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Vending Services
PepsiCo, Coca-Cola Consolidated, Aramark
Coin, Vending, and Amusement Machine Servicers and Repairers
These workers keep coin-operated, vending, and amusement machines running at stores, arcades, casinos, and other locations where a broken machine means lost money fast. The work is mostly hands-on troubleshooting: clearing jams, replacing worn parts, and checking electrical and mechanical systems on site. The tradeoff is that the job is accessible without a degree, but it is physical, route-based, and tied to a niche that is slowly shrinking as cashless equipment spreads.
Also known as Vending Machine TechnicianCoin Machine TechnicianAmusement Machine TechnicianGaming Machine TechnicianRoute Service Technician
Median Salary
$47,350
Mean $48,530
U.S. Workforce
~28K
3.5K openings per year
10-Year Growth
+-2.9%
32.5K to 31.6K
Entry Education
High school diploma or equivalent
+ None experience
What This Role Looks Like in Practice
Coin, Vending, and Amusement Machine Servicers and Repairers sits in the Trades category. In practical terms, this role combines day-to-day execution, cross-team coordination, and consistent decision-making under real business constraints.
U.S. employment is currently about ~28K workers, with a median annual pay of $47,350 and roughly 3.5K openings each year. Based on BLS projections, total employment is expected to decline from 32.5 K in 2024 to 31.6K in 2034.
Most hiring paths start with High school diploma or equivalent, and employers typically expect none of related experience. Many careers in this track begin around Route Helper and can progress toward Service Supervisor. High-value skills usually include Repairing Mechanical & Electrical Components, Equipment Maintenance & Preventive Servicing, and Troubleshooting Motors, Switches & Circuitry, paired with soft skills such as Complex Problem Solving, Active Listening, and Attention to Detail.
Core Responsibilities
- Drive to customer sites and figure out why a machine stopped working.
- Clear jams, replace worn parts, and fix small electrical or mechanical problems with hand tools and repair equipment.
- Test each machine after a repair to make sure it dispenses, counts, or plays correctly.
- Clean, oil, and adjust moving parts so the equipment runs smoothly.
Keep exploring: more Trades careers or browse all job titles.
A Day in the Life
01 Drive to customer sites and figure out why a machine stopped working.
02 Clear jams, replace worn parts, and fix small electrical or mechanical problems with hand tools and repair equipment.
03 Test each machine after a repair to make sure it dispenses, counts, or plays correctly.
04 Clean, oil, and adjust moving parts so the equipment runs smoothly.
05 Write up what was fixed, note unusual transactions or errors, and keep maintenance records.
06 Order replacement parts and swap in new readers, sensors, or other components when needed.
Industries That Hire
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Amusement and Family Entertainment
Dave & Buster's, Chuck E. Cheese, Round1
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Casino Gaming Operations
MGM Resorts, Caesars Entertainment, Penn Entertainment
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ATM and Payment Hardware Services
NCR Voyix, Diebold Nixdorf, Fiserv
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Retail and Convenience Stores
7-Eleven, Circle K, Casey's
Pros and Cons
Advantages
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You can enter the field with a high school diploma and short-term training, so the barrier to entry is relatively low.
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The work is hands-on and varied, with each broken machine requiring a different diagnosis.
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There are about 3.5K annual openings, so people do keep moving in and out of the occupation.
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Median pay of $47,350 and mean pay of $48,530 are solid for a job that usually does not require a degree.
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The skills you build in repair, testing, and parts handling can transfer to broader field service and maintenance jobs.
Challenges
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Employment is projected to fall 2.9% by 2034, so this is not a growth field.
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Cashless machines and fewer coin-operated devices can reduce the amount of work over time, which is a structural risk for the occupation.
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The job is physical: it often means lifting, crouching, carrying parts, and working in cramped or dirty spaces.
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Route work can be lonely and urgent, because a broken machine is lost revenue until you fix it.
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The career ladder is fairly narrow, so long-term advancement often means moving into supervision or leaving the niche for a broader repair field.
Career Progression
Route Helper
0-1 years
$30K-$37K
Learns the route, carries parts, cleans machines, and helps senior technicians with simple fixes and checkups.
Vending/Arcade Technician
1-3 years
$38K-$44K
Handles routine repairs and replacements on a smaller set of machines and begins working more independently.
Coin, Vending, and Amusement Machine Servicer and Repairer THIS ROLE
3-6 years
$45K-$52K
Works a regular route, diagnoses mechanical and electrical problems, and keeps records of repairs and parts used.
Senior Field Service Technician
6-10 years
$53K-$64K
Takes on tougher breakdowns, trains newer workers, and covers larger or more specialized routes.
Service Supervisor
10+ years
$65K-$78K
Manages schedules, parts inventory, and quality control across a team of technicians.
Education Paths
High school diploma or equivalent
The main entry point, held by 91.61% of workers in this occupation, and often paired with short-term training on the job.
Post-secondary certificate in electronics or equipment repair
A useful hands-on alternative for learning repair basics, and 7.58% of workers in this role report this level of education.
Associate's degree in electronics or mechatronics
A less common route that can strengthen diagnostics and circuit skills, held by 0.81% of workers.
Short-term on-the-job training
Many employers teach the machine-specific work after hiring, and BLS lists short-term on-the-job training as the typical preparation path.
Key Skills
Technical
Repairing Mechanical & Electrical Components 70%
Equipment Maintenance & Preventive Servicing 68%
Troubleshooting Motors, Switches & Circuitry 65%
Machine Controls, Coin Acceptors & Card Readers 60%
Machine Testing, Calibration & Quality Checks 60%
Multimeters, Soldering Irons & Hand Tools 59%
Parts Ordering, Service Logs & Inventory Tracking 58%
Soft Skills
Complex Problem SolvingActive ListeningAttention to DetailCustomer ServiceTime ManagementDependability Job Outlook and Trends
+-2.9%
Projected growth (2024-2034)
3.5K
Annual job openings
Employment is projected to rise from 32.5K to 31.6 K over the next decade, representing -2.9% growth. Around 3.5 K openings per year include both newly created roles and replacement hiring from turnover.
Remote availability is currently Rare. Demand remains strongest where employers need practical domain knowledge plus modern workflow and data skills.