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Maintenance Workers, Machinery

Typical education: Certificate or apprenticeshipModerate pressure

What they do

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

Kinds of work

  • Realistic: Hands-on work with tools, machines, plants or animals, often outdoors.
  • Conventional: Organizing information, following clear procedures and working with data and details.

Moderate pressure: How much pressure workers in this job report: deadlines, conflict, dealing with upset people, the cost of mistakes, responsibility for others' safety, competition and long hours. It varies a lot from one employer to the next. Source: U.S. Department of Labor worker surveys.

Pay, tasks and more

Salary

United States $60,850 Median per year · $29.25/hr Most earn $42,000–$88,550

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2025.

What you might do

  • Reassemble machines after the completion of repair or maintenance work.
  • Inspect or test damaged machine parts, and mark defective areas or advise supervisors of repair needs.
  • Record production, repair, and machine maintenance information.
  • Inspect or test damaged machine parts, and mark defective areas or advise supervisors of repair needs.
  • Dismantle machines and remove parts for repair, using hand tools, chain falls, jacks, cranes, or hoists.
  • Replace or repair metal, wood, leather, glass, or other lining in machines, or in equipment compartments or containers.

Job outlook

United States
2% fewer jobs by 2035, declining · about 4,400 openings a year

Openings include new jobs and jobs left by workers who retire or change careers. Projections: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. "Bright Outlook": U.S. Department of Labor.

Where they work

  • Warehousing and storage3.6%
  • Plastics product manufacturing3.5%
  • Merchant wholesalers, nondurable goods3.3%
  • Chemical manufacturing3.2%
  • Local government, excluding education and hospitals3.1%

Share of all workers in this career. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Employment Matrix.

Experience before this job: 1 to 2 years

Some people start through an apprenticeship: paid training on the job, often with classes. Search apprenticeships on Apprenticeship.gov (opens in a new tab) ↗

Career path

How people usually get into this career, from school to their first job and beyond.

Typical education: Certificate or apprenticeshipExperience before this job: 1 to 2 years

Machinery maintenance workers usually start with a high school diploma and some hands-on work around machines, then learn the job on the floor or through a certificate or apprenticeship. Most people reach this role after about 1 to 2 years of related work.

  1. High school diploma with shop, math, or science classes

    4 years

    Good grades in math and shop build the basics for reading machine manuals, measuring parts, and using tools.

  2. Machine Operator

    6 months to 1 year

    You learn how production machines run, what normal operation looks like, and how to spot problems early, which is the foundation for maintaining them.

  3. Maintenance Helper

    about 1 year

    You assist experienced maintenance workers with lubricating, replacing parts, and routine upkeep, and you learn safety rules and the company's equipment.

  4. Maintenance Worker, Machinery

    ongoing

    You take on routine machinery maintenance yourself, such as lubricating equipment, changing worn parts, and keeping machines running on schedule.

Where it can lead

  1. Industrial Machinery Mechanic

    2 to 4 years of experience first

    You move from routine upkeep to diagnosing and repairing complex equipment, which usually takes more formal training, a certificate, or an apprenticeship.

  2. Maintenance Supervisor

    3 to 5 years of experience first

    You lead a crew, plan maintenance schedules, and manage parts and budgets, which requires strong technical skills plus leadership and communication.

What you can do now

Ideas for high school and college students.

In high school

  • Take shop, drafting, or auto/metal classesHands-on practice with tools and machines is the closest match to the daily work of this job.
  • Take algebra, geometry, and physicsMath and physics help you understand how machines work, measure parts, and troubleshoot problems.
  • Join a technical or robotics clubBuilding and fixing things with a team shows employers you can work hands-on and follow directions.
  • Look for a summer or part-time job at a farm, warehouse, or factoryAny job around equipment teaches you routines, safety habits, and how workplaces run.
  • Volunteer to help fix equipment at school or in your communityHelping with repairs, like a broken bike or a school machine, builds practical troubleshooting experience.

In college

  • Consider a certificate in industrial maintenance or mechanical technologyMany community colleges offer short programs that teach the machine basics this career depends on.
  • Take courses in electrical basics, hydraulics, or pneumaticsMachines often combine these systems, so knowing them makes you more useful on the job.
  • Get a campus job at a shop, maintenance department, or labWorking with equipment on campus gives you hands-on experience and a reference for future jobs.
  • Look for a paid apprenticeship or entry-level maintenance helper jobLearning on the job while earning is the most common way people build the 1 to 2 years of experience this career usually expects.
  • Earn safety certifications, such as OSHA 10-hour trainingSafety training is widely valued by employers and shows you already know the basics of a safe work site.

Tips for getting started

  • Ask a shop teacher, a local manufacturer, or a plant near you whether they hire entry-level helpers or operators, and ask what training they offer.
  • Learn basic safety habits early, like lockout/tagout and using protective gear, since employers value workers who take safety seriously.
  • Pick up mechanical or electrical skills, such as reading diagrams and using hand and power tools, because they make it easier to get hired and to move up.

Related jobs that often lead here

Related jobs a step up

Education, experience and related careers: U.S. Department of Labor. The step-by-step path, where it can lead and what you can do now were written by AI as typical examples; many people take other ways.

College majors that lead here

Majors: U.S. Department of Education and BLS (CIP–SOC crosswalk). Earnings and debt: College Scorecard, typical across U.S. colleges.

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