All careersSkilled trades

Maintenance & Repair Worker

$48,620
median pay per year
full range coming in the next data update

What the job actually is

Fix and maintain buildings and equipment, handling plumbing, electrical, carpentry, and mechanical tasks.

Where you work

Buildings, plants, and facilities

The hours

Regular hours, some on-call

By the numbers

May 2024–25 BLS wage data · 2024–34 BLS employment projections.

Median pay
$48,620
per year
What most earn
range coming soon
Openings a year
~159,800
projected, 2024–34
Outlook to 2034
+4%
About average
Working in the U.S.
1,629,700
people, nationwide

Openings a year counts new jobs plus the ones that open when people retire or move on — a truer picture of your odds than growth alone.

“Median” means half earn more and half earn less. Your city, employer, and years on the job move it a lot — that is what the 10th-to-90th range shows.

How you get in

Typical starting education

High school / no degree

Training path: Moderate on-the-job training, paid.

License or certification

No license required to start in most places.

You can earn while you train. This field has a genuinely paid pathway in — an apprenticeship, a paid academy, or employer-funded training — so you draw a paycheck instead of taking on debt to learn it.

What it takes

TroubleshootingHand toolsVersatilityReliability

The honest take

A versatile trade found in every kind of building, and a broad base for moving into specialized repair.

Standard Occupational Classification 49-9071. Pay, employment, and outlook from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS wage survey and 2024–34 employment projections). See something off? Tell us.