Helpers--Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers
Also called Maintenance Aide, Maintenance Helper, Mechanic Helper, or Technician's Helper
Updated · Source: O*NET 31.0
What Helpers--Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers do
You work beside mechanics and repair technicians, handing them tools, cleaning parts, and learning to fix machines with your own hands.
Helpers in installation, maintenance, and repair are the second pair of hands for skilled repair workers. You might hold a heavy panel steady, fetch the right wrench, clean a greasy work area, or add oil or grease to a machine (called lubricating it) so it keeps running smoothly. Over time you do more of the real repair work yourself: swapping out parts, connecting wiring and tubing, taking broken equipment apart and putting it back together.
The equipment varies by employer. It could be vehicles, factory machinery, or electrical and electronic gear. Most people start with a high school diploma or equivalent and short-term on-the-job training, so it is one of the easier ways to start working in hands-on repair and maintenance jobs. Median pay is $39,630 a year, or $19.05 an hour, with the lowest tenth earning $29,310 and the highest tenth $55,890.
A day in the life
You show up early, put on the safety gear your workplace requires, and check what needs fixing. Much of the day you work next to a technician: holding a part in place, passing tools, watching how the repair is done and asking questions. Other stretches you work on your own, cleaning machines and adding oil or grease to them, moving parts and supplies between work areas, or testing equipment to see if it runs right. You talk with coworkers and sometimes customers throughout the shift. Repair shops and factories are often indoors but not air conditioned, so you sweat in summer and layer up in winter. You end the day with dirty hands and a clearer sense of how the machine works.
This could fit you if you…
- ✓Like taking things apart to see how they work
- ✓Want to learn a skill by doing it rather than sitting in a classroom
- ✓Stay useful without needing to be the one in charge
- ✓Notice small problems, like an odd noise or a loose connection
- ✓Prefer being on your feet and using tools all day
You might not like it if you…
- –Want to lead the repair yourself from day one
- –Dislike heat, cold, noise, grease, and lifting
- –Need a desk, a quiet room, and predictable tasks
- –Expect high pay early, since the median is $39,630 a year
How people get in
- 1Finish high school or earn an equivalent diploma, and take shop, auto, or electronics classes if your school offers them.
- 2Get comfortable with basic hand and power tools, either at home, through a school project, or by fixing bikes, cars, or appliances.
- 3Apply to repair shops, factories, building maintenance departments, or equipment dealers for helper or aide openings; many hire with little experience.
- 4Learn on the job in your first weeks, since training is usually short-term and given by the technicians you work beside.
- 5Show up reliably, follow safety rules, and ask questions; helpers who prove themselves often get more hands-on repair work.
- 6If you find a type of equipment you enjoy working on, look into further training or certification in that area to move beyond helper work.
Who tends to enjoy it
Hands-on
People who like building, fixing, working with tools, machines, plants, or animals.
Organizing
People who like keeping things accurate, orderly, and running on schedule.
Curious
People who like figuring things out, research, science, and solving problems.
Official task list
Helpers--Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers help installation, maintenance, and repair workers in maintenance, parts replacement, and repair of vehicles, industrial machinery, and electrical and electronic equipment. Perform duties such as furnishing tools, materials, and supplies to other workers; cleaning work area, machines, and tools; and holding materials or tools for other workers. (O*NET)
- Install or replace machinery, equipment, and new or replacement parts and instruments, using hand or power tools.
- Examine and test machinery, equipment, components, and parts for defects to ensure proper functioning.
- Tend and observe equipment and machinery to verify efficient and safe operation.
- Adjust, connect, or disconnect wiring, piping, tubing, and other parts, using hand or power tools.
- Clean or lubricate vehicles, machinery, equipment, instruments, tools, work areas, and other objects, using hand tools, power tools, and cleaning equipment.
- Hold or supply tools, parts, equipment, and supplies for other workers.
- Diagnose electrical problems and install and rewire electrical components.
- Disassemble broken or defective equipment to facilitate repair and reassemble equipment when repairs are complete.
A typical day involves
Skills that matter most
- Active Listening
- Critical Thinking
- Monitoring
- Operations Monitoring
- Operation and Control
- Equipment Maintenance
What you'll need to know
- Mechanical
- Building and Construction
- Customer and Personal Service
- Public Safety and Security
- English Language
How much Helpers--Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers make
The median pay for Helpers--Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers in the U.S. is $39,630 a year ($19.05 an hour). Most earn between $29,310 and $55,890. (Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025)
Pay depends a lot on where you live: the median is highest in District of Columbia ($54,860) and lowest in Puerto Rico ($23,810).
Pay by state and territory
| State | Median pay | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $36,140 | 1,710 |
| Alaska | $45,740 | 550 |
| Arizona | $45,560 | 1,770 |
| Arkansas | $33,630 | 1,140 |
| California | $44,670 | 9,050 |
| Colorado | $45,610 | 1,190 |
| Connecticut | $44,370 | 1,050 |
| Delaware | $40,530 | 360 |
| District of Columbia | $54,860 | 110 |
| Florida | $38,710 | 5,520 |
| Georgia | $36,640 | 3,100 |
| Guam | $27,050 | 340 |
| Hawaii | $46,320 | 660 |
| Idaho | $39,250 | 430 |
| Illinois | $39,730 | 1,750 |
| Indiana | $37,470 | 1,160 |
| Iowa | $38,690 | 990 |
| Kansas | $37,430 | 440 |
| Kentucky | $37,000 | 900 |
| Louisiana | $36,160 | 3,910 |
| Maine | $39,520 | 280 |
| Maryland | $41,630 | 1,770 |
| Massachusetts | $42,200 | 1,290 |
| Michigan | $43,630 | 2,180 |
| Minnesota | $44,950 | 1,110 |
| Mississippi | $35,440 | 960 |
| Missouri | $37,110 | 670 |
| Montana | $39,430 | 400 |
| Nebraska | $35,480 | 350 |
| Nevada | $36,610 | 1,030 |
| New Hampshire | $45,760 | 560 |
| New Jersey | $41,230 | 3,050 |
| New Mexico | $36,950 | 770 |
| New York | $43,870 | 5,310 |
| North Carolina | $38,700 | 4,400 |
| North Dakota | $44,710 | 100 |
| Ohio | $39,980 | 1,550 |
| Oklahoma | $35,530 | 1,820 |
| Oregon | $43,300 | 1,330 |
| Pennsylvania | $41,500 | 2,540 |
| Puerto Rico | $23,810 | 2,190 |
| Rhode Island | $45,240 | 140 |
| South Carolina | $38,480 | 2,160 |
| Tennessee | $38,490 | 2,540 |
| Texas | $37,000 | 16,610 |
| Utah | $44,210 | 410 |
| Vermont | $42,630 | 90 |
| Virginia | $38,890 | 3,100 |
| Washington | $46,080 | 1,110 |
| West Virginia | $39,030 | 340 |
| Wisconsin | $41,600 | 1,640 |
| Wyoming | $31,260 | 160 |
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Source: O*NET 31.0 Database (USDOL/ETA), occupation 49-9098.00, used under CC BY 4.0 and modified by Whittle. Pay: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025), SOC 49-9098. Outlook and entry education: BLS Employment Projections 2025–35. Program links: NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk. How we build these pages.