Get a sweltering room cool again or find out why a fridge won't stay cold. Install and repair heating, cooling, and refrigeration systems, mixing mechanical work with hands-on fault-finding.
Pay, training and sources
- Middle half of annual wages: $48,360–$77,060. BLS · May 2025 OEWS
- Paid start: Depends on a local offer and rules, not course length. BLS describes school programs lasting 6 months to 2 years, followed by on-the-job training. Training source · checked 2026-10-07
- Usual way in: Postsecondary nondegree award or registered apprenticeship. Entry source
Wire a new building or trace the fault behind a dead outlet. It's a mix of precise hand work and electrical problem-solving, with careful testing and safety rules guiding each job.
Pay, training and sources
- Middle half of annual wages: $49,430–$83,940. BLS · May 2025 OEWS
- Paid start: Depends on a local offer and rules, not course length. BLS describes a typical 4- or 5-year apprenticeship. Training source · checked 2026-10-07
- Usual way in: High school diploma or equivalent + 4–5 year registered apprenticeship. Entry source
A hidden leak or a cold shower gives you a problem to solve. Repair water systems or fit new pipes and water heaters, with hands-on work that can take you under sinks and floors.
Pay, training and sources
- Middle half of annual wages: $50,190–$85,110. BLS · May 2025 OEWS
- Paid start: Depends on a local offer and rules, not course length. BLS describes a typical 4- or 5-year apprenticeship for the grouped occupation. Training source · checked 2026-10-07
- Usual way in: High school diploma or equivalent + 4–5 year apprenticeship. Entry source
When a production line stops, find out what failed. Repair and align factory machinery, combining close inspection with hands-on work around heavy equipment that needs careful shutdown procedures.
Pay, training and sources
- Middle half of annual wages: $55,010–$78,780. BLS · May 2025 OEWS
- Paid start: Depends on a local offer and rules, not course length. BLS describes more than a year of mechanic training and typical 3- or 4-year millwright apprenticeships. Training source · checked 2026-10-07
- Usual way in: High school diploma or equivalent + long-term on-the-job training or registered apprenticeship. Entry source
Get the lights back on after a storm. Build and repair power lines as part of a crew, tackling outdoor conditions, heights, and serious electrical hazards with strict safety procedures.
Pay, training and sources
- Middle half of annual wages: $67,270–$109,740. BLS · May 2025 OEWS
- Paid start: Depends on a local offer and rules, not course length. BLS describes employer or apprenticeship training that may last up to 3 years and journey progression after 3 or 4 years of work. Training source · checked 2026-10-07
- Usual way in: High school diploma or equivalent + long-term on-the-job training or apprenticeship. Entry source
Get a stalled excavator or farm machine back to work. Diagnose engine, brake, and electrical faults, then make repairs on equipment built to move heavy loads.
Pay, training and sources
- Middle half of annual wages: $56,970–$79,270. BLS · May 2025 OEWS
- Paid start: Depends on a local offer and rules, not course length. BLS describes a few months of initial training for routine tasks and typically 3 to 4 years of work to become fully qualified for trainees without formal preparation. Training source · checked 2026-10-07
- Usual way in: High school diploma or equivalent + on-the-job training; postsecondary diesel or heavy-equipment training may shorten the ramp-up. Entry source
Work on the aircraft that carry people and cargo. Inspect engines and electrical systems, test repairs, and keep clear records. It's hands-on work that demands patient checks, not rushed guesses.
Pay, training and sources
- Middle half of annual wages: $62,630–$99,130. BLS · May 2025 OEWS
- Paid start: Depends on a local offer and rules, not course length. FAA requires at least 18 months of appropriate practical experience for one rating or 30 months of concurrent experience for both, unless using the approved school route. Training source · checked 2026-10-07
- Usual way in: High school diploma or equivalent; aviation maintenance or avionics training is common, and FAA certificate eligibility has separate requirements. Entry source
Make separate pieces of metal fit and hold together. Prepare the joint, control the heat, and check your finished weld, with steady hands and protective gear essential around sparks and fumes.
Pay, training and sources
- Middle half of annual wages: $46,790–$63,010. BLS · May 2025 wages
- Paid start: Depends on a local offer and rules, not course length. BLS describes technical training followed by on-the-job training; even formally trained beginners may need several months at work. Training source · checked 2026-10-07
- Usual way in: Check employer or program entry requirements; hands-on training is needed.. Entry source
Build the frame of a room or fit a door so it closes cleanly. Use drawings and careful measurements to cut and assemble materials, with a finished result you can see and touch.
Pay, training and sources
- Middle half of annual wages: $48,510–$76,830. BLS · May 2025 wages
- Paid start: Depends on a local offer and rules, not course length. BLS describes on-the-job and apprenticeship routes whose requirements differ by program and region. Training source · checked 2026-10-07
- Usual way in: Check employer or program entry requirements; hands-on training is needed.. Entry source
Build the rooftop systems that turn sunlight into electricity, or work on ground-mounted panels. Fit supports and secure panels with a crew, following the layout and safety plan outdoors.
Pay, training and sources
- Middle half of annual wages: $46,700–$62,870. BLS · May 2025 wages
- Paid start: Depends on a local offer and rules, not course length. BLS describes on-the-job training usually lasting 1 month to 1 year. Training source · checked 2026-10-07
- Usual way in: Check employer or program entry requirements; hands-on training is needed.. Entry source
Work on the machinery high inside a wind turbine. Inspect its mechanical and electrical systems, find faults, and replace parts. Climbing and changing weather are part of the job.
Pay, training and sources
- Middle half of annual wages: $58,840–$78,010. BLS · May 2025 wages
- Paid start: Depends on a local offer and rules, not course length. BLS describes a typical postsecondary nondegree award followed by employer training. Training source · checked 2026-10-07
- Usual way in: Check employer or program entry requirements; hands-on training is needed.. Entry source
A truck loses power or a bus won't start. Use test equipment and computer readings to find the cause, repair worn parts, and get heavy vehicles ready for their next trip.
Pay, training and sources
- Middle half of annual wages: $50,540–$75,470. BLS · May 2025 wages
- Paid start: Depends on a local offer and rules, not course length. BLS describes extensive on-the-job training, with progression from routine maintenance to complex diagnosis. Training source · checked 2026-10-07
- Usual way in: Check employer or program entry requirements; hands-on training is needed.. Entry source
Shape raw material into parts that have to fit exactly. Set up computer-controlled cutting machines, watch the cut, and measure the results. Small setup errors can change the finished part.
Pay, training and sources
- Middle half of annual wages: $47,570–$67,700. BLS · May 2025 wages
- Paid start: Depends on a local offer and rules, not course length. BLS describes on-the-job training and apprenticeships lasting several years for the broader machinist and tool-and-die family. Training source · checked 2026-10-07
- Usual way in: Check employer or program entry requirements; hands-on training is needed.. Entry source
Keep people moving between floors. Install elevators and escalators or solve faults in their doors, motors, and controls, with careful testing before the equipment returns to service.
Pay, training and sources
- Middle half of annual wages: $79,290–$135,720. BLS · May 2025 wages
- Paid start: Depends on a local offer and rules, not course length. BLS describes a typical 4-year apprenticeship with paid on-the-job and technical training. Training source · checked 2026-10-07
- Usual way in: Check employer or program entry requirements; hands-on training is needed.. Entry source
