Occupations · Installation, Maintenance, and Repair
Maintenance Workers, Machinery
Lubricate machinery, change parts, or perform other routine machinery maintenance.
O*NET 30.3 Database (USDOL/ETA) · occupation code 49-9043.00
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 83% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $58,950 | 2,440 |
| Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX | $57,060 | 1,940 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $53,970 | 1,110 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $70,990 | 1,040 |
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $64,750 | 1,030 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA | $70,090 | 1,000 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $65,500 | 920 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | $56,810 | 880 |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $59,050 | 850 |
| Salt Lake City, UT | $70,050 | 820 |
| Tulsa, OK | $64,340 | 740 |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $60,190 | 710 |
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.
- 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.
- Install, replace, or change machine parts and attachments, according to production specifications.
- Set up and operate machines, and adjust controls to regulate operations.
- Collaborate with other workers to repair or move machines, machine parts, or equipment.
- Read work orders and specifications to determine machines and equipment requiring repair or maintenance.
- Inspect or test damaged machine parts, and mark defective areas or advise supervisors of repair needs.
- Start machines and observe mechanical operation to determine efficiency and to detect problems.
- Transport machine parts, tools, equipment, and other material between work areas and storage, using cranes, hoists, or dollies.
- Collect and discard worn machine parts and other refuse to maintain machinery and work areas.
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 2024-08
How people actually get in
Share of workers by the education they hold.
O*NET 30.2 education, training and experience · observed 2024-08
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
- Troubleshoot electrical, hydraulic, or mechanical equipment and machines.
O*NET 30.3 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 2
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 |
|---|---|---|
| greaser | 7233.6 | exact |
| industrial machinery mechanic | 7233.7 | close |
Official ESCO ↔ O*NET crosswalk (ESCO Secretariat with USDOL/ETA)
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