---
title: "Industrial Maintenance Technician: Path and Pay"
description: "How to become an industrial maintenance technician: plant jobs, one-year programs, on-the-job training, the skills involved and May 2025 BLS pay."
url: https://shapemycareer.com/trades/industrial-maintenance-technician/
updated: 2026-10-11
site: ShapeMyCareer
---

Trade · Industrial maintenance

# Industrial maintenance technician

Keep the plant running.

On-the-job training · Plants and factories

Industrial maintenance techs, called industrial machinery mechanics by BLS, keep production lines and plant equipment running. When a machine goes down, they are the ones who find out why, fast.

In short

Most industrial maintenance technicians have a high school diploma and get a year or more of on-the-job training, and many take a one-year or two-year program in industrial maintenance first. The work mixes mechanical repair, electrical troubleshooting, hydraulics and controls. Industrial machinery mechanics earned a median $64,520 in May 2025, per BLS, with about 44,400 openings a year.

**Sources checked October 11, 2026** Pay, training and outlook come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Pay is the middle (median) figure nationally; your first paycheck in the trade will usually be lower.

| Middle pay | $64,520 a year, roughly $31.02 an hour (May 2025) |
|---|---|
| How most people start | High school or GED to start, then long-term on-the-job training |
| People in the trade | About 446,900 nationwide (2025) |
| Growth to 2035 | BLS expects 17.8% growth |
| Openings a year | Around 44,400, counting retirements |

From the [BLS](https://www.bls.gov/emp/tables/occupational-projections-and-characteristics.htm) Employment Projections table (2025 to 2035) and May 2025 wage survey. These are U.S. numbers. Local shops may pay above or below them, and apprentices start well under the middle figure.

## Skills

- Mechanical repair: bearings, gearboxes, conveyors
- Electrical troubleshooting and motor controls
- Hydraulics and pneumatics
- Reading schematics and manuals
- Basic welding and fabrication

Many plants use a [mechanical aptitude test](https://shapemycareer.com/test-prep/mechanical-aptitude-test/) when hiring.

### Find industrial maintenance training

Tell us your ZIP and we will send programs near you.

[Find training near me](#smc-form)

## Straight answers

### Do industrial maintenance techs need a degree?

No. A high school diploma plus training is typical. A short program helps.

### Is industrial maintenance a good career?

It pays solidly and is needed in almost every plant, so jobs exist in many areas.

### What is the difference between maintenance tech and millwright?

Maintenance techs keep machines running; millwrights install, move and align them. The roles overlap.

## Where this comes from

- [BLS OOH: Industrial Machinery Mechanics, Maintenance Workers, and Millwrights](https://www.bls.gov/ooh/installation-maintenance-and-repair/industrial-machinery-mechanics-and-maintenance-workers-and-millwrights.htm)
- [Industrial machinery mechanics in the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook](https://www.bls.gov/ooh/installation-maintenance-and-repair/industrial-machinery-mechanics-and-maintenance-workers-and-millwrights.htm)
- [BLS Employment Projections, Table 1.2 (2025 to 2035)](https://www.bls.gov/emp/tables/occupational-projections-and-characteristics.htm)

## Keep looking

- [Millwright](https://shapemycareer.com/trades/millwright/)
- [Mechanical aptitude test](https://shapemycareer.com/test-prep/mechanical-aptitude-test/)
- [Ohm's law](https://shapemycareer.com/test-prep/ohms-law/)
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