Maintenance Technician (Industrial)
Impact: Direct operational impact
Industrial maintenance technicians inspect, maintain, and repair industrial machinery and equipment. They troubleshoot mechanical, electrical, and hydraulic systems, perform preventive maintenance, and ensure the safe and efficient operation of production lines.
What the day looks like
- People interaction
- Moderate
- Team vs solo
- Balanced
- Client facing
- Never
- Impact visibility
- High
- Travel
- Low
- Schedule flexibility
- Rigid
- Remote work
- On-site Only
- Typical work hours
- 40
- Stress level
- Moderate
At a glance
- Median salary
- $60,000
- Entry-level
- $45,000
- Senior
- $78,000
- Growth by 2033
- 5%
- Demand
- Stable
- Freelance potential
- Low
- Salary growth potential
- Good
- Typical student debt
- $10,000 - $25,000
Skills you'll use
Hard skills
- Mechanical repair
- Electrical systems
- Hydraulics
- Pneumatics
- PLC programming
- Welding
Soft skills
- Problem-solving
- Attention to detail
- Communication
- Teamwork
- Adaptability
Technical complexity: High
How to get there
- Minimum education
- Postsecondary nondegree award
- Licensing
- Varies by State
- Years to mid-career
- 5
- Years to senior
- 10
- Career switching
- Moderate
Where this career leads
How people arrive here
Where you can go from here
Typical progression
- Lead Technician, Maintenance Supervisor, Facilities Manager
Future outlook
- Automation probability
- Medium
- AI disruption risk
- Low
- Demand trend
- Stable
How people feel about it
- Overall satisfaction
- 4/10
- Meaning
- 4/10
- Work-life balance
- 3.5/10
- Prestige
- 5.5/10
- Social perception
- Moderate