# Maintenance Workers, Machinery

> Lubricate machinery, change parts, or perform other routine machinery maintenance.

- Edition: Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition
- Page: https://www.collegesref.com/careers/maintenance-workers-machinery
- SOC code: 49-9043.00
- Career family: Installation and repair
- Median annual pay: $60,850 (10th percentile $42,000, 90th percentile $88,550)
- Projected growth: Decline, -1.9%
- Openings a year: 4,400
- Typical entry education: High school diploma
- Bright outlook: no
- Data years: BLS 2025 wages · 2025–35 projections

## Interest profile (code RCI)

| Interest area | Score (0–100) |
| --- | ---: |
| Realistic (R) | 100 |
| Investigative (I) | 17 |
| Artistic (A) | 0 |
| Social (S) | 0 |
| Enterprising (E) | 3 |
| Conventional (C) | 54 |

## What you'd do

- Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment (importance 84/100)
- Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials (importance 80/100)
- Controlling Machines and Processes (importance 79/100)
- Getting Information (importance 77/100)
- Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events (importance 73/100)
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems (importance 73/100)
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates (importance 69/100)
- Handling and Moving Objects (importance 68/100)
- Repairing and Maintaining Electronic Equipment (importance 68/100)
- Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work (importance 66/100)

## Skills

Equipment Maintenance, Operations Monitoring, Repairing, Troubleshooting, Operation and Control, Quality Control Analysis, Active Listening, Coordination, Critical Thinking, Judgment and Decision Making

## Knowledge

Mechanical, Production and Processing, Administration and Management, English Language, Design, Education and Training, Engineering and Technology, Mathematics, Computers and Electronics, Public Safety and Security

## Also called

Air Deodorizer Servicer, Aircraft Fueler, Airplane Fueler, Airplane Refueler, Airport Refueling Handler, Alemite Operator (Alemite Op), Automatic Pinsetter Mechanic (AT Pinsetter Mechanic), Belt Changer, Belt Dresser, Belt Fixer

## Majors that lead here (NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk, 4-digit CIP)

- [Heavy/Industrial Equipment Maintenance Technologies/Technicians](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/4703) (CIP 4703, 305 colleges)

## Colleges with strong outcomes (College Scorecard, 2025)

| College | Program | Earnings 1 yr | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt |
| --- | --- | ---: | ---: | ---: |
| [Dakota County Technical College](https://www.collegesref.com/college/dakota-county-technical-college-759) | Heavy/Industrial Equipment Maintenance Technologies/Technicians | not reported | $89,205 | not reported |
| [Bluegrass Community and Technical College](https://www.collegesref.com/college/bluegrass-community-and-technical-college-273) | Heavy/Industrial Equipment Maintenance Technologies/Technicians | $80,389 | $88,996 | $10,500 |
| [Owensboro Community and Technical College](https://www.collegesref.com/college/owensboro-community-and-technical-college-2048) | Heavy/Industrial Equipment Maintenance Technologies/Technicians | $50,307 | $85,274 | $5,000 |
| [Itawamba Community College](https://www.collegesref.com/college/itawamba-community-college-1312) | Heavy/Industrial Equipment Maintenance Technologies/Technicians | $68,459 | $78,139 | not reported |
| [Pennsylvania College of Technology](https://www.collegesref.com/college/pennsylvania-college-of-technology-2096) | Heavy/Industrial Equipment Maintenance Technologies/Technicians | $64,410 | $77,955 | $12,000 |
| [Southcentral Kentucky Community and Technical College](https://www.collegesref.com/college/southcentral-kentucky-community-and-technical-college-2466) | Heavy/Industrial Equipment Maintenance Technologies/Technicians | $71,220 | $77,631 | $8,065 |
| [Elizabethtown Community and Technical College](https://www.collegesref.com/college/elizabethtown-community-and-technical-college-902) | Heavy/Industrial Equipment Maintenance Technologies/Technicians | $69,358 | $75,769 | $7,338 |
| [University of Arkansas at Monticello](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-arkansas-at-monticello-2870) | Heavy/Industrial Equipment Maintenance Technologies/Technicians | not reported | $75,310 | not reported |

## Related careers

- [Industrial Machinery Mechanics](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/industrial-machinery-mechanics): $64,520 median pay
- [Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/grinding-lapping-polishing-and-buffing-machine-tool-setters-operators-and-tenders-metal): $46,550 median pay
- [Electric Motor, Power Tool, and Related Repairers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/electric-motor-power-tool-and-related-repairers): $56,210 median pay
- [Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/multiple-machine-tool-setters-operators-and-tenders-metal-and-plastic): $47,180 median pay
- [Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/mobile-heavy-equipment-mechanics-except-engines): $65,510 median pay
- [Tool Grinders, Filers, and Sharpeners](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/tool-grinders-filers-and-sharpeners): $50,060 median pay

## Sources

- [O*NET Database](https://www.onetcenter.org/database.html), version 31.0 (CC BY 4.0)
- [BLS Employment Projections](https://www.bls.gov/emp/tables.htm), version 2025-35, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics](https://www.bls.gov/oes/tables.htm), version 2025, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk](https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/cipcode/resources.aspx?y=56), version 2020, data year 2020 (Public domain (U.S. government work))

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.