Maintenance and Repair Workers, General
Also called: Facilities Technician, Maintenance Engineer, Maintenance Mechanic, Maintenance TechnicianPerform work involving the skills of two or more maintenance or craft occupations to keep machines, mechanical equipment, or the structure of a building in repair. Duties may involve pipe fitting; HVAC maintenance; insulating; welding; machining; carpentry; repairing electrical or mechanical equipment; installing, aligning, and balancing new equipment; and repairing buildings, floors, or stairs.
On a phone, press and hold a picture to save it to Photos.
opens your phone's share sheet, where you can save both to Photos
What the data says: AI could halve the time on 4 of its 27 tasks, and jobs are projected to grow 4.2% by 2035. How to think about this →
About this projection
BLS builds AI into its projections where the research supports it: “BLS generally applies adjustments based on this research conservatively, where there is convincing evidence for a change.”
It also notes a limit: “BLS projection methods are not designed to capture extremely rapid technological change.”
On its AI exposure groups, BLS says exposure “does not imply job loss.”
Recent conditions
- In 2024, 3.1% of people in this work were unemployed, against 3.8% across all occupations Census ACS 2024
- From Sep 2025 to Aug 2026, 6.4 hires for every 10 job openings in real estate and rental and leasing, which employs about 21% of people in this work, against 7.3 across all industries BLS JOLTS
One box per opening, filled for each hire; hires beyond the openings are added in a lighter shade. Higher can mean openings get filled, or that people leave often; lower, that jobs go unfilled, or hiring is slow.6.4 this industry7.3 all industries
Median pay by state BLS OEWS May 2025, state estimates
Tap a state for its figures.
Median pay in every state
| State | Median | Middle half earn | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $43,630 | $36,120 to $53,580 | 16,660 |
| Alaska | $60,270 | $46,940 to $75,400 | 4,590 |
| Arizona | $47,620 | $39,520 to $60,630 | 39,000 |
| Arkansas | $43,400 | $34,670 to $52,500 | 12,410 |
| California | $57,000 | $46,330 to $71,220 | 143,060 |
| Colorado | $51,280 | $45,600 to $62,710 | 22,960 |
| Connecticut | $57,620 | $45,530 to $71,150 | 11,700 |
| Delaware | $50,150 | $43,400 to $62,160 | 3,310 |
| District of Columbia | $60,310 | $49,240 to $76,210 | 4,860 |
| Florida | $46,060 | $37,840 to $56,530 | 111,530 |
| Georgia | $47,680 | $39,150 to $60,010 | 48,430 |
| Guam | $30,450 | $27,250 to $37,380 | 1,240 |
| Hawaii | $57,960 | $46,880 to $72,460 | 8,030 |
| Idaho | $48,190 | $40,810 to $60,790 | 8,200 |
| Illinois | $56,720 | $44,000 to $68,680 | 66,600 |
| Indiana | $49,890 | $41,630 to $61,980 | 34,480 |
| Iowa | $52,160 | $44,110 to $62,430 | 16,500 |
| Kansas | $47,210 | $39,350 to $57,640 | 12,730 |
| Kentucky | $46,810 | $37,220 to $60,840 | 22,190 |
| Louisiana | $43,960 | $35,350 to $57,590 | 21,490 |
| Maine | $49,430 | $43,470 to $60,280 | 5,820 |
| Maryland | $51,490 | $44,020 to $62,450 | 23,730 |
| Massachusetts | $58,320 | $46,910 to $69,500 | 29,830 |
| Michigan | $47,580 | $39,420 to $59,490 | 39,490 |
| Minnesota | $59,200 | $47,430 to $69,770 | 29,660 |
| Mississippi | $44,350 | $35,050 to $56,110 | 14,550 |
| Missouri | $48,370 | $39,910 to $61,440 | 31,180 |
| Montana | $46,870 | $38,470 to $58,280 | 5,420 |
| Nebraska | $50,700 | $44,420 to $60,730 | 9,850 |
| Nevada | $52,360 | $43,750 to $70,100 | 16,520 |
| New Hampshire | $52,830 | $45,550 to $62,640 | 5,780 |
| New Jersey | $54,810 | $45,600 to $66,700 | 37,350 |
| New Mexico | $45,760 | $36,840 to $56,870 | 9,320 |
| New York | $57,790 | $45,590 to $69,650 | 119,650 |
| North Carolina | $47,910 | $38,970 to $59,560 | 43,440 |
| North Dakota | $49,840 | $41,720 to $59,650 | 3,300 |
| Ohio | $53,420 | $44,030 to $63,760 | 64,770 |
| Oklahoma | $42,750 | $35,240 to $54,360 | 18,670 |
| Oregon | $54,350 | $45,700 to $63,560 | 16,160 |
| Pennsylvania | $49,290 | $41,570 to $61,780 | 55,590 |
| Puerto Rico | $23,220 | $21,850 to $27,690 | 12,560 |
| Rhode Island | $50,900 | $45,090 to $62,030 | 4,500 |
| South Carolina | $47,880 | $38,700 to $60,970 | 28,020 |
| South Dakota | $48,100 | $42,660 to $56,700 | 3,450 |
| Tennessee | $47,240 | $38,250 to $59,040 | 35,790 |
| Texas | $46,670 | $37,670 to $59,180 | 140,580 |
| Utah | $50,450 | $42,340 to $63,090 | 16,090 |
| Vermont | $55,510 | $47,880 to $62,400 | 2,610 |
| Virgin Islands | $38,850 | $34,910 to $48,030 | 700 |
| Virginia | $49,470 | $39,530 to $61,990 | 34,540 |
| Washington | $59,160 | $48,250 to $72,330 | 32,450 |
| West Virginia | $38,890 | $32,520 to $51,210 | 8,060 |
| Wisconsin | $55,810 | $45,590 to $63,920 | 30,880 |
| Wyoming | $47,900 | $38,510 to $61,780 | 3,920 |
Nationally: $49,590. Shades run from the lowest state median to the highest; a territory below that range takes the lightest. How to read this
How AI touches the work
What AI could speed up, task by task, and where people already use it.
AI could halve the time on 4 of its 27 tasks
| AI rating | Its main tasks | Share of Claude conversations May 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Not much | Inspect, operate, or test machinery or equipment to diagnose machine malfunctions. | Not published |
| Not much | Adjust functional parts of devices or control instruments, using hand tools, levels, plumb bobs, or straightedges. | Not published |
| Not much | Repair machines, equipment, or structures, using tools such as hammers, hoists, saws, drills, wrenches, or equipment such as precision measuring instruments or electrical or electronic testing devices. | Not published |
| Not much | Perform routine maintenance, such as inspecting drives, motors, or belts, checking fluid levels, replacing filters, or doing other preventive maintenance actions. | Not published |
| Not much | Order parts, supplies, or equipment from catalogs or suppliers. | Not published |
| Not much | Assemble, install, or repair wiring, electrical or electronic components, pipe systems, plumbing, machinery, or equipment. | Not published |
See all 27 tasks
| Not much | Dismantle machines, equipment, or devices to access and remove defective parts, using hoists, cranes, hand tools, or power tools. | Not published |
| Not much | Clean or lubricate shafts, bearings, gears, or other parts of machinery. | Not published |
| AI + software | Diagnose mechanical problems and determine how to correct them, checking blueprints, repair manuals, or parts catalogs, as necessary. | 0.01% |
| Not much | Plan and lay out repair work, using diagrams, drawings, blueprints, maintenance manuals, or schematic diagrams. | Not published |
| Not much | Align and balance new equipment after installation. | Not published |
| Not much | Maintain or repair specialized equipment or machinery located in cafeterias, laundries, hospitals, stores, offices, or factories. | Not published |
| Not much | Install equipment to improve the energy or operational efficiency of residential or commercial buildings. | Not published |
| Not much | Train or manage maintenance personnel or subcontractors. | Not published |
| AI + software | Design new equipment to aid in the repair or maintenance of machines, mechanical equipment, or building structures. | Not published |
| AI + software | Record type and cost of maintenance or repair work. | Not published |
| Not much | Fabricate or repair counters, benches, partitions, or other wooden structures, such as sheds or outbuildings. | Not published |
| Not much | Perform general cleaning of buildings or properties. | Not published |
| AI + software | Estimate costs to repair machinery, equipment, or building structures. | Not published |
| Not much | Set up and operate machine tools to repair or fabricate machine parts, jigs, fixtures, or tools. | Not published |
| Not much | Paint or repair roofs, windows, doors, floors, woodwork, plaster, drywall, or other parts of building structures. | Not published |
| Not much | Inspect used parts to determine changes in dimensional requirements, using rules, calipers, micrometers, or other measuring instruments. | Not published |
| Not much | Operate cutting torches or welding equipment to cut or join metal parts. | Not published |
| Not much | Provide groundskeeping services, such as landscaping or snow removal. | Not published |
| Not much | Perform routine maintenance on boilers, such as replacing burners or hoses, installing replacement parts, or reinforcing structural weaknesses to ensure optimal boiler efficiency. | Not published |
| Not much | Assemble boilers at installation sites, using tools such as levels, plumb bobs, hammers, torches, or other hand tools. | Not published |
| Not much | Position, attach, or blow insulating materials to prevent energy losses from buildings, pipes, or other structures or objects. | Not published |
Ordered by how important O*NET's respondents rate each task (1 to 5) times the share who say it is part of their job. The ordering is ours. 1 of the 27 have a published share of Claude conversations; “not published” means too few conversations for Anthropic to publish a figure.
Where people already use AI
The tasks above say what AI could speed up. This shows what people are using it for. Its 27 tasks fall under 30 work activities that many occupations share, and Microsoft counted how often each one came up in 200,000 conversations with its Copilot assistant in 2024.
- #8 Read documents or materials to inform work processes
- #36 Purchase goods or services
- #42 Diagnose system or equipment problems
| Work activity | This occupation's tasks under it | People asked AI for help in 10,000 conversations |
AI did it for them in 10,000 conversations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maintain tools or equipment | |||
| Clean tools, equipment, facilities, or work areas | |||
| Assemble equipment or components | |||
| Build structures | |||
| Position materials or components for assembly | |||
| Read documents or materials to inform work processes | |||
| Purchase goods or services | |||
| Diagnose system or equipment problems |
Show all 30 activities
| Plan work activities | |||
| Adjust equipment to ensure adequate performance | |||
| Test performance of equipment or systems | |||
| Maintain facilities or equipment | |||
| Measure physical characteristics of materials, products, or equipment | |||
| Estimate project development or operational costs | |||
| Apply protective solutions or coatings | |||
| Maintain operational records | |||
| Disassemble equipment | |||
| Perform agricultural activities | |||
| Repair tools or equipment | |||
| Train others on operational or work procedures | |||
| Repair electrical or electronic equipment | |||
| Inspect commercial, industrial, or production systems or equipment | |||
| Fabricate devices or components | |||
| Inspect vehicles | |||
| Supervise personnel activities | |||
| Install commercial or production equipment | |||
| Design industrial systems or equipment | |||
| Join parts using soldering, welding, or brazing techniques | |||
| Install energy or heating equipment | |||
| Operate lifting or moving equipment |
How people in this work use Claude
What people in this work made with Claude % of conversations
- Advice or a recommendation45%
- An explanation or answer39%
- Code fixes or debugging4%
- A plan or strategy2%
- A chart or visualization2%
How they worked with Claude
10% of these conversations were about work. Anthropic Economic Index, May 2026.
How to read this
Work activities come from O*NET, which links every task to the broader activities it involves. Microsoft's figures are for the activity across everyone who used Copilot, not for maintenance and repair workers, general specifically. Copilot is a general chat assistant; dedicated coding tools are not included, so programming help is under-counted here. Activities are listed by how many of this occupation's tasks fall under them.
The task ratings say whether AI could halve the time a task takes: on its own (“AI alone”), or with software built on it (“AI + software”). They were made by people in 2023 (Eloundou et al.). Claude's share is the task's share of all Claude.ai conversations in May 2026; Anthropic doesn't publish a task with too few conversations. None of these add up to the BLS exposure group, which combines five research measures.
More in the Guide: task ratings · task order · work activities · Copilot figures · Claude
High exposure doesn't mean fewer jobs
BLS projects most occupations in its two most exposed groups to grow: 141 of 206 rated Very high and 165 of 206 rated High. Each dot is one of the 831 occupations BLS rates.
Career moves into and out of this occupation
From moves between occupations found in online resumes, 2002–2016. Career changes only: a first job after school isn't a move.
Where people moved next
of 242,039 moves out
- 1 Managers, All Other (2010 group) an older group BLS has since split; no exposure group today 6%
- 2 Computer User Support Specialists Very high -3.5% 5%
- 3 Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers Moderate +3.8% 4%
- 4 First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers High +4.1% 4%
- 5 Industrial Engineering Technologists and Technicians High +3.1% 2%
Where people moved in from
of 258,339 moves in
- 1 Computer User Support Specialists Very high -3.5% 5%
- 2 Managers, All Other (2010 group) an older group BLS has since split; no exposure group today 4%
- 3 Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers Moderate +3.8% 3%
- 4 Customer Service Representatives Very high -5.3% 3%
- 5 First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers High +4.1% 3%
Resumes over-represent younger, white-collar job-seekers and moves into management. Schubert, Stansbury and Taska (resume data).
Education and training for the occupation
O*NET survey of workers in this occupation
- 1% less than high school
- 25% high school
- 63% postsecondary certificate
- 7% some college
- 3% associate's
- 1% master's
O*NET 31.0 survey of workers in this occupation · 58 people answered.
Census survey (American Community Survey)
- 12% less than high school
- 44% high school
- 24% some college
- 11% associate's
- 7% bachelor's
- 1% master's
Census ACS 2024, all workers in this occupation · 8,152 people surveyed.
Why the two can differ
O*NET asks about 20 people in each occupation, which makes its shares uncertain, but it reports the exact occupation and counts certificates. The Census survey reaches thousands, but it groups some occupations together and counts degrees only. More in the Guide
Median pay by highest degree full-time, year-round · Census ACS 2024, all workers in this occupation
1 program: Building/Property Maintenance.
Jobs that require a credential BLS Occupational Requirements Survey 2023
58.9% this occupation
45.3% all occupations
| By kind | This occupation | All occupations |
|---|---|---|
| a license | 7.4% | 19.1% |
| a certification | 5.8% | 5.8% |
| an educational certificate | 0.9% | 2.8% |
Share of jobs whose employer requires it. BLS doesn't say which credential. How to read this
Look up certifications, training and licenses U.S. Department of Labor
- Certification Finder ↗ certifications CareerOneStop lists for this occupation
- Training Finder ↗ schools and programs, nationwide; narrow the place there
- License Finder ↗ licenses by state
- Apprenticeship Finder ↗ DOL lists 7 registered apprenticeships in this occupation. Apprenticeship.gov can't be linked to one occupation, so search for “Maintenance and Repair Workers, General” there.
These open in a new tab and send only the occupation's public code. More in the Guide
BLS AI exposure categories (Aug 2026) · BLS Employment Projections 2025–35 · O*NET 31.0 · Task ratings: Eloundou et al., Science (2024) · Microsoft "Working with AI" v1.1 · Anthropic Economic Index (2026-06-26) · Schubert, Stansbury and Taska · NCES CIP–SOC · Census ACS 2024 · BLS JOLTS
See it online, and explore any career: https://www.pathmosaic.com/card/49-9071.00