Jobs Similar to Maintenance Workers
The careers below use the most similar skills, knowledge and work activities to maintenance workers, according to O*NET 31.0. The closest are Industrial Machinery Mechanics, Control and Valve Installers and Repairers and Electric Motor, Power Tool, and Related Repairers.
Maintenance Workers: $60,850 median pay · usual preparation: Training or associate.
Updated October 2026 · Data: O*NET 31.0 and BLS OEWS May 2025 · How we match careers
The 20 most similar careers
- 1Industrial Machinery Mechanics
84% similar · $64,520 (+6%) · Training or associate · Same group
- 2Control and Valve Installers and Repairers, Except Mechanical Door
82% similar · $74,340 (+22%) · Training or associate · Same group
- 3Electric Motor, Power Tool, and Related Repairers
81% similar · $56,210 (−8%) · Training or associate
- 4Hydroelectric Plant Technicians
81% similar · $102,040 (broader group) · Training or associate
- 5Maintenance and Repair Workers, General
81% similar · $49,590 (−19%) · Training or associate · Same group
- 6Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
81% similar · $44,350 (−27%) · High school
- 7Rail Car Repairers
81% similar · $67,530 (+11%) · High school
- 8Engine and Other Machine Assemblers
80% similar · $53,710 (−12%) · High school
- 9Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines
80% similar · $65,510 (+8%) · Training or associate
- 10Helpers--Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers
80% similar · $39,630 (−35%) · High school · Same group
- 11Textile Cutting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
80% similar · $38,760 (−36%) · High school
- 12Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists
80% similar · $61,770 (+2%) · Training or associate
- 13Geothermal Technicians
80% similar · $49,230 (broader group) · High school · Same group
- 14Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
79% similar · $49,030 (−19%) · High school
- 15Drilling and Boring Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
79% similar · $49,080 (−19%) · High school
- 16Machinists
79% similar · $58,750 (−3%) · Training or associate
- 17Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
79% similar · $50,140 (−18%) · High school
- 18Continuous Mining Machine Operators
79% similar · $61,810 (+2%) · High school
- 19Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Commercial and Industrial Equipment
79% similar · $74,090 (+22%) · Training or associate
- 20Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing
79% similar · $43,380 (−29%) · High school
Similarity: weighted correlation of O*NET 31.0 transferable skills (35%), knowledge (25%), work activities (15%) and interests (15%). Pay and schooling do not change it. Pay change compares BLS May 2025 national medians; careers with only a broader BLS group wage are not compared. “Same group”: the same BLS occupation group (SOC minor group). Methodology
Similar jobs that pay more
Only careers that usually need no more preparation than maintenance workers.
- Control and Valve Installers and Repairers, Except Mechanical Door82% similar · $74,340 (+22%)
- Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Commercial and Industrial Equipment79% similar · $74,090 (+22%)
- Rail Car Repairers81% similar · $67,530 (+11%)
- Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines80% similar · $65,510 (+8%)
- Industrial Machinery Mechanics84% similar · $64,520 (+6%)
- Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists80% similar · $61,770 (+2%)
Similar jobs that need less preparation
- Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic81% similar · High school
- Rail Car Repairers81% similar · High school
- Engine and Other Machine Assemblers80% similar · High school
- Helpers--Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers80% similar · High school
- Textile Cutting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders80% similar · High school
- Geothermal Technicians80% similar · High school
Thinking of a career change?
Similar is not the same as a good next step. Our career-change list for maintenance workers also weighs pay drops and extra schooling, and puts jobs outside the field first.
Jobs that can lead here
Careers where maintenance workers is one of the best career-change matches (match score in brackets).
- Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines (90)
- Electric Motor, Power Tool, and Related Repairers (88)
- Rail Car Repairers (86)
- Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists (84)
- Farm Equipment Mechanics and Service Technicians (83)
- Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics (82)
- Motorboat Mechanics and Service Technicians (82)
- Continuous Mining Machine Operators (81)
- Hydroelectric Plant Technicians (81)
- Motorcycle Mechanics (80)
Questions about jobs like maintenance workers
What jobs are most similar to maintenance workers?
By O*NET 31.0 data, the closest are Industrial Machinery Mechanics (84% similar), Control and Valve Installers and Repairers (82% similar), Electric Motor, Power Tool, and Related Repairers (81% similar), Hydroelectric Plant Technicians (81% similar) and Maintenance and Repair Workers (81% similar).
Which jobs like maintenance workers pay more?
Among the 20 most similar careers, Control and Valve Installers and Repairers ($74,340, +22%; usually training or an associate degree), Electrical and Electronics Repairers (Commercial and Industrial Equipment) ($74,090, +22%; usually training or an associate degree) and Rail Car Repairers ($67,530, +11%; usually a high school diploma) have the highest BLS median pay compared with maintenance workers ($60,850). Without more preparation than maintenance workers usually need: Control and Valve Installers and Repairers, Electrical and Electronics Repairers (Commercial and Industrial Equipment) and Rail Car Repairers.
How is the similarity percentage worked out?
We compare how important each transferable skill, knowledge area, work activity and interest area is in both jobs (O*NET 31.0 ratings) with a weighted correlation. 100% would mean the same profile. Unlike our career-change matches, pay and extra schooling do not lower the similarity on this page.