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Powerhouse, Substation, and Relay | $103,020 | Training or associate | Realistic 7.00 |
| 3 | Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers | $95,320 | High school | Realistic 7.00 |
| 4 | Electrical and Electronics Installers and Repairers, Transportation Equipment | $84,890 | Training or associate | Realistic 7.00 |
| 5 | Avionics Technicians | $82,280 | Training or associate | Realistic 7.00 |
| 6 | Locomotive Engineers | $81,410 | High school | Realistic 7.00 |
| 7 | Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators | $78,620 | Training or associate | Realistic 7.00 |
| 8 | Roof Bolters, Mining | $78,540 | High school | Realistic 7.00 |
| 9 | Boilermakers | $76,410 | High school | Realistic 7.00 |
| 10 | Terrazzo Workers and Finishers | $76,170 | High school | Realistic 7.00 |
| 11 | Loading and Moving Machine Operators, Underground Mining | $74,500 | High school | Realistic 7.00 |
| 12 | Control and Valve Installers and Repairers, Except Mechanical Door | $74,340 | Training or associate | Realistic 7.00 |
| 13 | Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Commercial and Industrial Equipment | $74,090 | Training or associate | Realistic 7.00 |
| 14 | Electro-Mechanical and Mechatronics Technologists and Technicians | $73,900 | Training or associate | Realistic 7.00 |
| 15 | Pile Driver Operators | $73,300 | High school | Realistic 7.00 |
| 16 | Commercial Divers | $72,990 | Training or associate | Realistic 7.00 |
| 17 | Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators | $70,070 | High school | Realistic 7.00 |
| 18 | Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators and Locomotive Firers | $68,840 | High school | Realistic 7.00 |
| 19 | Crane and Tower Operators | $68,080 | Training or associate | Realistic 7.00 |
| 20 | Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas | $67,890 | High school | Realistic 7.00 |
| 21 | Rail Car Repairers | $67,530 | High school | Realistic 7.00 |
| 22 | Millwrights | $65,700 | High school | Realistic 7.00 |
| 23 | Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines | $65,510 | Training or associate | Realistic 7.00 |
| 24 | Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers | $65,380 | High school | Realistic 7.00 |
| 25 | Industrial Machinery Mechanics | $64,520 | Training or associate | Realistic 7.00 |
| 26 | Wind Turbine Service Technicians | $64,120 | Training or associate | Realistic 7.00 |
| 27 | Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters | $63,800 | Training or associate | Realistic 7.00 |
| 28 | Electricians | $63,190 | Training or associate | Realistic 7.00 |
| 29 | Structural Iron and Steel Workers | $62,780 | High school | Realistic 7.00 |
| 30 | Riggers | $62,640 | High school | Realistic 7.00 |
| 31 | Sheet Metal Workers | $61,800 | High school | Realistic 7.00 |
| 32 | Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists | $61,770 | Training or associate | Realistic 7.00 |
| 33 | Medical Equipment Repairers | $61,660 | Training or associate | Realistic 7.00 |
| 34 | Refractory Materials Repairers, Except Brickmasons | $61,290 | High school | Realistic 7.00 |
| 35 | Maintenance Workers, Machinery | $60,850 | Training or associate | Realistic 7.00 |
| 36 | Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas | $60,190 | High school | Realistic 7.00 |
| 37 | Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators | $59,850 | High school | Realistic 7.00 |
| 38 | Reinforcing Iron and Rebar Workers | $58,970 | High school | Realistic 7.00 |
| 39 | Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers | $58,930 | High school | Realistic 7.00 |
| 40 | Machinists | $58,750 | Training or associate | Realistic 7.00 |
| 41 | Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $58,640 | High school | Realistic 7.00 |
| 42 | Derrick Operators, Oil and Gas | $58,620 | High school | Realistic 7.00 |
| 43 | Service Unit Operators, Oil and Gas | $58,160 | High school | Realistic 7.00 |
| 44 | Plasterers and Stucco Masons | $57,660 | High school | Realistic 7.00 |
| 45 | Motorboat Mechanics and Service Technicians | $57,550 | Training or associate | Realistic 7.00 |
| 46 | Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining | $57,430 | High school | Realistic 7.00 |
| 47 | Stonemasons | $57,390 | High school | Realistic 7.00 |
| 48 | Tire Builders | $57,390 | High school | Realistic 7.00 |
| 49 | Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers | $57,020 | High school | Realistic 7.00 |
| 50 | Farm Equipment Mechanics and Service Technicians | $56,550 | Training or associate | Realistic 7.00 |
- 1Elevator and Escalator Installers and Repairers
$109,910 · Training or associate · Realistic 7.00
- 2Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Powerhouse, Substation, and Relay
$103,020 · Training or associate · Realistic 7.00
- 3Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers
$95,320 · High school · Realistic 7.00
- 4Electrical and Electronics Installers and Repairers, Transportation Equipment
$84,890 · Training or associate · Realistic 7.00
- 5Avionics Technicians
$82,280 · Training or associate · Realistic 7.00
- 6Locomotive Engineers
$81,410 · High school · Realistic 7.00
- 7Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators
$78,620 · Training or associate · Realistic 7.00
- 8Roof Bolters, Mining
$78,540 · High school · Realistic 7.00
- 9Boilermakers
$76,410 · High school · Realistic 7.00
- 10Terrazzo Workers and Finishers
$76,170 · High school · Realistic 7.00
- 11Loading and Moving Machine Operators, Underground Mining
$74,500 · High school · Realistic 7.00
- 12Control and Valve Installers and Repairers, Except Mechanical Door
$74,340 · Training or associate · Realistic 7.00
- 13Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Commercial and Industrial Equipment
$74,090 · Training or associate · Realistic 7.00
- 14Electro-Mechanical and Mechatronics Technologists and Technicians
$73,900 · Training or associate · Realistic 7.00
- 15Pile Driver Operators
$73,300 · High school · Realistic 7.00
- 16Commercial Divers
$72,990 · Training or associate · Realistic 7.00
- 17Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators
$70,070 · High school · Realistic 7.00
- 18Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators and Locomotive Firers
$68,840 · High school · Realistic 7.00
- 19Crane and Tower Operators
$68,080 · Training or associate · Realistic 7.00
- 20Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas
$67,890 · High school · Realistic 7.00
- 21Rail Car Repairers
$67,530 · High school · Realistic 7.00
- 22Millwrights
$65,700 · High school · Realistic 7.00
- 23Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines
$65,510 · Training or associate · Realistic 7.00
- 24Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers
$65,380 · High school · Realistic 7.00
- 25Industrial Machinery Mechanics
$64,520 · Training or associate · Realistic 7.00
- 26Wind Turbine Service Technicians
$64,120 · Training or associate · Realistic 7.00
- 27Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters
$63,800 · Training or associate · Realistic 7.00
- 28Electricians
$63,190 · Training or associate · Realistic 7.00
- 29Structural Iron and Steel Workers
$62,780 · High school · Realistic 7.00
- 30Riggers
$62,640 · High school · Realistic 7.00
- 31Sheet Metal Workers
$61,800 · High school · Realistic 7.00
- 32Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists
$61,770 · Training or associate · Realistic 7.00
- 33Medical Equipment Repairers
$61,660 · Training or associate · Realistic 7.00
- 34Refractory Materials Repairers, Except Brickmasons
$61,290 · High school · Realistic 7.00
- 35Maintenance Workers, Machinery
$60,850 · Training or associate · Realistic 7.00
- 36Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas
$60,190 · High school · Realistic 7.00
- 37Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators
$59,850 · High school · Realistic 7.00
- 38Reinforcing Iron and Rebar Workers
$58,970 · High school · Realistic 7.00
- 39Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers
$58,930 · High school · Realistic 7.00
- 40Machinists
$58,750 · Training or associate · Realistic 7.00
- 41Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers
$58,640 · High school · Realistic 7.00
- 42Derrick Operators, Oil and Gas
$58,620 · High school · Realistic 7.00
- 43Service Unit Operators, Oil and Gas
$58,160 · High school · Realistic 7.00
- 44Plasterers and Stucco Masons
$57,660 · High school · Realistic 7.00
- 45Motorboat Mechanics and Service Technicians
$57,550 · Training or associate · Realistic 7.00
- 46Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining
$57,430 · High school · Realistic 7.00
- 47Stonemasons
$57,390 · High school · Realistic 7.00
- 48Tire Builders
$57,390 · High school · Realistic 7.00
- 49Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers
$57,020 · High school · Realistic 7.00
- 50Farm Equipment Mechanics and Service Technicians
$56,550 · Training or associate · Realistic 7.00
How this list is made: Ranked by the O*NET Realistic interest score (1–7). Pay: BLS OEWS May 2025 national median.