Industrial Machinery Mechanics Salary

The median industrial machinery mechanics salary in the United States is $64,520 per year ($31.02/hour). Salaries range from $46,120 at the entry level to $95,170+ for the top 10% of earners. There are 439,640 industrial machinery mechanics jobs nationwide. Employment is projected to grow 16.1% through 2034.

Last updated: June 2026 Β· Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Also known asIndustrial Mechanic
Median Salary
$64,520
per year
Hourly Rate
$31.02
per hour
Employment
439,640
jobs in the U.S.

Salary Distribution

10th percentile
$46,120
25th percentile
$55,010
Median
$64,520
75th percentile
$78,780
90th percentile
$95,170

Job Growth (2024-2034)

+16.1%
Much faster than average

Annual Openings

45,700
jobs/year (growth + replacements)

Education Required

High school diploma or equivalent

Training Needed

Long-term on-the-job training

Industrial Machinery Mechanics Career Guide

Interview questions, resume templates, and a career ladder written specifically for industrial machinery mechanicss.

Industrial machinery mechanics repair + maintain manufacturing equipment + conveyors + robotics + CNC + specialty industrial machinery. Entry $48-68k; mid-career $62-88k; senior/specialty (PLC + robotics + hydraulic) $82-115k; maintenance supervisor $105-165k. Manufacturing shortage + reshoring driving demand. Union roles + specialty (automotive + food + pharma + semiconductor) drive pay.

Core Skills Hiring Managers Screen For

Mechanical + hydraulic + pneumatic
Bearings + drives + hydraulics + specific systems + preventive maintenance.
PLC + electrical + controls
Allen-Bradley + Siemens + specific troubleshooting + wiring + specific controls.
Welding + fabrication
Basic MIG/TIG/stick + specific repair fabrication + specialty specific.
Preventive + predictive maintenance
PM schedules + vibration + oil + thermal + specific data-driven.
Blueprint reading + specs
Mechanical + electrical + pneumatic + hydraulic + specific standards.
Safety + OSHA
LOTO + confined space + specific safety + PPE + specific procedures.
CMMS + technology
Maximo + Fiix + specific CMMS + specific work orders.

How to Become a Industrial Machinery Mechanics

  1. 1
    Get HS + technical training
    HS + 6-24 month technical school + specialty ($5-25k) + apprenticeship.
  2. 2
    Start as apprentice or entry mechanic
    $48-65k entry at manufacturer + specialty facility.
  3. 3
    Cross-train + specialty
    3-8 years to specialty (PLC + robotics + hydraulic) + $70-95k.
  4. 4
    Move to senior + lead + supervisor
    $85-115k senior + $105-165k supervisor at 10-15 years.
  5. 5
    Specialty career + contract + business
    Specialty mechanic + contract + own maintenance business.

Career Progression

Apprentice / Entry Mechanic
0-3 yrs$48-72k + OT
  • β€’Support senior mechanics
  • β€’Learn systems + safety
  • β€’Basic PM + repairs
  • β€’Complete certifications
Next: Journey mechanic at 3-5 years.
Industrial Mechanic
3-8 yrs$62-88k + OT + shift diff
  • β€’Independent repair + PM
  • β€’Specialty (PLC + hydraulic)
  • β€’Emergency response
  • β€’Support projects
Next: Sr / Lead at 8-12 years.
Sr / Lead Mechanic
8-15 yrs$82-125k + differentials
  • β€’Complex + specialty repairs
  • β€’Team lead of 3-6
  • β€’Training + mentoring
  • β€’PM program lead
Next: Supervisor at 15+ years.
Supervisor / Manager
15+ yrs$105-175k + bonus
  • β€’Team of 8-25 mechanics
  • β€’Program management + budget
  • β€’Regulatory + specialty
  • β€’Vendor + capital
Next: Plant Engineer + Director + specialty career.

Interview Questions & Answers

5 free questions below. Career Kit unlocks 13 total plus resume bullets for every level.

Q1. Walk me through troubleshooting a conveyor system down.technical
Assess symptom + check power + PLC + belts + motor + specific systematic diagnosis + repair + test + document.
Q2. How do you handle a critical breakdown during production?situational
Rapid assess + specific troubleshoot + coordinate with production + repair + document + prevent recurrence.
Q3. Describe safety approach.technical
LOTO + PPE + confined space + specific safety + never assume + document.
Q4. Tell me about a difficult repair.behavioral
STAR: complex + creative + coordination + outcome.
Q5. Where do you see career in 5 years?closer
Sr mechanic + specialty (PLC + robotics) + potentially supervisor path.

Resume Template β€” Apprentice (0-3 yrs)

Copy these bullets into your resume as a starting point. Career Kit includes bullets for every level of the ladder.

Apprentice (0-3 yrs)
  • β–ΈCompleted 24-month apprenticeship + earned specialty PLC + hydraulic certifications.
  • β–ΈReduced downtime 22% on assigned equipment through improved PM program.
  • β–ΈZero safety incidents + strong LOTO + specific safety compliance.
  • β–ΈCross-trained on 4 major systems (conveyor + robotics + CNC + hydraulic).

What Gets You Rejected

  • βœ—Weak troubleshooting.
  • βœ—Cant handle physical + shift work.
  • βœ—Poor safety.
  • βœ—No cross-training.
  • βœ—Weak documentation.

Salary Negotiation Levers

  • βœ“Specialty (PLC + robotics + hydraulic + electrical) = $8-20k premium.
  • βœ“Union scale + steps + pension where applicable.
  • βœ“Shift + on-call + OT = 20-40% additional.
  • βœ“Sign-on: $3-15k common due to shortage.
  • βœ“Specialty industries (semi + pharma + food) pay premium.
  • βœ“Traveling contract mechanic $65-95/hr = $135-195k equivalent.

Industrial Machinery Mechanics Resume Review β€” $29

Personalized resume review from someone who has hired industrial machinery mechanicss. Purchase, email your resume to support@weblabra.com, and receive detailed written feedback within 7 days.

  • βœ“ Occupation-specific critique (not generic)
  • βœ“ Rewrite suggestions for weak bullets
  • βœ“ Missing skills / keywords flagged
  • βœ“ Formatting + ATS-readability feedback
  • βœ“ 7-day turnaround, 100% refund if we miss it

Industrial Machinery Mechanics Career Kit β€” $19

  • βœ“ All 13 interview questions with expert answers
  • βœ“ 6 real questions aggregated from Glassdoor, Blind, Reddit, LinkedIn
  • βœ“ Interview format intel for 7 top employers
  • βœ“ 3 copy-paste salary negotiation emails
  • βœ“ Resume bullets for every level of the career ladder
  • βœ“ 30–60–90 day plan for your first role
  • βœ“ Cover letter templates specific to this occupation
  • βœ“ Detailed salary negotiation script
  • βœ“ Ranked list of certifications with cost + ROI
  • βœ“ Downloadable PDF for offline access
  • βœ“ Instant access, no expiration, no subscription
βœ“ 7-day money-back guarantee β€” no questions asked

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Industrial Machinery Mechanics Salary by State

Best Cities (cost-adjusted) β†’

Salary Map β€” Click a state for details

$58K
$88Kβ–  No data

Top Paying States

District of Columbia
$88K
+36%
Wyoming
$78K
+21%
Nevada
$78K
+21%
Alaska
$77K
+20%
Hawaii
$77K
+20%
Washington
$77K
+20%
Illinois
$76K
+18%
Oregon
$76K
+17%
Colorado
$76K
+17%
Arizona
$75K
+16%
Vertical line = national median. Click a state for full details.
StateMedianvs. National
District of Columbia$87,670+35.9%
Wyoming$78,320+21.4%
Nevada$77,750+20.5%
Alaska$77,390+19.9%
Hawaii$77,330+19.9%
Washington$77,220+19.7%
Illinois$76,200+18.1%
Oregon$75,670+17.3%
Colorado$75,600+17.2%
Arizona$74,790+15.9%
1–10 of 51

Industrial Machinery Mechanics Salary by Metro Area

Metro AreaMedianvs. National
Longview-Kelso, WA$96,950+50.3%
Parkersburg-Vienna, WV$93,670+45.2%
Kokomo, IN$91,470+41.8%
Fairbanks-College, AK$91,330+41.6%
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$90,580+40.4%
Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT$89,830+39.2%
Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA$89,620+38.9%
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$84,620+31.2%
Wichita, KS$83,540+29.5%
Duluth, MN-WI$83,380+29.2%
1–10 of 392
Data Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). Data reflects the most recent annual survey.
How does this compare to pro athletes?
A industrial machinery mechanics earning $64,520/year would need 924 years to match Stephen Curry's NBA salary, or 992 yearsto match Patrick Mahomes' NFL contract.
See all sports & celebrity salaries β†’
πŸ“ˆ See how industrial machinery mechanics salaries have changed over the past decade.
View Industrial Machinery Mechanics salary trend (2011–2024) β†’