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How to hire a maintenance person

Maintenance person hiring summary. Here are some key points about hiring maintenance people in the United States:

  • There are currently 725,939 maintenance people in the US, as well as 122,946 job openings.
  • Maintenance people are in the highest demand in New York, NY, with 16 current job openings.
  • The median cost to hire a maintenance person is $1,633.
  • It takes between 36 and 42 days to fill the average role in the US.
  • Human Resources use 15% of their expenses on recruitment on average.
  • On average, it takes around 12 weeks for a new maintenance person to become settled and show total productivity levels at work.

How to hire a maintenance person, step by step

To hire a maintenance person, you should clearly understand the skills and experience you are looking for in a candidate, and allocate a budget for the position. You will also need to post and promote the job opening to reach potential candidates. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to hire a maintenance person:

Here's a step-by-step maintenance person hiring guide:

  • Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
  • Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
  • Step 3: Make a budget
  • Step 4: Write a maintenance person job description
  • Step 5: Post your job
  • Step 6: Interview candidates
  • Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new maintenance person
  • Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a maintenance person do?

The duties of a maintenance person depend on one's line of work or place of employment. Typically, their responsibilities revolve around conducting regular inspections within an establishment, performing necessary repairs and corrective measures on wirings or machines, installing devices, and responding to any inquiries or concerns. Moreover, there are also instances where they have to clean their work areas, organize their tools and equipment, and diagnose issues. Should there be any problems, it is essential to report to the manager or supervisor right away.

Learn more about the specifics of what a maintenance person does
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  1. Identify your hiring needs

    Before you start hiring a maintenance person, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

    Determine employee vs contractor status
    Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

    A maintenance person's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, maintenance people from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

    This list shows salaries for various types of maintenance people.

    Type of Maintenance PersonDescriptionHourly rate
    Maintenance PersonGeneral maintenance and repair workers fix and maintain machines, mechanical equipment, and buildings. They paint, repair flooring, and work on plumbing, electrical, and air-conditioning and heating systems.$12-21
    Groundskeeping MaintenanceA Groundskeeping Maintenance Worker performs several skilled and semi-skilled tasks in grounds keeping and building trade areas. They maintain turf places, including weed control and Integrated Pest Management... Show more$11-18
    Preventive Maintenance TechnicianA preventive maintenance technician performs routine facility maintenance to prevent possible mechanical failure. The technicians change worn out machine parts before they can cause mechanical damage... Show more$14-25
  2. Create an ideal candidate profile

    Common skills:
    • Cleanliness
    • HVAC
    • Delivery Truck
    • Fryers
    • Light Bulbs
    • Plumbing
    • Customer Service
    • Good Communication
    • Hand Tools
    • OSHA
    • Snow Removal
    • Mowing
    • Maintenance Tasks
    • Ladders
    Check all skills
    Responsibilities:
    • Conduct operation procedures and manage cleanliness.
    • Assist management in achieving and maintaining outstanding interior and exterior restaurant cleanliness and maintaining restaurant equipment.
    • Demonstrate and enforce knowledge of OSHA standards and safety requirements relate to the installation of electrical systems.
    • Process and respond to maintenance requests, and escalate specialized requests to electrical, plumbing, and HVAC technicians.
    • Coordinate projects include laminate work, framing, trim work, and sheetrock.
    • Maintain the entire grounds (mowing in the summer to plowing in the winter).
    More maintenance person duties
  3. Make a budget

    Including a salary range in your maintenance person job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. A maintenance person can vary based on:

    • Location. For example, maintenance people' average salary in new mexico is 44% less than in alaska.
    • Seniority. Entry-level maintenance people 43% less than senior-level maintenance people.
    • Certifications. A maintenance person with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
    • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in a maintenance person's salary.

    Average maintenance person salary

    $16.18hourly

    $33,656 yearly

    Entry-level maintenance person salary
    $25,000 yearly salary
    Updated January 23, 2026

    Average maintenance person salary by state

    RankStateAvg. salaryHourly rate
    1Washington$43,679$21
    2New York$42,267$20
    3Massachusetts$42,006$20
    4California$39,921$19
    5Oregon$38,328$18
    6Colorado$36,690$18
    7Georgia$36,490$18
    8Wisconsin$35,954$17
    9Illinois$34,982$17
    10Maine$34,747$17
    11Michigan$33,617$16
    12Wyoming$32,577$16
    13Iowa$31,940$15
    14Indiana$31,911$15
    15Ohio$31,566$15
    16Florida$29,387$14
    17Montana$29,058$14
    18Texas$29,036$14
    19Tennessee$28,804$14
    20North Carolina$28,091$14

    Average maintenance person salary by company

    RankCompanyAverage salaryHourly rateJob openings
    1IDEX$53,995$25.967
    2Stanford University$51,411$24.72
    3American Water$49,117$23.617
    4Precision Castparts$48,844$23.4831
    5The Brooklyn Hospital Center$47,723$22.941
    6General Dynamics$46,267$22.2431
    7Land O'Lakes$44,781$21.5311
    8New Jersey Institute of Technology$44,188$21.24
    9Buckeye Partners$44,122$21.21
    10Greif$43,953$21.1337
    11Stoneridge$41,788$20.092
    12Martin Marietta$41,530$19.9743
    13Drake University$41,462$19.938
    14Niagara County Community College$41,228$19.821
    15Complete Prototype Services$40,505$19.47
    16Fairmont Schools$40,442$19.4413
    17Hilton Grand Vacations$39,864$19.1768
    18Berry Global$39,678$19.08
    19Niagara Frontier Transit Metro System Inc$39,459$18.974
    20Oldcastle Infrastructure$39,374$18.93157
  4. Writing a maintenance person job description

    A job description for a maintenance person role includes a summary of the job's main responsibilities, required skills, and preferred background experience. Including a salary range can also go a long way in attracting more candidates to apply, and showing the first name of the hiring manager can also make applicants more comfortable. As an example, here's a maintenance person job description:

    Maintenance person job description example

    * We are currently offering a bonus of $1,000 after 90 days of continued employment.*

    Julian Estates, the premier independent living community for active seniors in Puyallup, is seeking a Maintenance Person! This position is full time, Monday through Friday, with occasional evenings or weekends as needed.

    About the Position:

    Our Maintenance Person assures maintenance of the community, including the building’s exterior and interior, grounds, walkways, driveways, and parking lot. The Maintenance Person performs preventative maintenance duties on an ongoing and as needed basis. This essential member of our team completes emergency preparation and response duties as well as, hazard communication duties. The successful candidate for this position have at least one year of prior maintenance experience in areas such as plumbing, electrical, carpentry, HVAC, painting, and wall repairs. Our ideal candidate must have a passion for seniors.

    Our Mission:

    Our residents deserve the best so we are seeking someone who understands hospitality, integrity and compassion. We believe patience, loyalty, understanding, and hard work are the core components of rewarding lives and careers. If this interests you, come join our team!

    About Our Benefits:

    We offer competitive compensation and a benefit package that includes paid time off and the opportunity to elect healthcare, dental, vision and disability benefits, as well as supplemental life insurance. In addition, we offer a 401k plan with a match determined by the Company and an employee assistance program (EAP). We have very strong 24/7 regional maintenance support team to train and assist with the programs and procedures we have in place.

    We also have a very unique culture and love to celebrate year-round!

    How to Apply:

    Please come by and complete an application (no phone calls), we would love to meet you!

    OR

    Submit your resume for consideration.

    We do pre-employment background checks, employment verifications and reference checks. Julian Estates is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

    Company DescriptionWe believe that Julian Estates Gracious Retirement Living is so much more than walls and windows - it's a place for our residents to enjoy home-cooked meals, game nights, or a quiet evening with family and friends.

    At Hawthorn Senior Living, our retirement communities offer seniors the opportunity to enjoy the benefits of living in a community environment while maintaining independence and privacy. Our caring concern for our residents is the foundation that leads to outstanding resident services. As contributing members of the communities we serve, what is most important is that we love our residents. We care about people and because our residents deserve the best, we are looking for employees who understand caring and compassionate customer service. Working in our retirement communities, you will have the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of our seniors every day.
  5. Post your job

    There are a few common ways to find maintenance people for your business:

    • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
    • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
    • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
    • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.
    Post your job online:
    • Post your maintenance person job on Zippia to find and recruit maintenance person candidates who meet your exact specifications.
    • Use field-specific websites.
    • Post a job on free websites.
  6. Interview candidates

    Your first interview with maintenance person candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

    You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete the technical interview.

    The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

  7. Send a job offer and onboard your new maintenance person

    Once you have selected a candidate for the maintenance person position, it is time to create an offer letter. In addition to salary, the offer letter should include details about benefits and perks that are available to the employee. Ensuring your offer is competitive is vital, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and it is important to be open to discussion and reach a mutually beneficial agreement. After the offer has been accepted, it is a good idea to formalize the agreement with a contract.

    You should also follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that you've filled the position.

    After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new maintenance person. Human Resources and the hiring manager should complete Employee Action Forms. Human Resources should also ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc., and that new employee files are created.

  8. Go through the hiring process checklist

    • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
    • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
    • Define job responsibilities and requirements
    • Establish budget and timeline
    • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
    • Write job description
    • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
    • Promote the job internally
    • Process applications through applicant tracking system
    • Review resumes and cover letters
    • Shortlist candidates for screening
    • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
    • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
    • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
    • Conduct background checks on top candidates
    • Check references of top candidates
    • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
    • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
    • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
    • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
    • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
    • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)
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How much does it cost to hire a maintenance person?

There are different types of costs for hiring maintenance people. One-time cost per hire for the recruitment process. Ongoing costs include employee salary, training, onboarding, benefits, insurance, and equipment. It is essential to consider all of these costs when evaluating hiring a new maintenance person employee.

You can expect to pay around $33,656 per year for a maintenance person, as this is the median yearly salary nationally. This can vary depending on what state or city you're hiring in. If you're hiring for contract work or on a per-project basis, hourly rates for maintenance people in the US typically range between $12 and $21 an hour.

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