Post job

What is a maintenance superintendent and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
5 min read
introduction image

A maintenance superintendent is a person responsible for overseeing the maintenance of buildings and facilities. They manage a team of maintenance workers, develop and implement maintenance plans, and ensure that all equipment is functioning properly. Maintenance superintendents also monitor budgets, order necessary supplies, and schedule repairs. Strong communication and leadership skills are essential for effective management of maintenance staff. A maintenance superintendent plays a crucial role in ensuring that buildings and facilities remain safe, functional, and well-maintained.

ScoreMaintenance SuperintendentUS Average
Salary
6.1

Avg. Salary $77,482

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
9.3

Growth rate 2%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
2.5
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 1.24%

Asian 2.11%

Black or African American 8.28%

Hispanic or Latino 15.80%

Unknown 4.51%

White 68.07%

Gender

female 2.71%

male 97.29%

Age - 50
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 - 50
Stress level
9.3

Stress level is very high

7.1 - high

Complexity level
9.4

Complexity level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work life balance
2.6

Work life balance is poor

6.4 - fair

What are the pros and cons of being a maintenance superintendent?

Pros

  • Variety of tasks and projects

  • Ability to work with your hands and tools

  • Constant learning and development

  • Fulfillment from maintaining and improving properties

  • High demand for skilled maintenance superintendents

Cons

  • Physically demanding job with potential health risks

  • Long and irregular work hours, including weekends and holidays

  • High responsibility for the safety and security of properties and tenants

  • Challenging to deal with difficult tenants or building owners

  • Constant pressure to meet deadlines and budgets

Maintenance superintendent career paths

Key steps to become a maintenance superintendent

  1. Explore maintenance superintendent education requirements

    Most common maintenance superintendent degrees

    Bachelor's

    42.8 %

    Associate

    31.4 %

    High School Diploma

    10.7 %
  2. Start to develop specific maintenance superintendent skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Continuous Improvement7.34%
    OSHA5.86%
    Plumbing5.18%
    Customer Service5.15%
    Mowing4.62%
  3. Complete relevant maintenance superintendent training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 3-6 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New maintenance superintendents 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 superintendent based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real maintenance superintendent resumes.
  4. Gain additional maintenance superintendent certifications

    Maintenance superintendent certifications can show employers you have a baseline of knowledge expected for the position. Certifications can also make you a more competitive candidate. Even if employers don't require a specific maintenance superintendent certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.

    The most common certifications for maintenance superintendents include EPA Amusement Operators Safety Certification (EPA) and OSHA Safety Certificate .

    More About Certifications
  5. Research maintenance superintendent duties and responsibilities

    • Develop and lead lock-out / tag-out (LOTO) and overall plant safety program.
    • Conceptualize and implement TPM strategies covering operations, quality assurance, and maintenance essential to achieve company goals and increase OEE.
    • Utilize workplace safety practices and job hazard analysis to ensure no OSHA injuries for direct reports occur during tenure.
    • Plant EHS support and oversight.
  6. Prepare your maintenance superintendent resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your maintenance superintendent 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 superintendent 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 superintendent resume templates

    Build a professional maintenance superintendent 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 superintendent resume.
    Maintenance Superintendent Resume
    Maintenance Superintendent Resume
    Maintenance Superintendent Resume
    Maintenance Superintendent Resume
    Maintenance Superintendent Resume
    Maintenance Superintendent Resume
    Maintenance Superintendent Resume
    Maintenance Superintendent Resume
    Maintenance Superintendent Resume
  7. Apply for maintenance superintendent jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a maintenance superintendent job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How did you land your first maintenance superintendent job

Zippi

Are you a maintenance superintendent?

Share your story for a free salary report.

Average maintenance superintendent salary

The average maintenance superintendent salary in the United States is $77,482 per year or $37 per hour. Maintenance superintendent salaries range between $49,000 and $122,000 per year.

Average maintenance superintendent salary
$77,482 Yearly
$37.25 hourly

What am I worth?

salary-calculator

How do maintenance superintendents rate their job?

-/5

5 stars

4 stars

3 stars

2 stars

1 star

Maintenance superintendent reviews

profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Aug 2020
Pros

working as a maintenance controller of 5th gen fighter jets is exciting, there is a lot of digging for information and answers with this line of work and it can keep you mentally engaged.

Cons

There can be a lot of pressure to get information in a quick time frame, and it has to be very accurate.


profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Jul 2019
Cons

Unimportant report should not be shared and working with people that look like smart but actually very silly


profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Jun 2019
Pros

Fast Pace, solving problems working with outside groups.

Cons

Engineering not understanding processes


Working as a maintenance superintendent? Share your experience anonymously.
Overall rating*
Career growth
Work/Life balance
Pay/Salary

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

Browse installation, maintenance and repair jobs