GraduateSmart
GraduateSmart
Common major: Industrial Maintenance Technology
No 4-year degree required — and that's a feature, not a fallback
Skilled trades typically start earning $45-75K straight out of high school with little or no debt. Many trades earn more than the median college grad by age 30. Look for paid apprenticeships (IBEW for electricians, UA for plumbers/pipefitters, local trade unions) — you earn while you learn instead of paying tuition.
$68K/yr
Average Salary
2 years
Years of Education
+4%
Job Growth
Many
Total Jobs
Install, maintain, and repair factory equipment, production machinery, and automated systems. High demand in manufacturing, food processing, and pharmaceutical plants.
$48K
Starting
$68K
Average
$88K
Senior
High School Diploma or GED
Foundation requirement for all pathways
Trade / Vocational Program
6–18 months of hands-on technical training
Apprenticeship or License
State licensing exam required for most trade careers
Start your career
Entry-level positions and internships
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OSHA 10-Hour Construction
OSHA Outreach Training Program
Field
Trades & Skilled Labor
Required Degree
Associate's Degree
Time in School
2 years
Job Demand
10-Year Job Growth
+4%
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Create free account →Federal labor-market data for Industrial Maintenance Technician
Pay range
$48K–$88K
10th–90th percentile
Job growth
+4%
projected 2024–2034
Number of jobs
—
unavailable
Slower than average
Below-average demand growth expected
Typical duties
Read the full duties, work environment, and education requirements on the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Outlook Handbook. Open BLS page →
Mapped to Maintenance Workers, Machinery (49-9043) — median $61,170 (May 2024). The closest BLS-tracked equivalent for industrial-plant maintenance technicians (PMs on rotating equipment, motors, hydraulics).