General Maintenance and Repair Workers

General maintenance and repair workers fix and maintain machines, mechanical equipment, and buildings. They paint, repair flooring, and work on plumbing, electrical, and air-conditioning and heating systems.

Duties

General maintenance and repair workers typically do the following:

• Maintain and repair machines, mechanical equipment, and buildings
• Fix or replace faulty electrical switches, outlets, and circuit breakers
• Inspect and diagnose problems and figure out the best way to correct them
• Perform preventive maintenance and service
• Assemble and set up machinery or equipment
• Plan repair work using blueprints or diagrams
• Order parts, supplies, or equipment
• Meet with clients to estimate repairs and costs
• Keep detailed records of their work

General maintenance and repair workers are hired for maintenance and repair tasks that are not complex enough to need the specialized training of a licensed tradesperson, such as a plumber or electrician.

When a job is above their skill level or requires a greater level of expertise, general maintenance and repair workers may coordinate with other workers such as electricians; carpenters; or heating, air-conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics or installers.

General maintenance and repair workers may fix or paint roofs, windows, doors, floors, woodwork, walls, and other parts of buildings. They also maintain and repair specialized equipment and machinery in a variety of locations, such as cafeterias, factories, and offices.

General maintenance and repair workers get supplies and parts from distributors or storerooms to fix problems. They use common hand and power tools, such as screwdrivers, saws, drills, wrenches, and hammers to fix, replace, or repair equipment and parts of buildings.

General maintenance and repair workers held about 1.6 million jobs in 2024. The largest employers of general maintenance and repair workers were as follows:

General maintenance and repair workers often carry out many different tasks in a single day at any number of indoor or outdoor locations. They may work inside a single building, such as a hotel or hospital, or be responsible for the maintenance of many buildings, such as those in an apartment complex or on a college campus.

General maintenance and repair workers may have to stand for long periods or lift heavy objects. These workers may work in uncomfortably hot or cold environments, in uncomfortable or cramped positions, or on ladders. The work involves a lot of walking, climbing, and reaching.

Injuries and Illnesses

General maintenance and repair workers have one of the highest rates of injuries and illnesses of all occupations. They must take precautions to avoid injury in many situations, such as when lifting heavy objects, working on ladders, or operating tools and machinery. Common injuries include sprains, cuts, and fractures.

Work Schedules

Most general maintenance and repair workers work full time. They may need to be on call outside normal business hours, such as during evenings and weekends, for emergency repairs.

General maintenance and repair workers typically need a high school diploma or equivalent. They usually learn their skills on the job while working alongside more experienced workers. Some may enter the occupation through apprenticeships or training programs.

The median annual wage for general maintenance and repair workers was $48,620 in May 2024.

Employment of general maintenance and repair workers is projected to grow 4 percent from 2024 to 2034, about as fast as the average for all occupations.

About 159,800 openings for general maintenance and repair workers are projected each year, on average, over the decade. 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.