How to become a Machinery Maintenance Worker
Official title: Maintenance Workers, Machinery
Also called: Lubricator, Machine Repairer, Maintainer, Maintenance Craftsman, Maintenance Man, Maintenance Mechanic, Maintenance Technician (Maintenance Tech), Maintenance Worker, Oiler, Overhauler
Lubricate machinery, change parts, or perform other routine machinery maintenance.
Main tasks
- Dismantle machines and remove parts for repair, using hand tools, chain falls, jacks, cranes, or hoists.
- Reassemble machines after the completion of repair or maintenance work.
- Record production, repair, and machine maintenance information.
- Lubricate or apply adhesives or other materials to machines, machine parts, or other equipment according to specified procedures.
- Install, replace, or change machine parts and attachments, according to production specifications.
- Set up and operate machines, and adjust controls to regulate operations.
- Collaborate with other workers to repair or move machines, machine parts, or equipment.
- Read work orders and specifications to determine machines and equipment requiring repair or maintenance.
How to become one
Industrial machinery mechanics, machinery maintenance workers, and millwrights typically need a high school diploma. Industrial machinery mechanics and machinery maintenance workers also usually need at least a year of on-the-job training. Most millwrights go through an apprenticeship program that may last up to 4 years.
Typical education to start: High school diploma or equivalent
Read the full guide from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Ways in
- Apprenticeship: Pinsetter Mech, Automatic.
Pay · Outlook · AI and this job
- Median pay: $60,850 a year The middle half earn $48,920 to $75,200.
- About 59,700 people work in this job now, and about 58,600 are projected by 2035. (-1.9%)
- People use generative AI for relatively little of this work so far. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as low.
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Questions people ask
How do I become a Machinery Maintenance Worker?
Industrial machinery mechanics, machinery maintenance workers, and millwrights typically need a high school diploma. Industrial machinery mechanics and machinery maintenance workers also usually need at least a year of on-the-job training. Most millwrights go through an apprenticeship program that may last up to 4 years.
How much does a Machinery Maintenance Worker earn in the US?
Median full-time pay is $60,850 a year (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). The middle half earn $48,920 to $75,200.
Is a Machinery Maintenance Worker a growing career in the US?
Employment is projected to stay about the same by 2035: about 59,700 people now and 58,600 later (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).
Do you need a degree to become a Machinery Maintenance Worker?
Usually not. Only 5% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Ways in include: Pinsetter Mech, Automatic.
Will AI change the work of a Machinery Maintenance Worker?
People use generative AI for relatively little of this work so far. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as low.
Sources
- Microsoft Research: Working with AI: AI applicability by occupation (2025-12-22 (built on O*NET 29.0)), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Employment Projections (2025-35 (released 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Outlook Handbook (2025-35 edition (published 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS); photographs excluded, retrieved 2026-10-03
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03
Updated 2026-10-03
This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.