How much does a repair worker make?
Answer: A typical repair worker in the United States makes $49,230 a year (median, May 2025, US Bureau of Labor Statistics).
Line up 100 people; this is the one in the middle (median). about 176,000 people work in this job. About the same as the US-wide typical pay ($50,980).
If 100 people had this job
Lowest at bottom-left, highest at top-rightHover over a person to see their yearly pay
Repair worker pay in the United States (May 2025, median and spread)
| Lower earner (10th from bottom) | Typical person (median) | Higher earner (10th from top) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|---|
| $36,080 | $49,230 | $77,040 | about 176,000 |
| State | Typical person (median) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | $74,260 | about 970 |
| Washington | $63,080 | about 4,000 |
| Maine | $61,380 | about 1,000 |
| Minnesota | $60,250 | about 2,000 |
| Massachusetts | $59,890 | about 1,000 |
Why does pay differ?
In the U.S., pay can differ with experience, specialized skills, and useful certificates or licenses. The employer and location matter too, and night, weekend, or emergency work may come with different pay.
What if you lived in a different state?
Pay varies a lot by state in the USTop 5 and bottom 3 states, typical (median) yearly pay.
What does a repair worker do?
All installation, maintenance, and repair workers not listed separately.
What's a typical day like?
The day depends on the specialty: a repair worker may inspect and test equipment, check a diagram, then use hand tools to find and fix a fault or replace a part. They check the repair and record the work.
How to get this job
Because SOC 49-9099 is a catch-all, there is no single path. Many start after high school or a GED, then learn hands-on; trade classes or an apprenticeship can help, with exact requirements depending on the specialty.
Did you know?
Some repair workers are geothermal technicians: they install heat pumps that use the ground’s steady temperature to warm buildings in winter and cool them in summer.
What about Japan?
Nearly the same jobThe US figure is the median and the Japan figure is the average, so it's not a perfect comparison. Prices differ too.
Similar jobs
Jobs using similar skills (O*NET)Earn more in the same field
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair jobs that pay a bit moreSources and data
Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025 (bls.gov); descriptions and related jobs from O*NET 31.0. Figures as of May 2025, full-time yearly pay (hourly × 2,080 hours). bls.gov/oes · O*NET OnLine
Pages used for the text
- www.bls.gov/careeroutlook/2015/article/wage-differences.htm
- www.bls.gov/oes/2023/may/oes499099.htm
- www.onetonline.org/link/summary/49-9099.00
- www.bls.gov/ooh/installation-maintenance-and-repair/general-maintenance-and-repa
- www.onetonline.org/link/summary/49-9099.01
- www.energy.gov/eere/geothermal/geothermal-heat-pumps
Data: US BLS OEWS, May 2025 · 1 USD = 150 JPY