Home Appliance Repairers earn a median of $50,990 per year ($24.51/hr) (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Employment is projected to grow 1.9% through 2035, with about 2,800 openings a year (BLS EP, 2025–2035). Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent.
- SOC 49-9031
- Installation, Maintenance, and Repair
- Last updated October 9, 2026
At a glance
Home Appliance Repairer in four numbers
- Median pay
- $50,990a year, or $24.51/hrBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $36KTop 10% $81K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- +1.9%Slower than averageBLS EP, 2025–2035This career+1.9%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career +1.9% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 2,80040,500 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 202540.5K
- Projected 203541.3K
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 40.5K Projected 2035 41.3K - Typical education
- High schoolneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
- Less than high school7.6%
- High school69%
- Certificate20.3%
- Associate's3.1%
Highest education held by home appliance repairers Segment Value Less than high school 7.6% High school 69% Certificate 20.3% Associate's 3.1%
Also advertised as: Appliance Mechanic, Appliance Repair Mechanic, Appliance Repair Technician (Appliance Repair Tech), Appliance Service Technician, Appliance Technician (Appliance Tech), Repair Man.
Pay
How much do Home Appliance Repairers make?
Every home appliance repairer in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$50,990
Middle half earn $43,780 to $63,390
- 10th
- $36,190
- 25th
- $43,780
- 75th
- $63,390
- 90th
- $80,660
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $36,190 |
| 25th | $43,780 |
| Median | $50,990 |
| 75th | $63,390 |
| 90th | $80,660 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage
- $50,990
- Median hourly wage
- $24.51/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $56,040
- People employed
- 32,150
Versus all US occupations
At $50,990, the median for Home Appliance Repairers sits in line with the $50,980 median across all US occupations.
Versus installation, maintenance, and repair occupations
Inside the Installation, Maintenance, and Repair group, where the middle occupation pays $61,150, this is 17% below the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $80,660 or more while the bottom 10% earn $36,190, a gap of 2.2×. That is a typical spread for a US occupation.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 23% of the 1,741 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Highest-paying state
Massachusetts pays the most at $70,750, and still leads at $66,899 once local prices are taken into account.
Pay by state
Which states pay Home Appliance Repairers the most?
State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1Massachusetts | $70,750 | $66,899 | 550 |
| 2New York | $65,190 | $60,405 | 2,110 |
| 3Alaska | $63,950 | $62,476 | 100 |
| 4Connecticut | $62,380 | $60,207 | 380 |
| 5Minnesota | $61,360 | $62,218 | 540 |
| 6Virginia | $59,820 | $59,167 | 870 |
| 7Vermont | $58,750 | $59,975 | 60 |
| 8California | $58,480 | $52,818 | 2,760 |
| 9Hawaii | $58,300 | $53,024 | 240 |
| 10Washington | $58,110 | $54,302 | 800 |
Job outlook
Is Home Appliance Repairer a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
Slower than average. +1.9% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Home Appliance Repairers | +1.9% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
Slower than average
BLS projects employment of Home Appliance Repairers to change 1.9% over 2025–2035, against 3.5% projected for all occupations. That is 800 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 2,800 openings are projected each year, 6.9% of the 40,500 jobs that existed in 2025. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Getting in
How to become a Home Appliance Repairer
- 1
Typical entry-level education
High school diploma or equivalent
- 2
Work experience in a related occupation
None
- 3
Typical on-the-job training
Moderate-term on-the-job training
- 4
Preparation needed (O*NET job zone)
Little or no preparation
BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035; job zone from O*NET 31.0 Database.
What education people in the job have
O*NET incumbent survey: the highest level of education reported by people already working as home appliance repairers.
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)69%
- Post-Secondary Certificate20.3%
- Less than a High School Diploma7.6%
- Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree3.1%
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) | 69% |
| Post-Secondary Certificate | 20.3% |
| Less than a High School Diploma | 7.6% |
| Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree | 3.1% |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
The work
What does a Home Appliance Repairer do?
Repair, adjust, or install all types of electric or gas household appliances, such as refrigerators, washers, dryers, and ovens.
Day-to-day tasks
- Instruct customers regarding operation and care of appliances, and provide information such as emergency service numbers.
- Talk to customers or refer to work orders to establish the nature of appliance malfunctions.
- Disassemble appliances so that problems can be diagnosed and repairs can be made.
- Level washing machines and connect hoses to water pipes, using hand tools.
- Reassemble units after repairs are made, making adjustments and cleaning and lubricating parts as needed.
- Provide repair cost estimates, and recommend whether appliance repair or replacement is a better choice.
- Replace worn and defective parts such as switches, bearings, transmissions, belts, gears, circuit boards, or defective wiring.
- Refer to schematic drawings, product manuals, and troubleshooting guides to diagnose and repair problems.
O*NET core tasks, ordered by reported importance.
Working conditions and hours
Where the work happens
Indoors, climate-controlled
NeverEvery dayOutdoors in all weather
NeverEvery day
Physical demands
Sitting
NeverAlmost all the timeStanding
NeverAlmost all the timeBending or twisting
NeverAlmost all the time
Working with people
Contact with other people
NoneConstantConstant contact with other people.
Face-to-face discussions
NeverEvery dayFace-to-face discussions every day.
Dealing with the public
Not importantExtremely importantDealing with customers or the public is very important.
Pressure and stakes
Strict deadlines
NeverEvery dayConflict situations
NeverEvery dayCost of a mistake
Not seriousExtremely serious
Autonomy
Freedom to decide
NoneA lotA lot of freedom to make decisions without checking first.
Conditions: O*NET Work Context survey. Each item has its own scale, so each dot is read against the two answers that end its own line.
Core skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Critical Thinking3.8
- Speaking3.5
- Active Listening3.4
- Reading Comprehension3.1
- Active Learning2.9
- Monitoring2.9
- Writing2.8
- Mathematics2.1
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Critical Thinking | 3.8 |
| Speaking | 3.5 |
| Active Listening | 3.4 |
| Reading Comprehension | 3.1 |
| Active Learning | 2.9 |
| Monitoring | 2.9 |
| Writing | 2.8 |
| Mathematics | 2.1 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Repairing3.9
- Equipment Maintenance3.6
- Troubleshooting3.6
- Operations Monitoring3.5
- Quality Control Analysis3.5
- Complex Problem Solving3.1
- Service Orientation3.0
- Equipment Selection3.0
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Repairing | 3.9 |
| Equipment Maintenance | 3.6 |
| Troubleshooting | 3.6 |
| Operations Monitoring | 3.5 |
| Quality Control Analysis | 3.5 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 3.1 |
| Service Orientation | 3.0 |
| Equipment Selection | 3.0 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Tools and software
- Electronic mail software · in demand
- Office suite software · in demand
- Operating system software · in demand
- Spreadsheet software · in demand
- Word processing software · in demand
- Data base user interface and query software
- Internet browser software
- Route navigation software
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
Personality fit
What personality type suits a Home Appliance Repairer?
O*NET Occupational Interests (RIASEC), scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Home Appliance Repairer |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 7 |
| Investigative | 2 |
| Artistic | 1 |
| Social | 2 |
| Enterprising | 1 |
| Conventional | 5 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
What the work is built around
Day to day this is work built around hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors, combined with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data.
- Realistic7.0
- Conventional4.8
- Investigative2.3
- Social1.6
- Enterprising1.4
- Artistic1.2
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Explore further
Careers related to Home Appliance Repairer
O*NET related occupations
- Installation, Maintenance, and Repair
Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanic and Installer
$61,010median a year
Most earn $40K to $95K
+10.9%Certificate - Installation, Maintenance, and Repair
Electric Motor, Power Tool, and Related Repairer
$56,210median a year
Most earn $37K to $85K
+4.4%High school - Installation, Maintenance, and Repair
- Transportation and Material Moving
Cleaner of Vehicles and Equipment
$35,830median a year
Most earn $27K to $48K
+3.9%No formal credential - Installation, Maintenance, and Repair
Control and Valve Installer and Repairer, Except Mechanical Door
$74,340median a year
Most earn $46K to $113K
+4.3%High school - Installation, Maintenance, and Repair
Outdoor Power Equipment and Other Small Engine Mechanic
$47,880median a year
Most earn $35K to $67K
+2.3%High school
More installation, maintenance, and repair careers
Median annual pay, with home appliance repairers highlighted
- Aircraft Mechanic$79,870
- Millwright$65,700
- Industrial Machinery Mechanic$64,520
- Bus and Truck Mechanic and Diesel Engine Specialist$61,770
- Medical Equipment Repairer$61,660
- Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanic and Installer$61,010
- Automotive Body and Related Repairer$54,890
- Home Appliance Repairer$50,990
- Automotive Service Technician and Mechanic$50,620
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Aircraft Mechanic | $79,870 |
| Millwright | $65,700 |
| Industrial Machinery Mechanic | $64,520 |
| Bus and Truck Mechanic and Diesel Engine Specialist | $61,770 |
| Medical Equipment Repairer | $61,660 |
| Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanic and Installer | $61,010 |
| Automotive Body and Related Repairer | $54,890 |
| Home Appliance Repairer | $50,990 |
| Automotive Service Technician and Mechanic | $50,620 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lists Home Appliance Repairer appears on
Questions
Home Appliance Repairer: frequently asked questions
How much do Home Appliance Repairers make?
Home Appliance Repairers earn a median of $50,990 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025), close to the $50,980 median for all US occupations. That works out at $24.51/hr. The middle half earn between $43,780 and $63,390. The top 10% earn $80,660 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a Home Appliance Repairer?
No. A bachelor's degree is not the norm: BLS reports a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education for Home Appliance Repairers. BLS also lists moderate-term on-the-job training as typical on-the-job training. In O*NET's survey of people already doing the job, 69.0% hold high school diploma or the equivalent (such as a ged).
Is Home Appliance Repairer a growing career?
It is growing, but slowly: 1.9% over 2025–2035 against 3.5% for all occupations (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 2,800 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a Home Appliance Repairer do?
Repair, adjust, or install all types of electric or gas household appliances, such as refrigerators, washers, dryers, and ovens. A core O*NET task: instruct customers regarding operation and care of appliances, and provide information such as emergency service numbers. Employers most often ask for Electronic mail software, Office suite software, Operating system software.
Which states pay Home Appliance Repairers the most?
The highest state medians for Home Appliance Repairers are Massachusetts ($70,750), New York ($65,190), Alaska ($63,950) (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
What personality type suits a Home Appliance Repairer?
O*NET scores Home Appliance Repairers highest on the Realistic and Conventional interest areas, so the work mixes hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping that lines up most closely with ISTJ personalities. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 1,731 careers in the bank.