SOC 47-4021.00Bright outlook

    Elevator and Escalator Installers and Repairers

    Assemble, install, repair, or maintain electric or hydraulic freight or passenger elevators, escalators, or dumbwaiters.

    Median pay
    $109,910
    Growth
    +5.7%
    Faster than average
    Openings a year
    1,900
    Typical education
    High school diploma

    Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition

    Source: BLS 2025 wages · 2025–35 projections

    See the pathway

    Annual pay range

    Lowest 10% earn less than
    $59,270
    Median
    $109,910
    Highest 10% earn more than
    $158,890
    National wages for all workers in this occupation. BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.

    23,790 people work in this occupation.

    In short

    Elevator and escalator installers and repairers set up, fix, and maintain passenger and freight lifts. This career offers a median annual pay of $109,910, with opportunities for steady employment.

    Written with AI from the BLS, O*NET and CareerOneStop data on this page. Every figure is checked against that data before it is published.

    What elevator and escalator installers and repairers do

    Job Zone 3: Medium preparation

    Assemble, install, repair, or maintain electric or hydraulic freight or passenger elevators, escalators, or dumbwaiters.

    Usually vocational training, an associate degree or related experience.

    What the work is like

    Workers in this field focus on assembling, installing, and servicing electric or hydraulic elevators, escalators, and dumbwaiters. Day-to-day tasks involve repairing and maintaining both mechanical and electronic equipment, controlling machines, and inspecting structures to ensure they comply with safety standards. These professionals must gather information, solve complex problems, and make decisions to troubleshoot malfunctioning systems.

    This occupation is highly realistic and hands-on, requiring physical activity and a strong focus on equipment maintenance and quality control. Successful workers rely on knowledge of mechanics, building and construction, public safety, and electronics. They must demonstrate work styles such as attention to detail, dependability, cautiousness, and stress tolerance to perform their duties safely and effectively.

    How to get there

    To enter this career, candidates typically need a high school diploma. The occupation generally requires medium preparation, which often includes vocational training, an associate degree, or related work experience. Students can prepare by pursuing college majors in heavy or industrial equipment maintenance technologies.

    Depending on the location, some states list a license for this work. Professionals can also earn voluntary credentials to demonstrate their expertise. Available certifications include the Certified Accessibility Technician and Certified Elevator Technician designations from the National Association of Elevator Contractors. Additionally, the National Elevator Industry Educational Program offers Certified Signal Person and Rigger Level 1 and Level 2 credentials.

    Pay and outlook explained

    The median annual pay for these installers and repairers is $109,910. Earnings vary based on experience and location, with the lowest 10% earning less than $59,270 and the highest 10% earning more than $158,890.

    There are 23,790 people employed in this field. Between the years 2025 and 2035, employment is projected to grow by 5.7%, which is faster than the average for all occupations. This growth and normal turnover are expected to result in approximately 1,900 job openings each year.

    Interest profile

    Realistic (R) · strongest
    100 / 100
    Investigative (I)
    24 / 100
    Artistic (A)
    0 / 100
    Social (S)
    6 / 100
    Enterprising (E)
    4 / 100
    Conventional (C)
    49 / 100
    How strongly each interest area describes the work, from O*NET (scores rescaled to 0–100). The interest code lists the strongest areas in order.

    Interest code RCI. Compare it with yours

    What you'd do

    Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment
    85
    Controlling Machines and Processes
    84
    Getting Information
    82
    Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials
    81
    Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards
    78
    Repairing and Maintaining Electronic Equipment
    76
    Making Decisions and Solving Problems
    75
    Performing General Physical Activities
    72
    Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
    72
    Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings
    70
    Work activities rated by importance for this occupation, O*NET (0–100).

    Skills and strengths

    Skills

    • Equipment Maintenance
    • Repairing
    • Troubleshooting
    • Critical Thinking
    • Operations Monitoring
    • Installation
    • Quality Control Analysis
    • Active Listening
    • Complex Problem Solving
    • Equipment Selection

    Knowledge

    • Mechanical
    • Customer and Personal Service
    • Building and Construction
    • Public Safety and Security
    • Computers and Electronics
    • Mathematics
    • Engineering and Technology
    • English Language
    • Administration and Management
    • Design

    Abilities

    • Deductive Reasoning
    • Problem Sensitivity
    • Manual Dexterity
    • Oral Comprehension
    • Arm-Hand Steadiness
    • Finger Dexterity
    • Inductive Reasoning
    • Near Vision
    • Extent Flexibility
    • Information Ordering

    Work styles

    • Attention to Detail
    • Dependability
    • Cautiousness
    • Integrity
    • Perseverance
    • Stress Tolerance
    • Achievement Orientation
    • Self-Confidence
    • Cooperation
    • Self-Control

    Also called

    Accessibility and Private Residence Lift Technician (Accessibility and Private Residence Lift Tech) · Accessibility Lift Technician (Accessibility Lift Tech) · Building Serviceman · Contract Serviceman · Elevator Adjuster · Elevator Builder · Elevator Constructor · Elevator Erector · Elevator Examiner · Elevator Installation Worker

    Career pathway

    From your interests to elevator and escalator installers and repairers

    Interests that fit the work, the career, majors that lead there and colleges whose graduates in those majors earn the most. Hover or focus a step to follow one path.

    1. Interests

    2. This career

      • Elevator and Escalator Installers and Repairers$109,910 median pay

    3. Majors

    4. Colleges

    College Scorecard program outcomes

    Colleges with strong outcomes

    Programs that lead to this career, ranked by what their graduates earn four years after finishing. Earnings are for graduates who received federal aid.

    1. 1Dakota County Technical College logo
      Dakota County Technical College

      Rosemount, MN · Heavy/Industrial Equipment Maintenance Technologies/Technicians · Associate

      1 yr after
      Not reported
      4 yrs after
      $89,205
      Median debt
      Not reported
    2. 2
      Bluegrass Community and Technical College

      Lexington, KY · Heavy/Industrial Equipment Maintenance Technologies/Technicians · Associate

      1 yr after
      $80,389
      4 yrs after
      $88,996
      Median debt
      $10,500
    3. 3
      Owensboro Community and Technical College

      Owensboro, KY · Heavy/Industrial Equipment Maintenance Technologies/Technicians · Associate

      1 yr after
      $50,307
      4 yrs after
      $85,274
      Median debt
      $5,000
    4. 4
      Itawamba Community College

      Fulton, MS · Heavy/Industrial Equipment Maintenance Technologies/Technicians · Associate

      1 yr after
      $68,459
      4 yrs after
      $78,139
      Median debt
      Not reported
    5. 5
      Pennsylvania College of Technology

      Williamsport, PA · Heavy/Industrial Equipment Maintenance Technologies/Technicians · Associate

      1 yr after
      $64,410
      4 yrs after
      $77,955
      Median debt
      $12,000
    6. 6
      Southcentral Kentucky Community and Technical College

      Bowling Green, KY · Heavy/Industrial Equipment Maintenance Technologies/Technicians · Associate

      1 yr after
      $71,220
      4 yrs after
      $77,631
      Median debt
      $8,065
    7. 7
      Elizabethtown Community and Technical College

      Elizabethtown, KY · Heavy/Industrial Equipment Maintenance Technologies/Technicians · Associate

      1 yr after
      $69,358
      4 yrs after
      $75,769
      Median debt
      $7,338
    8. 8
      University of Arkansas at Monticello

      Monticello, AR · Heavy/Industrial Equipment Maintenance Technologies/Technicians · Associate

      1 yr after
      Not reported
      4 yrs after
      $75,310
      Median debt
      Not reported

    Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard field-of-study data, 2025. Programs with few graduates are not listed.

    NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk

    Majors that lead here

    Related programs by four-digit CIP code. They are common routes in, not the only ones.

    CareerOneStop

    Certifications, licenses and pay by state

    What elevator and escalator installers and repairers may need beyond a degree, where a license is required, and what the work pays in each state.

    Certifications

    Core certifications employers recognise for this work.

    Search all certifications on CareerOneStop

    Training

    Programs of study that prepare people for this work.

    • Industrial Mechanics and Maintenance Technology/Technician

    Find training near you on CareerOneStop

    Licenses by state

    33 states list a license for this work. Open your state for the license and the agency that issues it.

    Check license requirements on CareerOneStop

    Data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor (Employment and Training Administration, with the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development). Retrieved November 9, 2026.

    Your plan

    Build my pathway plan

    Courses, majors, colleges, scholarships and a timeline for this career, built from your profile.

    Related careers

    Careers with similar work, interests or skills.

    All careers

    Questions about elevator and escalator installers and repairers

    Written with AI from the BLS, O*NET and CareerOneStop data on this page. Every figure is checked against that data before it is published.

    What are some alternative job titles for this career?

    People in this occupation are also called elevator constructors, elevator adjusters, elevator examiners, or building servicemen. Other titles include accessibility lift technicians and elevator installation workers.

    What are the primary skills needed for this job?

    Key skills include troubleshooting, repairing, and installing complex mechanical and electronic systems. Workers also need strong critical thinking, operations monitoring, and active listening skills to solve technical issues.

    Is a license required to work in this field?

    Licensing requirements vary by location, as some states list a license for this work. Prospective workers should check the specific regulations in their geographic area.

    Sources and attribution

    Every figure on this page comes from these public datasets. Missing values are shown as not reported, never estimated.

    O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. CollegesRef has modified all or some of this information.

    Data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor (Employment and Training Administration, with the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development). Retrieved November 9, 2026.

    Page data updated November 5, 2026.