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The differences between general maintenance workers and maintenance engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a general maintenance worker and a maintenance engineer. Additionally, a maintenance engineer has an average salary of $47,133, which is higher than the $36,917 average annual salary of a general maintenance worker.
The top three skills for a general maintenance worker include general maintenance, plumbing and switches. The most important skills for a maintenance engineer are plumbing, HVAC, and guest rooms.
| General Maintenance Worker | Maintenance Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $36,917 | $47,133 |
| Hourly rate | $17.75 | $22.66 |
| Growth rate | 5% | 5% |
| Number of jobs | 153,538 | 97,957 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 45% | Bachelor's Degree, 48% |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A general maintenance worker plays a vital role in keeping buildings and establishments running smoothly and efficiently. They are in charge of performing a variety of maintenance tasks such as repairing malfunctioning equipment and systems, replacing light bulbs and other fixtures, handling mechanical fixes, and maintaining the cleanliness of work areas. They must also perform regular maintenance checks on systems, performing repairs and replacements as needed. Moreover, they must also organize and monitor the inventory of supplies, storing them according to the company's policies and regulations.
A maintenance engineer is responsible for the maintenance of industrial machinery and inspects equipment defects for immediate troubleshooting or replacement as needed. Maintenance engineers install and upgrade system components to improve system optimization and perform diagnostic systems to locate any adjustments. They also conduct routine checks, assist clients with technical faults, and ensure that the equipment works safely for certain operations. A maintenance engineer must have excellent knowledge of the mechanical industry to address technical malfunctions immediately.
General maintenance workers and maintenance engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| General Maintenance Worker | Maintenance Engineer | |
| Average salary | $36,917 | $47,133 |
| Salary range | Between $27,000 And $50,000 | Between $29,000 And $74,000 |
| Highest paying City | Boston, MA | New York, NY |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | Jacobs Engineering Group | Halliburton |
| Best paying industry | Energy | - |
There are a few differences between a general maintenance worker and a maintenance engineer in terms of educational background:
| General Maintenance Worker | Maintenance Engineer | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 45% | Bachelor's Degree, 48% |
| Most common major | Business | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between general maintenance workers' and maintenance engineers' demographics:
| General Maintenance Worker | Maintenance Engineer | |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 91.3% Female, 8.7% | Male, 94.6% Female, 5.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.7% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 21.9% Asian, 4.3% White, 58.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1% | Black or African American, 10.4% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 19.9% Asian, 4.4% White, 59.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 2% | 2% |