Short version: The US median for a General Maintenance & Repair Worker (BLS SOC 49-9071) is roughly $46,700 a year — about $22.45 an hour — with typical pay running $38,000 to $58,000. Industrial, commercial, and hospital maintenance techs with EPA 608, OSHA-30, boiler licenses, or electrical hours routinely clear $60,000–$80,000. The overtime and callout premium is real — union and industrial techs often earn 15–25% of base in OT alone. Below are the metros, industries, and credentials that decide where in the band you land.
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How much does a maintenance worker make?
National median (base)$46,700US, 2026 · US Bureau of Labor Statistics OES 49-9071
Typical range$38,000–$58,000Base salary, before overtime
Top decile$72,000+Industrial · lead tech · major metro
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics counts roughly 1.5 million General Maintenance and Repair Workers under occupation code 49-9071 — one of the largest skilled-trades categories in the country. The role covers a wide span: apartment complex maintenance, school and municipal facilities, hospital plant operations, university physical plant, commercial office building engineers, industrial and manufacturing plant maintenance, and hotel engineering. Median pay is around $46,700, but the range is very wide — a residential apartment tech and a chemical-plant maintenance mechanic sit under the same code and can be $30,000 apart.
Base pay by level
| Level | Typical US base salary | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Maintenance Helper / Assistant (0–2 yrs) | ~$32,000–$40,000 | Learning on the job, basic PM tickets |
| Maintenance Tech I (2–5 yrs) | ~$40,000–$52,000 | Runs PM, basic HVAC, electrical, plumbing repairs |
| Maintenance Tech II / Senior (5–10 yrs) | ~$52,000–$68,000 | EPA 608, OSHA-30, on-call rotation, minor projects |
| Lead Tech / Foreman (10+ yrs) | ~$65,000–$85,000 | Runs a small team, PM program, vendor management |
| Maintenance Supervisor / Manager | ~$78,000–$105,000 | Full facility, budget, capex projects, salaried |
Overtime, benefits, and shift differentials
Overtime is the story most salary tables miss. Union and industrial maintenance techs frequently add 15–25% of base in overtime, callouts, and shift differentials — a $52,000 base often becomes $62,000–$68,000 all-in. Hospitals and universities run 24/7 shifts; night and weekend differentials add $1–$3 an hour. Industrial plants pay callout minimums (typically 4 hours at 1.5x) that meaningfully lift take-home. Bonuses are modest (2–5%), but pension participation in union roles is a significant long-term benefit that private-sector spreadsheets ignore.
Salary by city — top 10 US metros
| Metro | Median (base) | Senior / lead (top) |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco / San Jose, CA | ~$59,000 | ~$88,000 |
| New York, NY | ~$56,000 | ~$84,000 |
| Boston, MA | ~$54,000 | ~$80,000 |
| Seattle, WA | ~$54,000 | ~$80,000 |
| Los Angeles, CA | ~$52,000 | ~$76,000 |
| Washington, DC | ~$51,000 | ~$75,000 |
| Chicago, IL | ~$49,000 | ~$72,000 |
| Denver, CO | ~$48,000 | ~$70,000 |
| Atlanta, GA | ~$45,000 | ~$66,000 |
| Dallas / Fort Worth, TX | ~$44,000 | ~$64,000 |
Metro bands approximate BLS OES metro-level data. Rural industrial roles at chemical, refinery, and paper-mill plants often exceed the metro medians because employers must pay to attract skilled techs to remote sites.
Salary by industry
| Industry | Typical median (US) |
|---|---|
| Utilities (electric, gas, water) | ~$62,000 |
| Chemical & petroleum manufacturing | ~$58,000 |
| Federal government (VA, DoD, GSA) | ~$56,000 |
| Hospitals | ~$51,000 |
| Colleges & universities | ~$50,000 |
| Manufacturing (general) | ~$50,000 |
| Commercial real estate (office, retail) | ~$47,000 |
| Residential (apartments, hotels) | ~$42,000 |
What pushes you up the band
- EPA 608 Universal — the single most-cited credential in maintenance postings; opens HVAC-adjacent work anywhere.
- OSHA-30 (General Industry or Construction) — signals safety literacy on any commercial or industrial site.
- Boiler operator license — state-specific; unlocks steam-plant, hospital, and district-heat roles at premium pay.
- Journeyman electrical hours (not necessarily full journeyman) — the more, the higher.
- CMMS fluency — Fiix, Maintenance Connection, MaintainX, IBM Maximo — modern PM programs run on these.
- PLC / Allen-Bradley or Siemens — moves you from general maintenance to industrial maintenance mechanic pay.
- Backflow prevention certification — required in most municipalities for commercial and hospital plumbing.
- Trade of origin — a former electrician, HVAC tech, or plumber in a general maintenance role earns a specialist premium.
How to negotiate a higher maintenance offer
Prep
List every credential by number: "EPA 608 Universal (cert #), OSHA-30 General Industry (cert #), Boiler Operator Class 3 (state license #), journeyman-level electrical hours (2,400), CMMS fluent (Fiix and MaintainX)." Then quantify what you own: square footage of the facility, number of HVAC units, PM completion rate, mean time to repair. Recruiters and facility managers respond to numbers — not descriptions.
Anchor
Ask for the top of the posted range, or 8–12% above midpoint if no range is disclosed. Anchor against the metro median, not the national median.
Counter
Counter once, in writing, with a specific number and a specific reason. "Given my EPA 608, OSHA-30, and 4 years of hospital-side experience running Fiix on a 400-unit HVAC portfolio, I'd accept at $56,500." Employers respond to specificity.
Close
Always ask about the four unlocks: overtime pay rate, callout minimum, shift differential, and tool allowance. These four items are often worth $4,000–$10,000 a year on top of base, and they're negotiated separately from salary.
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The US median for General Maintenance and Repair Workers (BLS SOC 49-9071) is about $46,700 per year, or roughly $22.45 an hour. Typical pay runs $38,000 to $58,000. The top decile clears $72,000, and industrial and commercial maintenance techs with HVAC or electrical credentials often earn $65,000–$85,000.
Averages sit near $49,000 annually because a share of industrial and specialized techs pull the mean above the median. Anchor on the median ($46,700) for residential and light-commercial roles. Industrial plants, hospitals, and universities pay 10–20% more than the national median.
Los Angeles metro maintenance workers earn a median near $54,000, with senior industrial and commercial techs reaching $70,000–$85,000. San Francisco, New York, Boston, and Seattle sit at the top. Expect a 15–25% metro premium over the national median in high-cost cities.
Overtime is the real story. Union and industrial maintenance techs frequently earn 15–25% of base in overtime, callouts, and shift differentials. Bonuses are modest (2–5% at private employers). On-call and after-hours pay premiums are the biggest levers for hourly workers.
Utilities, chemical and petroleum manufacturing, hospitals, universities, and federal facilities consistently pay above median. Industrial maintenance techs at a chemical plant or refinery often out-earn commercial techs by $12,000–$25,000 annually. Retail and residential apartment maintenance sit at the lower end.
Entry-level maintenance workers typically start at $32,000–$40,000 annually ($15.50–$19 per hour). A CFC/EPA 608 refrigerant certification, an OSHA-10 card, and a boiler operator license at hire add roughly $2,000–$5,000 to the first offer.
Senior maintenance techs with 10+ years and multiple credentials (HVAC EPA 608, boiler operator, electrical journeyman-level, PLC or millwright) typically earn $58,000–$78,000 base. Lead techs and maintenance supervisors reach $75,000–$95,000, and industrial plant maintenance leads at chemical, pharmaceutical, or auto plants can exceed $100,000.
Anchor on the BLS median for your metro, list your credentials by number (EPA 608 Universal, OSHA-30, boiler license grade, journeyman electrical hours), quantify what you own (square footage of buildings, number of HVAC units, PM completion rate), and cite one competing offer or a specific area posting. Counter once by $2,500–$5,000 above midpoint, and always ask about shift differential, callout pay, and tool allowance.