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Handyman vs maintenance technician

The differences between handymen and maintenance technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a handyman and a maintenance technician. Additionally, a handyman has an average salary of $44,648, which is higher than the $43,293 average annual salary of a maintenance technician.

The top three skills for a handyman include plumbing, customer service and drywall repair. The most important skills for a maintenance technician are plumbing, HVAC, and hand tools.

Handyman vs maintenance technician overview

HandymanMaintenance Technician
Yearly salary$44,648$43,293
Hourly rate$21.47$20.81
Growth rate5%5%
Number of jobs3,371178,450
Job satisfaction4.54.25
Most common degreeHigh School Diploma, 41%High School Diploma, 34%
Average age4747
Years of experience44

What does a handyman do?

A handyman can perform various repair and maintenance tasks involving electricity, carpentry, plumbing, and even appliance installation. Most handymen work independently, but they can also choose to be part of a company. Furthermore, a handyman must also discuss the extent of repairs to clients, even sharing insights on maintaining facilities in good condition. There are instances when a handyman may be required to work in a group setting, which requires an active line of communication and coordination.

What does a maintenance technician do?

Maintenance technicians are technicians who specialize in the preservation of office facilities. They have in-depth knowledge of how various office equipment or fixtures work so that they can immediately identify how to repair them in case of breakdowns. Maintenance technicians perform diagnostics and routine maintenance activities to ensure that everything in the office is running well. They immediately repair problems in fixtures or equipment to avoid any further damages or safety concerns. They should be familiar with occupational safety and health standards to ensure that the office is a safe place to work.

Handyman vs maintenance technician salary

Handymen and maintenance technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.

HandymanMaintenance Technician
Average salary$44,648$43,293
Salary rangeBetween $32,000 And $61,000Between $31,000 And $59,000
Highest paying CitySilver Spring, MDRichmond, CA
Highest paying stateAlaskaRhode Island
Best paying companyThe American Musical and Dramatic AcademyAnheuser-Busch
Best paying industryConstructionManufacturing

Differences between handyman and maintenance technician education

There are a few differences between a handyman and a maintenance technician in terms of educational background:

HandymanMaintenance Technician
Most common degreeHigh School Diploma, 41%High School Diploma, 34%
Most common majorBusinessElectrical Engineering Technology
Most common college--

Handyman vs maintenance technician demographics

Here are the differences between handymen' and maintenance technicians' demographics:

HandymanMaintenance Technician
Average age4747
Gender ratioMale, 95.8% Female, 4.2%Male, 95.7% Female, 4.3%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 9.5% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 22.4% Asian, 4.3% White, 58.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1%Black or African American, 11.4% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 18.2% Asian, 4.6% White, 60.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2%
LGBT Percentage2%2%

Differences between handyman and maintenance technician duties and responsibilities

Handyman example responsibilities.

  • Train and manage new cooks and dishwashers and achieve significant improvements in their productivity.
  • Erect scaffolding and ladders for assembling structures above grind level.
  • Fabricaty office buildings by drywall, painting, electrical, roofing and demolition.
  • Perform residential/commercial handyman services, including carpentry, remodeling, installations, minor plumbing, masonry and tile work.
  • Perform a variety of lawn care and home repairs, mowing, weeding, trimming, clearing, and debris removal.
  • Erect scaffolding, shoring and braces.
  • Show more

Maintenance technician example responsibilities.

  • Install, repair and troubleshoot electrical wiring, including switches, outlets, lights, ballast.
  • Monitor and document all temperature readings on boilers, chillers, and dry vac systems beginning and mid shift.
  • Perform preventative maintenance checks and services on exhaust fans, boilers, chiller units, automatic transfer switches, and generators.
  • Repair electrical equipment; replace faulty electrical switches; repair refrigeration equipment.
  • Handle trouble-shooting and repair of mechanical systems refrigerant recovery and charging of HVAC systems.
  • Facilitate commercial plumbing, electrical, light HVAC, and carpentry repairs in a laboratory facility environment
  • Show more

Handyman vs maintenance technician skills

Common handyman skills
  • Plumbing, 24%
  • Customer Service, 17%
  • Drywall Repair, 9%
  • HVAC, 4%
  • General Maintenance, 4%
  • Mowing, 3%
Common maintenance technician skills
  • Plumbing, 10%
  • HVAC, 8%
  • Hand Tools, 7%
  • Customer Service, 6%
  • Ladders, 4%
  • Electrical Systems, 4%

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