Maintenance and Repair Workers, General Salary
The median maintenance and repair workers, general salary in the United States is $49,590 per year ($23.84/hour). Salaries range from $35,350 at the entry level to $77,180+ for the top 10% of earners. There are 1,529,700 maintenance and repair workers, general jobs nationwide. Employment is projected to grow 3.8% through 2034.
Last updated: June 2026 Β· Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Salary Distribution
Job Growth (2024-2034)
Annual Openings
Education Required
Training Needed
Maintenance and Repair Workers, General Career Guide
Interview questions, resume templates, and a career ladder written specifically for maintenance and repair workers, generals.
General maintenance workers keep buildings + equipment running β HVAC troubleshooting + plumbing + electrical + carpentry + general repair. Entry $34-45k; mid-career $42-58k; senior + industrial + facilities lead $58-82k; supervisors + facilities managers $75-115k. Steady work + benefits + growing demand. Path: general β specialty trade β facilities lead β facilities manager. Union roles pay significantly more with pension.
Core Skills Hiring Managers Screen For
How to Become a Maintenance and Repair Workers, General
- 1Get high school diploma or GEDMost maintenance jobs hire based on skills + attitude + reliability. Trade school (1 year, $8-18k) accelerates entry pay.
- 2Start entry maintenance role$34-42k at apartment complexes + hospitals + schools + retail + manufacturing. Learn on the job.
- 3Cross-train + earn certificationsEPA 608 (HVAC) + OSHA 10/30 + BOMA + specialty certs. Each credential = $1-5k pay bump.
- 4Move to specialty (electrical + HVAC + plumbing) or leadJourneyman electrician + HVAC tech + plumber = $65-95k. Or move to facilities lead ($55-78k).
- 5Get management path or businessFacilities Supervisor + Manager path $75-115k+ at 10-15 years. Or start own repair business.
Career Progression
- β’Basic repairs across trades
- β’Preventive maintenance
- β’Respond to tickets
- β’Learn systems
- β’Complex diagnostics
- β’Specialty trade work
- β’Mentor entry techs
- β’PM program management
- β’Team of 3-8 techs
- β’Coordinate vendors
- β’Building systems ownership
- β’Budget input
- β’P&L for building/campus
- β’Team of 8-25 techs
- β’Vendor + contract management
- β’Capital planning
Interview Questions & Answers
5 free questions below. Career Kit unlocks 15 total plus resume bullets for every level.
Q1. Walk me through diagnosing a faulty HVAC unit.technical
Q2. How do you handle a resident/tenant complaint about a repair?situational
Q3. Describe your safety practices.technical
Q4. How do you prioritize a full ticket queue?situational
Q5. Where do you see career in 5 years?closer
Resume Template β Maintenance Technician (0-3 yrs)
Copy these bullets into your resume as a starting point. Career Kit includes bullets for every level of the ladder.
- βΈManaged 380 work orders monthly across 250-unit apartment complex + achieved 96% resident satisfaction.
- βΈReduced average work order turnaround from 3.2 days to 1.4 days via prioritization + parts inventory improvement.
- βΈCross-trained in HVAC + plumbing + electrical + earned EPA 608 + OSHA 30 within 18 months.
- βΈZero safety incidents in 24 months + achieved certified building engineer status.
What Gets You Rejected
- βCant handle physical demands of role.
- βWeak troubleshooting or across-trade skills.
- βSafety incidents or documentation issues.
- βPoor communication with tenants + team.
- βNo cross-training or growth mindset.
- βAttendance + reliability issues.
Salary Negotiation Levers
- βEPA 608 (HVAC) + electrical + plumbing licenses = $8-20k premium.
- βUnion roles: $60-95k + pension + benefits (SEIU + IUOE common).
- βIndustrial + healthcare + data center = $10-25k premium over apartments/retail.
- βOn-call differential + OT + shift differential = 15-30% add-on.
- βChief Engineer + building engineer positions at Class A office = premium.
- βSign-on: $2-8k common for experienced multi-trade techs.
- βMetro premium at Class A commercial: 15-25%.
Maintenance and Repair Workers, General Resume Review β $29
Personalized resume review from someone who has hired maintenance and repair workers, generals. Purchase, email your resume to support@weblabra.com, and receive detailed written feedback within 7 days.
- β Occupation-specific critique (not generic)
- β Rewrite suggestions for weak bullets
- β Missing skills / keywords flagged
- β Formatting + ATS-readability feedback
- β 7-day turnaround, 100% refund if we miss it
Maintenance and Repair Workers, General Career Kit β $19
- β All 15 interview questions with expert answers
- β 7 real questions aggregated from Glassdoor, Blind, Reddit, LinkedIn
- β Interview format intel for 7 top employers
- β 3 copy-paste salary negotiation emails
- β Resume bullets for every level of the career ladder
- β 30β60β90 day plan for your first role
- β Cover letter templates specific to this occupation
- β Detailed salary negotiation script
- β Ranked list of certifications with cost + ROI
- β Downloadable PDF for offline access
- β Instant access, no expiration, no subscription
One-time purchase. 7-day refund guarantee.
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Maintenance and Repair Workers, General Salary by State
Best Cities (cost-adjusted) βSalary Map β Click a state for details
Top Paying States
| State | Median | vs. National |
|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $60,310 | +21.6% |
| Alaska | $60,270 | +21.5% |
| Minnesota | $59,200 | +19.4% |
| Washington | $59,160 | +19.3% |
| Massachusetts | $58,320 | +17.6% |
| Hawaii | $57,960 | +16.9% |
| New York | $57,790 | +16.5% |
| Connecticut | $57,620 | +16.2% |
| California | $57,000 | +14.9% |
| Illinois | $56,720 | +14.4% |
Maintenance and Repair Workers, General Salary by Metro Area
| Metro Area | Median | vs. National |
|---|---|---|
| Kahului-Wailuku, HI | $63,980 | +29.0% |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $63,630 | +28.3% |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $63,220 | +27.5% |
| Fairbanks-College, AK | $62,520 | +26.1% |
| Sheboygan, WI | $62,410 | +25.9% |
| Napa, CA | $61,860 | +24.7% |
| Vallejo, CA | $61,400 | +23.8% |
| Decatur, IL | $61,380 | +23.8% |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $60,760 | +22.5% |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $60,470 | +21.9% |