How long does it take to become a Service Technician?

It takes 4 years of professional experience to become a service technician. That is the time it takes to learn specific service technician skills, but does not account for time spent in formal education.

Is field service technician a good job?

Yes, field service technician is a good job. Whether it is a good job for you depends on your individual strengths and expectations for your career path. For example, a career as a field service technician is vanishingly unlikely to provide a six-figure salary.

What is a service technician apprenticeship?

A service technician apprenticeship is a form of vocational training. Through an apprenticeship, a prospective service technician undergoes extensive training. This training usually takes place on the job. They will often apprentice under the instruction of an experienced service technician.

What is a service technician and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

Quoted expert

John Terasconi

Service technicians are individuals who provide maintenance and repair services for various types of equipment, such as machinery, electronics, and appliances. Their responsibilities include diagnosing problems, replacing defective parts, and performing routine maintenance to ensure that equipment is functioning properly. Service technicians work in many industries, including manufacturing, healthcare, and telecommunications. They typically have a background in engineering or have technical training, and are required to read schematics and use diagnostic tools to troubleshoot problems.

What general advice would you give to a service technician?

John Terasconi

Associate Professor, HVAC-R Department Chair, Benjamin Franklin Institute of Technology

The best advice I could give is to stay focused on your job and strive to learn as much as possible. Take the time to truly understand the systems you're working on, continuously develop your skills, and absorb as much knowledge as possible from every source available. The more you know, the more valuable you become.

ScoreService TechnicianUS Average

Salary

3.2

Avg. Salary $40,379

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

6.4

Growth rate 8%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

7.2

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.74%

Asian 1.72%

Black or African American 5.14%

Hispanic or Latino 15.85%

Unknown 3.79%

White 72.77%

Gender

female 10.82%

male 89.18%

Age - 44

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 - 44

Stress level

6.4

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity level

7.4

Complexity level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work life balance

5.8

Work life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

What are the pros and cons of being a service technician?

Pros

Variety of tasks and challenges
High demand for skilled technicians
Job stability
Competitive pay and benefits
Chance to work with cutting-edge technology

Cons

Exposure to hazardous materials and chemicals
Work can be repetitive or monotonous
Potential for on-call duty
Risk of injury or accidents on the job
Continual need for ongoing training and education to stay current with technology.

Key steps to become a service technician

Explore service technician education requirements

Most common service technician degrees

Associate

29.2 %

High School Diploma

28.7 %

Bachelor's

22.1 %

Start to develop specific service technician skills

Skills	Percentages
Plumbing	6.62%
Customer Service	5.97%
Preventative Maintenance	5.91%
Hand Tools	5.89%
CDL	5.82%

Complete relevant service technician training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 1-2 years on post-employment, on-the-job training. New service 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 service technician based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real service technician resumes.

Gain additional service technician certifications

Service technician 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 service technician certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.

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

More About Certifications

Research service technician duties and responsibilities

Manage and perform the installation of HVAC equipment, air handlers, condensers, thermostats, ducts and piping.
Perform routine maintenance work on loaders, conveyors, trucks, and trailers.
Cable installation as a COMCAST subcontractor
Ensure ISO compliance and perform QC.

Prepare your service technician resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your service 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 service 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 service technician resume templates

Build a professional service 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 service technician resume.

Apply for service technician jobs

Now it's time to start searching for a service 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 do service technicians rate their job?

-/5

5 stars

4 stars

3 stars

2 stars

1 star

Service technician reviews

A zippia user wrote a review on Nov 2021

Pros

I love my job as an industrial scale tech. my pay is higher than what this says but I believe I am worth more than what I make. What makes this job enjoyable is I get to go to several different type of manufacturing companies and see all types of things made. Then go to the store and get to tell my wife and kids that I help make that product.

Cons

My pay! Some days there is alot of weight throun

A zippia user wrote a review on Apr 2020

Cons

I have more to offer than n various task. My resume spells out my duties.

A zippia user wrote a review on Jan 2020

Cons

None recognition for excellence

What is a service technician and how to become one

What general advice would you give to a service technician?

What are the pros and cons of being a service technician?

Service technician career paths

Key steps to become a service technician

Explore service technician education requirements

Most common service technician degrees

Start to develop specific service technician skills

Complete relevant service technician training and internships

Gain additional service technician certifications

Research service technician duties and responsibilities

Prepare your service technician resume

Choose from 10+ customizable service technician resume templates

Apply for service technician jobs

How did you land your first service technician job

Average service technician salary

How do service technicians rate their job?

Service technician reviews

Service technician FAQs

How long does it take to become a Service Technician?

Is field service technician a good job?

What is a service technician apprenticeship?

Search for service technician jobs

Service technician jobs by state