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.
Industrial Machinery Mechanic Salary (2026): Data, Outlook & How to Become One
The median pay for Industrial Machinery Mechanics is $64,520 a year ($31.02/hr), according to BLS OEWS, May 2025. Employment is projected to grow 16.1% through 2034, with about 45,700 openings a year (BLS EP, 2024–2034). Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent.
SOC 49-9041Installation, Maintenance, and RepairLast updated August 15, 2026
- Median pay
- $64,520
- Projected growth
- +16.1%
- Openings a year
- 45,700
- Typical education
- High school
BLS OEWS, May 2025
BLS EP, 2024–2034
BLS EP, 2024–2034
BLS EP, 2024–2034
Also advertised as: Industrial Machinery Mechanic, Industrial Mechanic, Loom Fixer, Loom Technician, Machine Adjuster, Machine Mechanic.
How much do Industrial Machinery Mechanics make?
10th percentile$46,120
Entry / lowest-paid tenth
25th percentile$55,010
Lower quartile
Median (50th)$64,520
Half earn more, half earn less
75th percentile$78,780
Upper quartile
90th percentile$95,170
Top-paid tenth
| Median annual wage | $64,520 |
|---|---|
| Median hourly wage | $31.02/hr |
| Mean annual wage | $68,460 |
| People employed | 439,640 |
Versus all US occupations
At $64,520, Industrial Machinery Mechanics earn 27% above the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $13,540 a year.
Versus installation, maintenance, and repair occupations
Inside the Installation, Maintenance, and Repair group, where the middle occupation pays $60,460, this is 7% above the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $95,170 or more while the bottom 10% earn $46,120, a gap of 2.1×. That is a typical spread for a US occupation.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 50% of the 923 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Cost of living
District of Columbia posts the highest raw median ($87,670), but once local prices are taken into account Wyoming leads at $84,496 in national-average dollars.
Which states pay Industrial Machinery Mechanics the most?
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $87,670 | $79,772 | 200 |
| Wyoming | $78,320 | $84,496 | 2,010 |
| Nevada | $77,750 | $77,766 | 2,240 |
| Alaska | $77,390 | $75,606 | 860 |
| Hawaii | $77,330 | $70,331 | 910 |
| Washington | $77,220 | $72,159 | 10,710 |
| Illinois | $76,200 | $76,232 | 12,100 |
| Oregon | $75,670 | $73,209 | 7,070 |
| Colorado | $75,600 | $73,361 | 7,260 |
| Arizona | $74,790 | $74,287 | 5,020 |
Is Industrial Machinery Mechanic a growing career?
Industrial Machinery Mechanics16.1%
All US occupations3.1%
+16.1% projected growth vs 3.1% for all occupations.
Much faster than average
BLS projects employment of Industrial Machinery Mechanics to change 16.1% over 2024–2034, roughly 5.2× the 3.1% projected for all occupations. That is 70,700 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 45,700 openings are projected each year, 10.4% of the 439,600 jobs that existed in 2024. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Overall employment of industrial machinery mechanics, machinery maintenance workers, and millwrights is projected to grow 13 percent from 2024 to 2034, much faster than the average for all occupations.
Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
Projected employment of industrial machinery mechanics, machinery maintenance workers, and millwrights varies by occupation (see table).
The continued adoption of automated manufacturing machinery is expected to create jobs for these workers, as they will be needed to help keep machines in good working order. The use of automated conveyors to move products and materials in factories is likely to be an area of high demand for these workers, because the conveyor belts, motors, and rollers need regular care and maintenance.
How to become an Industrial Machinery Mechanic
Industrial machinery mechanics, machinery maintenance workers, and millwrights typically need a high school diploma. Industrial machinery mechanics and machinery maintenance workers also usually need a year or more of training after high school.
Most millwrights go through an apprenticeship program that lasts about 4 years.
| Typical entry-level education | High school diploma or equivalent |
|---|---|
| Preparation needed (O*NET job zone) | Some preparation |
| Work experience in a related occupation | None |
| Typical on-the-job training | Long-term on-the-job training |
What education people in the job have
O*NET incumbent survey: the highest level of education reported by people already working as industrial machinery mechanics.
- Post-Secondary Certificate47.2%
- High School Diploma39.1%
- Associate's Degree (or other 2-year degree)13.7%
What does an Industrial Machinery Mechanic do?
Repair, install, adjust, or maintain industrial production and processing machinery or refinery and pipeline distribution systems. May also install, dismantle, or move machinery and heavy equipment according to plans.
Industrial machinery mechanics and machinery maintenance workers maintain and repair factory equipment and other industrial machinery, such as conveying systems, production machinery, and packaging equipment. Millwrights install, dismantle, repair, reassemble, and move machinery in factories, power plants, and construction sites.
Day-to-day tasks
- Examine parts for defects, such as breakage or excessive wear.
- Repair or replace broken or malfunctioning components of machinery or equipment.
- Clean, lubricate, or adjust parts, equipment, or machinery.
- Disassemble machinery or equipment to remove parts and make repairs.
- Repair or maintain the operating condition of industrial production or processing machinery or equipment.
- Reassemble equipment after completion of inspections, testing, or repairs.
- Study blueprints or manufacturers' manuals to determine correct installation or operation of machinery.
- Analyze test results, machine error messages, or information obtained from operators to diagnose equipment problems.
O*NET core tasks, ordered by reported importance.
Core skills
- Critical Thinking3.6/5
- Active Listening3.1/5
- Active Learning3.1/5
- Monitoring3.1/5
- Speaking3.0/5
- Reading Comprehension2.9/5
- Writing2.8/5
- Learning Strategies2.6/5
Transferable skills
- Operations Monitoring4.0/5
- Operation and Control4.0/5
- Equipment Maintenance4.0/5
- Troubleshooting4.0/5
- Repairing4.0/5
- Quality Control Analysis3.8/5
- Complex Problem Solving3.1/5
- Equipment Selection3.1/5
Tools and software
- Electronic mail software · in demand
- Enterprise resource planning ERP software · in demand
- Office suite software · in demand
- Presentation software · in demand
- Spreadsheet software · in demand
- Word processing software · in demand
- Computer aided manufacturing CAM software
- Data base user interface and query software
- Facilities management software
- Industrial control software
- Internet browser software
- Inventory management software
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
What personality type suits an Industrial Machinery Mechanic?
Interest profile: O*NET Occupational Interests, scored 1–7
Realisticprimary7.0
Investigativeprimary3.0
Artistic1.0
Social1.0
Enterprising1.2
Conventionalprimary4.3
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.
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.
Industrial Machinery Mechanic: frequently asked questions
How much do Industrial Machinery Mechanics make?
Industrial Machinery Mechanics earn a median of $64,520 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025), 27% above the $50,980 US median across all occupations. That works out at $31.02/hr. The middle half earn between $55,010 and $78,780. The top 10% earn $95,170 or more.
Do you need a degree to become an Industrial Machinery Mechanic?
No. A bachelor's degree is not the norm: BLS reports a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education for Industrial Machinery Mechanics. BLS also lists long-term on-the-job training as typical on-the-job training. In O*NET's survey of people already doing the job, 47.2% hold post-secondary certificate.
Is Industrial Machinery Mechanic a growing career?
Yes, strongly. Employment is projected to grow 16.1% over 2024–2034, more than double the 3.1% projected for all occupations (BLS EP, 2024–2034). BLS still projects about 45,700 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does an Industrial Machinery Mechanic do?
Industrial machinery mechanics and machinery maintenance workers maintain and repair factory equipment and other industrial machinery, such as conveying systems, production machinery, and packaging equipment. A core O*NET task: examine parts for defects, such as breakage or excessive wear. Employers most often ask for Electronic mail software, Enterprise resource planning ERP software, Office suite software.
Which states pay Industrial Machinery Mechanics the most?
The highest state medians for Industrial Machinery Mechanics are District of Columbia ($87,670), Wyoming ($78,320), Nevada ($77,750) (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Adjusted for local prices using BEA Regional Price Parities, Wyoming moves to the top at $84,496.
What personality type suits an Industrial Machinery Mechanic?
O*NET scores Industrial Machinery Mechanics highest on the Realistic, Conventional and Investigative 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 923 occupations in the bank.