Maintenance and Repair Workers, General

Perform work involving the skills of two or more maintenance or craft occupations to keep machines, mechanical equipment, or the structure of a building in repair. Duties may involve pipe fitting; HVAC maintenance; insulating; welding; machining; carpentry; repairing electrical or mechanical equipment; installing, aligning, and balancing new equipment; and repairing buildings, floors, or stairs.

Also called: Building Mechanic, Equipment Engineering Technician, Facilities Technician, Maintenance Engineer, Maintenance Journeyman, Maintenance Man, Maintenance Mechanic, Maintenance Specialist, Maintenance Technician, Maintenance Worker, Apartment Maintenance Tech (Apartment Maintenance Technician), Apartment Maintenance Worker, Bench Repair Technician, Building Engineer, Building Maintenance Engineer, Building Maintenance Mechanic, Building Maintenance Repairer, Building Repairer, Building Services Mechanic, Electrical Installer, Environmental Maintenance Worker, Ethanol Maintenance Mechanic, Facilities Maintenance Tech (Facilities Maintenance Technician), Facilities Maintenance Worker, Facility Maintenance Technician, Farm Maintenance Worker, Field Service Technician, Field Technician (Field Tech), Firefighting Equipment Specialist, General Maintenance Mechanic, General Maintenance Technician, General Maintenance Worker, General Utility Maintenance Repairer, Handy Man, Handyman, Hydroelectric Operations Maintenance Worker, I and C Technician (Instrument and Controls Technician), Industrial Maintenance Repairer, Industrial Maintenance Technician, Maintenance Associate, Maintenance Person, Maintenance Repairman, Marine Services Technician, Mechanical Adjuster, Mechanical Expert, Mechanical Handyman, Mechanical Installer, Mechanical Repair Worker, Mechanics Handyman, Methane Capturing System Maintenance Worker, Mobile Home Lot Utility Worker, Pipeline Corrosion Technician, Pipeline Mechanical Technician, Plant Maintenance Technician, Plumbing Installer, Pool Technician, Repair Technician, Trouble Shooter, Trouble Shooting Mechanic, Utility System Operator, Utility System Repairer, Water Purification Systems Service Technician, Zone Maintenance Technician

This is a career information profile, not an advertised job opening.

What the worker does

Perform routine maintenance, such as inspecting drives, motors, or belts, checking fluid levels, replacing filters, or doing other preventive maintenance actions.
Inspect, operate, or test machinery or equipment to diagnose machine malfunctions.
Adjust functional parts of devices or control instruments, using hand tools, levels, plumb bobs, or straightedges.
Repair machines, equipment, or structures, using tools such as hammers, hoists, saws, drills, wrenches, or equipment such as precision measuring instruments or electrical or electronic testing devices.
Order parts, supplies, or equipment from catalogs or suppliers.
Diagnose mechanical problems and determine how to correct them, checking blueprints, repair manuals, or parts catalogs, as necessary.
Design new equipment to aid in the repair or maintenance of machines, mechanical equipment, or building structures.
Assemble, install, or repair wiring, electrical or electronic components, pipe systems, plumbing, machinery, or equipment.
Clean or lubricate shafts, bearings, gears, or other parts of machinery.
Estimate costs to repair machinery, equipment, or building structures.

Skills, machines and equipment

Equipment Maintenance
Repairing
Troubleshooting
Critical Thinking
Active Learning
Monitoring
Complex Problem Solving
Operations Monitoring
Operation and Control
Quality Control Analysis
Reading Comprehension
Active Listening

Education and training

Most frequently reported education in the O*NET survey: Post-Secondary Certificate (62.97% of responses). This is survey context, not a universal hiring requirement. Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.

O*NET Job Zone 3: Employees in these occupations usually need one or two years of training involving both on-the-job experience and informal training with experienced workers. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations. Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job. This is broad occupational preparation context; confirm the requirements for a specific employer or apprenticeship.

Apprenticeships

Ask an employer or registered apprenticeship sponsor about current programs, eligibility, training and pay. A career profile does not confirm that a program is available.

Salary reference

40,840–62,620 USD per year · United States · 2025. Source: BLS OEWS via O*NET · 25th–75th percentiles · SOC 49-9071.

Occupational-group wage references are not guaranteed pay for this specialty or an employer's offer.

Career advancement

Build troubleshooting, preventive-maintenance, and controls experience; explore senior technician, maintenance planning, or lead responsibilities.
Ask employers which demonstrated skills, education, or credentials are needed for the next role. Related careers are exploration options, not automatic promotions.

How Do I Get This Job?

Review the skills and responsibilities above.
Most frequently reported education in the O*NET survey: Post-Secondary Certificate (62.97% of responses). This is survey context, not a universal hiring requirement. Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
O*NET Job Zone 3: Employees in these occupations usually need one or two years of training involving both on-the-job experience and informal training with experienced workers. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations. Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job. This is broad occupational preparation context; confirm the requirements for a specific employer or apprenticeship.
Compare real openings and confirm requirements directly with the employer.

View available jobs — availability is not guaranteed; sample listings are not real openings.

Related career information

Sources and limitations

O*NET® 31.0 Database, U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, under CC BY 4.0. ShopFloor adapted occupational grouping, selected manufacturing-relevant occupations, and retained seven legacy guide titles. Specialties and alternative titles are grouped under O*NET occupations; these occupations can also occur outside manufacturing. Source: https://www.onetcenter.org/database.html. No wage, vacancy, certification, or video data is implied. ShopFloor advancement suggestions are general editorial guidance, not O*NET findings or guaranteed career progression. BLS wage ranges, when available, are national 25th–75th percentiles for the source occupational grouping, across industries; they are not local, apprentice, entry-level, or specialty-specific offers.

Maintenance and Repair Workers, General