How To Become A Maintenance Foreman: What It Is and Career Path

What is a maintenance foreman and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

Although a maintenance foreman usually oversees all maintenance-related work done by mechanics, they are expected to have deep knowledge about every technical and mechanical thing that goes on in a building or facility.

Routine maintenance, emergency repairs, and compliance to state and federal regulations are some of the tasks that a maintenance foreman directs and supervises. Therefore, they must be skilled in electrical systems, plumbing, heating and ventilation, and waste disposal systems.

A maintenance foreman doesn't need a college degree to qualify for the job; they only need a high school diploma and years of experience in building trades, building maintenance, and supervisory work. Their essential skills include knowledge in blueprints and wiring diagrams, troubleshooting system failures, and proper use of job-related tools and equipment.

Some of the perks of being a maintenance foreman are the salary and the promotion opportunities. On average, they earn about $17.79 per hour. They can also go up the career ladder and become a facilities maintenance supervisor or a building administrative supervisor.

ScoreMaintenance ForemanUS Average

Salary

3.2

Avg. Salary $40,478

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

7.6

Growth rate 5%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

5.7

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 1.18%

Asian 4.62%

Black or African American 11.44%

Hispanic or Latino 15.82%

Unknown 4.27%

White 62.67%

Gender

female 3.83%

male 96.17%

Age - 49

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 - 49

Stress level

7.6

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity level

6.3

Complexity level is intermediate

7 - challenging

Work life balance

6.1

Work life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a maintenance foreman

Explore maintenance foreman education requirements

Most common maintenance foreman degrees

High School Diploma

29.0 %

Bachelor's

28.1 %

Associate

25.8 %

Start to develop specific maintenance foreman skills

Skills	Percentages
CDL	9.02%
Plumbing	9.00%
Maintenance Repairs	5.72%
HVAC	5.59%
Hand Tools	5.27%

Complete relevant maintenance foreman training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 1-3 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New maintenance foremen 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 maintenance foreman based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real maintenance foreman resumes.

Research maintenance foreman duties and responsibilities

Manage all contract work including snow removal, mowing, asphalt work, and signage.
Complete inspections of boiler, coolers & HVAC systems as well as building security.
Repair all MHE equipment from pallet trucks to 80 ton Terex cranes and container stackers.
Include running various power equipment, including walk-behind and riding mowers, skid steers, and a backhoe.

Prepare your maintenance foreman resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your maintenance foreman 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 maintenance foreman resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose from 10+ customizable maintenance foreman resume templates

Build a professional maintenance foreman 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 maintenance foreman resume.