Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
What is a machine maintenance technician and how to become one
Factories can produce their products thanks to many different machines, including anything from lathes and drills to conveyor belts and more. But if one machine breaks, then the whole production process is slowed down or grinds to a complete halt. Luckily, industrial plants hire machine maintenance technicians to prevent such a catastrophe.
Machine maintenance technicians are responsible for conducting regular maintenance on machines so that they work in tip-top conditions. They also repair any issues that arise. Machine maintenance technicians need to be skilled at electrical work, programming computers used in manufacturing (also called PLCs), following safety regulations, and more.
The skills needed to be a great machine maintenance technician are not really learned in a classroom. In fact, only about 12% of machine maintenance technicians have a bachelor's degree. Most people prepare for this career by earning practical experience, working as an apprentice, and sometimes attending a technical school.
Avg. Salary $42,187
Avg. Salary $59,228
Growth rate 5%
Growth rate 0.3%
American Indian and Alaska Native 1.18%
Asian 4.60%
Black or African American 11.30%
Hispanic or Latino 15.79%
Unknown 4.26%
White 62.87%
Genderfemale 3.36%
male 96.64%
Age - 49American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%
Asian 7.00%
Black or African American 14.00%
Hispanic or Latino 19.00%
White 57.00%
Genderfemale 47.00%
male 53.00%
Age - 49Stress level is high
7.1 - high
Complexity level is intermediate
7 - challenging
Work life balance is fair
6.4 - fair
Machine maintenance technician career paths
Key steps to become a machine maintenance technician
Explore machine maintenance technician education requirements
Start to develop specific machine maintenance technician skills
Skills Percentages Preventative Maintenance 13.30% Hand Tools 11.26% PLC 5.57% CNC Machines 3.92% Production Equipment 3.82% Complete relevant machine maintenance technician training and internships
Accountants spend an average of 1-3 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New machine maintenance technicians 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 a machine maintenance technician based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real machine maintenance technician resumes.Research machine maintenance technician duties and responsibilities
- Operate mills, drills, surface grinders, sanders, and all shop equipment.
- Work with metal lathes, milling machines, drill presses, grinders, etc.
- Follow OSHA, USDA GMPs and HACCP protocols in all maintenance activities and other duties as assigned.
- Involve in wiring, plumbing, mounting, leveling, squaring, and installing all types of machinery.
Prepare your machine maintenance technician resume
When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your machine maintenance technician resume.
You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a machine maintenance technician resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.
Choose from 10+ customizable machine maintenance technician resume templates
Build a professional machine maintenance technician resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your machine maintenance technician resume.
Apply for machine maintenance technician jobs
Now it's time to start searching for a machine maintenance technician job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:
- Browse job boards for relevant postings
- Consult your professional network
- Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
- Watch out for job scams
How did you land your first machine maintenance technician job
Are you a machine maintenance technician?
Share your story for a free salary report.
Average machine maintenance technician salary
The average machine maintenance technician salary in the United States is $42,187 per year or $20 per hour. Machine maintenance technician salaries range between $30,000 and $57,000 per year.
What am I worth?
How do machine maintenance technicians rate their job?
Machine maintenance technician reviews
Flexibility
I have more to offer than n various task. My resume spells out my duties.
Challenging, technical, always something new, part of a team.
The hours, the low pay, high expectations to perform and exceed, expectation to always be on call, low budget for repairs.
I like the technicality, reasoning and the calculative nature of the job
I can't really say, because I love been maintenance technician
Updated January 8, 2025
