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Robotics Technicians

Typical education: Associate degreeHigh pressure

What they do

Build, install, test, or maintain robotic equipment or related automated production systems.

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.
  • Investigative: Science, research, figuring out how things work and solving complex problems.

High 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 $73,900 Median per year · $35.53/hr Most earn $47,840–$109,890

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2025.

What you might do

  • Develop robotic path motions to maximize efficiency, safety, and quality.
  • Maintain service records of robotic equipment or automated production systems.
  • Evaluate the efficiency and reliability of industrial robotic systems, reprogramming or calibrating to achieve maximum quantity and quality.
  • Install new robotic systems in stationary positions or on tracks.
  • Install, program, or repair programmable controllers, robot controllers, end-of-arm tools, or conveyors.
  • Test performance of robotic assemblies, using instruments such as oscilloscopes, electronic voltmeters, or bridges.

Job outlook

United States
3% more jobs by 2035, about as fast as average · about 1,400 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

  • Engineering services13.4%
  • Research and development in the physical, engineering, and life sciences10.2%
  • Machinery manufacturing10.1%
  • Aerospace product and parts manufacturing4.4%
  • Navigational, measuring, electromedical, and control instruments manufacturing4.4%

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

Experience before this job: 2 to 4 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: Associate degreeExperience before this job: 2 to 4 years

Robotics technician is usually not a straight-out-of-school job. Most people earn an associate degree (about 2 years), then work 2 to 4 years in a related hands-on role before moving into robotics work. Your results page shows typical pay near you and nationally, and the career page has the full range.

  1. Associate degree in mechatronics, robotics, or electromechanical technology

    2 years

    You learn electronics, motors, sensors, programming basics, and how to read technical drawings, which are the core skills robotic equipment depends on.

  2. Electro-Mechanical Technician

    2-4 years

    You troubleshoot and repair machines and automated equipment on the job, building the hands-on experience employers look for before trusting you with robots.

  3. Robotics Technician

    Ongoing

    You build, install, test, and maintain robotic equipment and automated production systems.

Where it can lead

  1. Senior Robotics Technician

    3-5 years of experience first

    You take on harder troubleshooting, lead installations, and train newer technicians, usually by becoming very skilled at programming and diagnosing robot systems.

  2. Robotics Field Service Engineer

    3-5 years of experience first

    You travel to customer sites to install, repair, and tune robots, which adds customer communication and problem-solving to your technical skills.

What you can do now

Ideas for high school and college students.

In high school

  • Take physics, algebra, and any electronics or engineering classesThese classes build the math and circuit knowledge you will use in every robotics program.
  • Join a robotics or STEM clubBuilding and programming a robot as a team gives you practical experience and something to show future employers or schools.
  • Enter a robotics or engineering competitionCompetitions teach troubleshooting under pressure and make your work visible to teachers and mentors.
  • Get a starter job or volunteer in a shop or maintenance settingHelping with repairs or equipment upkeep, even part-time, gives you early hands-on experience with machines.
  • Learn basic coding in Python or a similar languageMany robots are programmed with code, so basic coding skills give you a head start.

In college

  • Enroll in an electromechanical, mechatronics, or robotics associate degreeThis is the most common education route into robotics technician work and covers the core hands-on skills.
  • Take programming and PLC (programmable logic controller) coursesPLC and programming skills are widely used to control automated production equipment, so they make you a stronger job candidate.
  • Apply for a summer internship or co-op at a manufacturer or automation companyReal work experience on production lines helps you start building the 2 to 4 years of experience employers expect.
  • Join a student engineering or technology clubClubs offer project work, teamwork, and networking with people already in the field.
  • Ask your instructors about industry certificationsSome certifications in automation or industrial maintenance can show employers you have verified skills, and your school may know which ones are common locally.

Tips for getting started

  • Take every math, physics, and computer class you can, since they make associate degree programs and on-the-job training much easier.
  • Look for entry-level jobs in factories or maintenance departments, even if they are not labeled robotics, because that hands-on time counts toward the 2 to 4 years of experience employers expect.
  • Keep a simple notebook or online portfolio of projects you build or repair, so you can show employers what you can do.

Related jobs that often lead here

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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