Typical entry: High school diploma or equivalent
Industrial machinery mechanic
Industrial machinery mechanics keep factory and plant equipment running: diagnosing breakdowns, replacing parts, and doing preventive maintenance on conveyors, packaging lines, and production machines. Manufacturers and food plants in our listings hire steadily.
By the Degreeless Jobs research deskUpdated Sep 7, 2026Sources: BLS, O*NET
What an industrial machinery mechanic makes
Median pay, May 2025, United States
$64,520
$31.02 an hour, median
- 25th percentile
- $55,010
- 75th percentile
- $78,780
- 90th percentile
- $95,170
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Wages of employed workers, not offers.
- Typical entry education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- BLS
- Workers without a bachelor's
- 100%
- O*NET
- Growth, 2025 to 2035
- +17.8%
- BLS projections
- Openings a year
- 44,400
- BLS projections
How people get in without a degree
A high school diploma plus long-term on-the-job training or a maintenance apprenticeship is the standard route; a certificate in industrial maintenance or mechatronics from a community college shortens it. Employers value electrical and hydraulics basics and a willingness to work shifts.
The work, as O*NET defines it: 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.
The next step
Industrial maintenance certificate or apprenticeship
- Typical cost
- Community college certificates $2,000 to $8,000; apprenticeships are paid
- Time to complete
- 6 to 18 months for a certificate; 2 to 4 years for an apprenticeship
Costs and durations are ranges gathered from provider and state sources; confirm the current price and your state's rules before you pay anything. Never pay a fee to apply for a job.
Pay by state
Median pay for industrial machinery mechanics by state, May 2025, sorted by annual median. States without a published estimate are omitted.
| State | Hourly median | Annual median | 25th to 75th | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $42.15 | $87,670 | $71,370 to $97,080 | 200 |
| Wyoming | $37.66 | $78,320 | $60,640 to $105,210 | 2,010 |
| Nevada | $37.38 | $77,750 | $64,710 to $79,920 | 2,240 |
| Alaska | $37.21 | $77,390 | $61,900 to $95,160 | 860 |
| Hawaii | $37.18 | $77,330 | $61,560 to $96,830 | 910 |
| Washington | $37.12 | $77,220 | $61,750 to $97,490 | 10,710 |
| Illinois | $36.63 | $76,200 | $61,120 to $91,880 | 12,100 |
| Oregon | $36.38 | $75,670 | $62,260 to $86,250 | 7,070 |
| Colorado | $36.35 | $75,600 | $61,170 to $83,990 | 7,260 |
| Arizona | $35.96 | $74,790 | $59,660 to $82,140 | 5,020 |
| New Jersey | $35.94 | $74,760 | $60,590 to $86,180 | 8,380 |
| California | $35.77 | $74,400 | $59,360 to $90,500 | 26,830 |
| Massachusetts | $35.02 | $72,840 | $58,220 to $84,690 | 6,130 |
| Maine | $34.77 | $72,310 | $59,880 to $79,220 | 1,190 |
| Minnesota | $34.60 | $71,960 | $60,940 to $82,110 | 6,510 |
| Maryland | $34.55 | $71,870 | $59,750 to $80,620 | 2,880 |
| Utah | $34.00 | $70,720 | $59,250 to $81,710 | 4,040 |
| Connecticut | $33.63 | $69,950 | $56,780 to $83,140 | 2,360 |
| New York | $33.53 | $69,740 | $59,680 to $82,070 | 12,740 |
| Missouri | $32.40 | $67,390 | $57,200 to $78,380 | 5,420 |
| Delaware | $32.37 | $67,320 | $60,220 to $82,570 | 890 |
| Montana | $32.33 | $67,250 | $58,570 to $85,900 | 820 |
| Wisconsin | $32.03 | $66,620 | $59,270 to $77,800 | 13,870 |
| North Dakota | $31.72 | $65,990 | $60,400 to $79,170 | 2,560 |
| Kansas | $31.65 | $65,830 | $57,960 to $83,540 | 7,700 |
| Ohio | $31.31 | $65,130 | $58,740 to $76,790 | 21,950 |
| Tennessee | $31.26 | $65,010 | $55,540 to $78,210 | 12,850 |
| Rhode Island | $31.14 | $64,770 | $56,170 to $77,910 | 1,070 |
| Kentucky | $31.04 | $64,560 | $56,940 to $76,730 | 11,540 |
| Iowa | $30.96 | $64,400 | $57,550 to $76,040 | 6,050 |
| Michigan | $30.89 | $64,250 | $57,310 to $77,310 | 17,310 |
| New Hampshire | $30.84 | $64,150 | $54,960 to $76,740 | 1,950 |
| Nebraska | $30.82 | $64,110 | $57,550 to $75,670 | 2,880 |
| Virginia | $30.78 | $64,020 | $53,780 to $79,150 | 9,470 |
| Indiana | $30.74 | $63,950 | $57,950 to $76,740 | 14,960 |
| Pennsylvania | $30.69 | $63,840 | $58,570 to $75,640 | 22,160 |
| Vermont | $30.37 | $63,180 | $58,000 to $74,760 | 700 |
| Idaho | $30.22 | $62,860 | $50,590 to $75,140 | 2,750 |
| North Carolina | $30.02 | $62,430 | $49,650 to $74,420 | 15,720 |
| South Carolina | $29.96 | $62,330 | $50,960 to $76,190 | 9,890 |
| Texas | $29.78 | $61,930 | $49,230 to $77,720 | 56,950 |
| Alabama | $29.77 | $61,920 | $49,180 to $77,380 | 17,850 |
| West Virginia | $29.67 | $61,710 | $47,780 to $79,810 | 3,150 |
| South Dakota | $29.60 | $61,560 | $52,160 to $68,560 | 1,230 |
| Oklahoma | $29.59 | $61,540 | $50,550 to $76,000 | 6,250 |
| Georgia | $29.39 | $61,130 | $50,200 to $75,360 | 14,230 |
| New Mexico | $29.17 | $60,670 | $48,990 to $75,460 | 2,780 |
| Florida | $29.16 | $60,650 | $47,800 to $74,400 | 17,120 |
| Louisiana | $28.97 | $60,260 | $47,470 to $74,690 | 7,410 |
| Arkansas | $28.73 | $59,760 | $48,370 to $72,340 | 6,270 |
| Mississippi | $27.77 | $57,760 | $48,880 to $74,890 | 4,460 |
Questions
Do you need a degree to be an industrial machinery mechanic?
No. BLS lists "high school diploma or equivalent" as the typical education for entry, and 100% of workers in the occupation report less than a bachelor's degree (O*NET). The usual credential is industrial maintenance certificate or apprenticeship.
How much does an industrial machinery mechanic make?
The median pay was $64,520 a year ($31.02 an hour) in May 2025, according to BLS. The middle half earned between $55,010 and $78,780, and the top 10 percent earned more than $95,170.
How long does it take to become an industrial machinery mechanic?
6 to 18 months for a certificate; 2 to 4 years for an apprenticeship. The typical cost is community college certificates $2,000 to $8,000; apprenticeships are paid.
Is industrial machinery mechanic work growing?
BLS projects employment to grow 17.8% from 2025 to 2035 with about 44,400 openings a year from growth and from workers leaving the occupation.
Sources
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, occupation code 49-9041.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025–35 (Table 1.2).
- O*NET 31.0 Database (USDOL/ETA), CC BY 4.0. The share without a bachelor’s degree is our summary of O*NET’s education distribution; USDOL/ETA has not approved or endorsed it.
- BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile