Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Occupations
BLS May 2025 wages O*NET task lead SOC 49-9043

Maintenance Workers, Machinery

O*NET task statements lead this Maintenance Workers, Machinery card before OEWS pay; neighboring titles include Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers, Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines, Watch and Clock Repairers, Millwrights.

Full salary details → About this data

Same-major-group titles next to Maintenance Workers, Machinery: Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers ($95K) , Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines ($66K) , Watch and Clock Repairers ($67K) , Millwrights ($66K) . Hash-ordered per card so residual SOC siblings do not share an identical peer sentence.

What Maintenance Workers, Machinery publish as work

O*NET task statements for SOC 49-9043 - occupation-level descriptions, not every employer's posting. Sibling cards diverge here because the task set is entity-keyed.

  1. 1. Dismantle machines and remove parts for repair, using hand tools, chain falls, jacks, cranes, or hoists
  2. 2. Reassemble machines after the completion of repair or maintenance work
  3. 3. Record production, repair, and machine maintenance information
  4. 4. Lubricate or apply adhesives or other materials to machines, machine parts, or other equipment according to specified procedures
  5. 5. Install, replace, or change machine parts and attachments, according to production specifications
  6. 6. Set up and operate machines, and adjust controls to regulate operations
  7. 7. Collaborate with other workers to repair or move machines, machine parts, or equipment
  8. 8. Read work orders and specifications to determine machines and equipment requiring repair or maintenance
  9. 9. Inspect or test damaged machine parts, and mark defective areas or advise supervisors of repair needs
  10. 10. Start machines and observe mechanical operation to determine efficiency and to detect problems
  11. 11. Transport machine parts, tools, equipment, and other material between work areas and storage, using cranes, hoists, or dollies
  12. 12. Collect and discard worn machine parts and other refuse to maintain machinery and work areas

Maintenance Workers, Machinery: O*NET ranks Operations Monitoring first

Importance-ranked O*NET profile for SOC 49-9043 - lead skill Operations Monitoring at 3.8 ; lead knowledge Mechanical. Sibling cards diverge here even when peer titles overlap.

Top skills

  1. 1. Operations Monitoring 3.8
  2. 2. Equipment Maintenance 3.8
  3. 3. Troubleshooting 3.8
  4. 4. Repairing 3.8
  5. 5. Operation and Control 3.6
  6. 6. Quality Control Analysis 3.1
  7. 7. Reading Comprehension 3.0
  8. 8. Active Listening 3.0

Knowledge areas

  1. 1. Mechanical 4.5
  2. 2. Production and Processing 3.4
  3. 3. Administration and Management 3.2
  4. 4. English Language 3.0
  5. 5. Design 3.0
  6. 6. Education and Training 3.0
National median after O*NET task lead
$60,850
/year · 12 published task lines above
Lead task: Dismantle machines and remove parts for repair, using hand tools, chain falls, jacks, cranes, or hoists
$61K
National median
↓ -3%
Growth 2024-2034
4,800
Annual openings
60,020
Estimated US jobs
Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers
Highest-pay peer · $95K

Typical Entry and Preparation Assignments

Entry education High school diploma or equivalent

Top Paying States for Maintenance Workers, Machinery

1. Virginia $65,500
2. Kentucky $76,710
3. New Hampshire $77,070
4. Tennessee $64,790
5. South Carolina $64,910
6. Rhode Island $72,040
7. California $67,840
8. Wyoming $84,620
9. Nevada $75,500
10. New York $67,610

Other Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Occupations titles

  1. 1. Watch and Clock Repairers $67,230
  2. 2. Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines $65,510
  3. 3. Millwrights $65,700
  4. 4. Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Commercial and Industrial Equipment $74,090
  5. 5. Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers $95,320
  6. 6. Precision Instrument and Equipment Repairers, All Other $68,990

O*NET publishes 12 leading task statements for Maintenance Workers, Machinery (SOC 49-9043). The national OEWS median is $60,850 inside Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Occupations. Same-group neighbors: Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers, Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines, Watch and Clock Repairers, Millwrights. Lead published task: Dismantle machines and remove parts for repair, using hand tools, chain falls, jacks, cranes, or hoists.

Employment Projections expect -3% change between 2024 and 2034 (declining vs baseline 3.1%). About 4,800 annual openings are projected. BLS assigns High school diploma or equivalent as typical education needed for entry. These are occupation-level assignments, not universal requirements. BLS does not publish a separate occupation-specific safety rate for this role; its broad SOC-group rate is excluded from this career card's grade.

Highest published state median in this ranking: Virginia at $65,500. The table records differences without proving causes. Highest-pay peer shown here: Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers at $95,320. Compare the same statistic in the relevant local wage area before treating the national median as a personal benchmark; OEWS excludes employer benefits.

Maintenance Workers, Machinery pay-rank #26 in Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Occupations

Maintenance Workers, Machinery sits at pay-rank #26 of 51 detailed Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Occupations, the middle third of the major-group median table. ROW_NUMBER on median; title breaks ties.

Other mid-table titles · closest medians

Full Salary Details Compare this role

Data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025. Projections from BLS Employment Projections program, 2024-2034.

SOC 49-9043 · national median $60,850 · middle third of Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Occupations (#26/51). The day-to-day tasks above set this role apart from peers with a similar title.

Maintenance Workers, Machinery salary map

State, metro, and percentile for SOC 49-9043

Virginia · top state for Maintenance Workers, Machinery

$66K published median

Kentucky · #2 state pay

$77K · behind Virginia

Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers

Highest-pay peer vs Maintenance Workers, Machinery · $95K

Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines

Lower-pay peer beside Maintenance Workers, Machinery · $66K

Compare Maintenance Workers, Machinery

Head-to-head OEWS medians with another SOC
Compare Maintenance Workers, Machinery with another occupation →

Role and task next reads

Maintenance Workers, Machinery full salary map

State and metro OEWS after the task lead

Compare tasks and pay

Side-by-side with another occupation

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Maintenance Workers, Machinery mid-table among Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Occupations? ▼
Yes: pay-rank #26 of 51 detailed Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Occupations, the middle third. Mid-table neighbors: Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers ($61K), Refractory Materials Repairers, Except Brickmasons ($61K), Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers ($60K), Medical Equipment Repairers ($62K). ROW_NUMBER on median; title breaks ties.
What do maintenance workers, machinery do day to day? ▼
O*NET lists published task statements for Maintenance Workers, Machinery. Leading ones include: Dismantle machines and remove parts for repair, using hand tools, chain falls, jacks, cranes, or hoists; Reassemble machines after the completion of repair or maintenance work; Record production, repair, and machine maintenance information; Lubricate or apply adhesives or other materials to machines, machine parts, or other equipment according to specified procedures. These are occupation-level task descriptions, not every employer's job description.
Which O*NET skills rank highest for maintenance workers, machinery? ▼
For SOC 49-9043, O*NET importance scores lead with Operations Monitoring (3.8), Equipment Maintenance (3.8), Troubleshooting (3.8), Repairing (3.8). Knowledge areas emphasize Mechanical, Production and Processing, Administration and Management. These are occupation-level profiles, not a hiring checklist for every employer.
What is the OEWS national median for Maintenance Workers, Machinery? ▼
May 2025 OEWS reports $60,850 as the national median for Maintenance Workers, Machinery. The published 10th-90th range is $42,000 to $88,550. Beside Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers ($95,320), this is the occupation-level national figure, not a local offer.
What employment change does BLS publish for Maintenance Workers, Machinery? ▼
The 2024-2034 projection for Maintenance Workers, Machinery is -3%. Projected annual openings: about 4,800. Relative to the current all-occupations baseline of 3.1%: declining.
What typical entry education does BLS assign to Maintenance Workers, Machinery? ▼
BLS assigns High school diploma or equivalent as the typical-education-needed-for-entry category for Maintenance Workers, Machinery. These are occupation-level labels, not every employer's hiring rule.
Which three states show the highest OEWS medians for Maintenance Workers, Machinery? ▼
Virginia ($65,500), Kentucky ($76,710), New Hampshire ($77,070) lead this ranking. The table does not identify why those state estimates differ.

Source data and WageDex calculations are identified in context on this page. Wage and state figures use BLS OEWS May 2025; growth and education use BLS Employment Projections for 2024-2034; safety fields cite BLS CFOI/SOII; task statements cite O*NET where shown. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.

Disclaimer: Wage and outlook figures on this page are provided for informational purposes only and do not constitute career, financial, or salary-negotiation advice. Actual pay varies by employer, experience, and local conditions; consult a career counselor or the hiring employer for guidance specific to your situation.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OES Occupational wage estimates by area and industry · 2025

Federal sources on this Maintenance Workers, Machinery card
  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS / OES) - national median and percentiles for SOC 49-9043. bls.gov/oes
  • O*NET OnLine - task and skill statements for Maintenance Workers, Machinery. onetcenter.org
  • BLS Employment Projections - 2024-2034 change and openings for this occupation. bls.gov/emp
  • U.S. Census Bureau ACS - demographic and labor-force context for state and metro geography. census.gov/programs-surveys/acs
  • IRS Statistics of Income (SOI) - payroll-tax aggregate context for wage comparisons. irs.gov/statistics