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What is an electrical and instrument mechanic and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
3 min read
There is more than meets the eye when it comes to being an electrical and instrument mechanic. For example, did you know that they make an average of $34.02 an hour? That's $70,764 a year! Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow -1% and produce -1,100 job opportunities across the U.S.
ScoreElectrical And Instrument MechanicUS Average
Salary
5.5

Avg. Salary $70,764

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
5.9

Growth rate -1%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
6.6
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.55%

Asian 3.88%

Black or African American 5.54%

Hispanic or Latino 13.85%

Unknown 7.20%

White 68.98%

Gender

female 6.10%

male 93.90%

Age - 37
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 37
Stress level
5.9

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity level
7.6

Complexity level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work life balance
7.1

Work life balance is good

6.4 - fair

Electrical and instrument mechanic career paths

Key steps to become an electrical and instrument mechanic

  1. Explore electrical and instrument mechanic education requirements

    Most common electrical and instrument mechanic degrees

    Associate

    51.5 %

    Bachelor's

    27.3 %

    High School Diploma

    12.1 %
  2. Start to develop specific electrical and instrument mechanic skills

    SkillsPercentages
    PLC15.71%
    Transmitters8.48%
    Electrical Equipment8.22%
    Control Valves6.64%
    Switches5.11%
  3. Complete relevant electrical and instrument mechanic training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 1-2 years on post-employment, on-the-job training. New electrical and instrument mechanics learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as an electrical and instrument mechanic based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real electrical and instrument mechanic resumes.
  4. Research electrical and instrument mechanic duties and responsibilities

    • Supervise and manage several environmental ECAS annual, monthly and weekly reports in cooperation with regional CEMS manager for federal compliance.
    • Work with GE PLC systems and various variable speed drives.
    • Overhaul and repair of automatic control valves, solenoids, pneumatic controllers and transmitters.
    • Installing/Provide troubleshooting of AC/DC systems, including pressure transmitters, relay logic, high voltage breakers and substation equipment.
  5. Apply for electrical and instrument mechanic jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for an electrical and instrument mechanic job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How did you land your first electrical and instrument mechanic job

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Average electrical and instrument mechanic salary

The average electrical and instrument mechanic salary in the United States is $70,764 per year or $34 per hour. Electrical and instrument mechanic salaries range between $55,000 and $90,000 per year.

Average electrical and instrument mechanic salary
$70,764 Yearly
$34.02 hourly

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How do electrical and instrument mechanics rate their job?

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Electrical and instrument mechanic reviews

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A zippia user wrote a review on Jul 2022
Pros

Hands on /weld/electric/mech/plumbing……


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A zippia user wrote a review on Mar 2022
Pros

Satisfaction of fixing, repairing broken vehicles and challenge of finding problems and correcting them properly.

Cons

Electrical problems are my least favorite.


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A zippia user wrote a review on Dec 2019
Pros

just seeing myself fixing something making it work as new.

Cons

pretty much loved everything I do


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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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