Occupations · Installation, Maintenance, and Repair
Industrial Machinery Mechanics
Repair, install, adjust, or maintain industrial production and processing machinery or refinery and pipeline distribution systems. May also install, dismantle, or move machinery and heavy equipment according to plans.
O*NET 30.3 Database (USDOL/ETA) · occupation code 49-9041.00
What it pays
A single “average salary” hides the spread. This is the whole distribution — the gap between the bottom and top bar is usually the number that matters.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024 · national, cross-industry · annual wage
Pay over time
Median up 66% between 2003 and 2024, before inflation. The band shows the 10th to 90th percentile.
BLS OEWS, one release per year. Before May 2011 only national estimates were published, so geography detail starts there.
Where the jobs are
| Metro area | Median wage | Employed |
|---|---|---|
| Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX | $63,180 | 18,470 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $62,870 | 12,240 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA | $72,710 | 11,200 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI | $76,960 | 9,430 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $72,120 | 7,800 |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | $65,110 | 7,450 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $61,850 | 5,510 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $69,560 | 5,170 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $77,680 | 4,480 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $73,170 | 4,460 |
| Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $66,210 | 4,410 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $76,760 | 4,370 |
BLS OEWS May 2024, metropolitan estimates · the 12 areas with the most people in this occupation
Typical education to enter: High school diploma or equivalent · BLS Employment Projections 2024–34
What people in this job actually do
Ordered by how important the work is rated.
- Repair or maintain the operating condition of industrial production or processing machinery or equipment.
- Repair or replace broken or malfunctioning components of machinery or equipment.
- Clean, lubricate, or adjust parts, equipment, or machinery.
- Disassemble machinery or equipment to remove parts and make repairs.
- Reassemble equipment after completion of inspections, testing, or repairs.
- Examine parts for defects, such as breakage or excessive wear.
- Record repairs and maintenance performed.
- Operate newly repaired machinery or equipment to verify the adequacy of repairs.
- Record parts or materials used and order or requisition new parts or materials, as necessary.
- Observe and test the operation of machinery or equipment to diagnose malfunctions, using voltmeters or other testing devices.
- Analyze test results, machine error messages, or information obtained from operators to diagnose equipment problems.
- Study blueprints or manufacturers' manuals to determine correct installation or operation of machinery.
O*NET 30.3 task ratings, importance scale
Skills that matter most
Importance, rated 1 to 5.
O*NET 30.3 skills, importance scale
Software and tools
A dot marks what O*NET flags as in demand.
O*NET 30.3 software skills · hot-technology flag
What this work is actually like
Conditions rated against the average across all occupations — only what makes this job different is listed.
O*NET 30.3 Job Zones
Working conditions that stand out
O*NET 30.3 work context, frequency scale · observed 2021-08
How people actually get in
Share of workers by the education they hold.
O*NET 30.2 education, training and experience · observed 2021-08
What kind of person the work suits
Occupational interest profile, rated 1 to 7.
O*NET 30.2 occupational interests (RIASEC)
Tasks O*NET flags as emerging
- Assign work schedules to work crews.
O*NET 25.3 emerging tasks
What you take with you
Skills rated for how well they transfer into other occupations.
O*NET 30.3 transferable skills, importance scale
Knowledge the work draws on
Abilities it leans on
O*NET 30.3 abilities and knowledge, importance scale
How this job is advertised
The same work is posted under many titles — this is what to search for.
O*NET 30.3 job titles reported for this occupation
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What changed since 2015
Comparing O*NET release 20.1 (2015-10-01) with 30.3 (2026-05-01). Signs, not colour alone, carry the meaning.
Now listed 6
No longer listed 1
Diff across the O*NET releases held here in full since October 2015, following occupations through merges and retirements. O*NET re-surveys occupations on a rolling cycle, so “no change” can also mean “not re-surveyed”.
Related jobs
O*NET 30.3 related occupations
Also called
O*NET 30.3 alternative titles
The same work in Europe
| ESCO occupation | ISCO | Match |
|---|---|---|
| industrial machinery mechanic | 7233.7 | exact |
| mechatronics assembler | 8211.3 | close |
| power tool repair technician | 7412.9 | close |
| construction equipment technician | 7233.1 | close |
| mining equipment mechanic | 7233.10 | close |
| industrial machinery assembler | 8211.2 | broader |
| forge equipment technician | 7233.5 | broader |
| textile machinery technician | 7233.14 | broader |
| rotating equipment mechanic | 7233.13 | broader |
| footwear maintenance technician | 8156.2.2 | broader |
| leather goods maintenance technician | 8156.3.1 | broader |
| pneumatic systems technician | 7233.12 | broader |
| water plant technician | 3132.6 | broader |
Official ESCO ↔ O*NET crosswalk (ESCO Secretariat with USDOL/ETA)
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