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Manufacturing
General Electric, Siemens, Caterpillar
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Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Commercial and Industrial Equipment
These repairers keep commercial and industrial machines running by finding faults in the electronics, controls, and testing equipment that sit behind the visible machinery. The job is a mix of detective work and precision repair: you have to figure out whether the problem is a bad component, a bad signal, or a bad setup, then fix it without causing a bigger shutdown. The tradeoff is that the work is hands-on and varied, but it is also urgent, physically demanding, and tied to equipment that can fail at the worst possible time.
Also known as Industrial Electronics TechnicianElectronics Repair TechnicianIndustrial Equipment Electronics TechnicianElectronic Service TechnicianMaintenance Electronics Technician
Median Salary
$71,300
Mean $72,950
U.S. Workforce
~60K
4.7K openings per year
10-Year Growth
+-0.8%
61.1K to 60.7K
Entry Education
Postsecondary nondegree award
+ None experience
What This Role Looks Like in Practice
Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Commercial and Industrial Equipment 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 ~60K workers, with a median annual pay of $71,300 and roughly 4.7K openings each year. Based on BLS projections, total employment is expected to decline from 61.1 K in 2024 to 60.7K in 2034.
Most hiring paths start with Postsecondary nondegree award, and employers typically expect none of related experience. Many careers in this track begin around Electronics Repair Apprentice and can progress toward Maintenance Supervisor or Lead Technician. High-value skills usually include Operations Monitoring, Repairing, and Equipment Maintenance, paired with soft skills such as Attention to Detail, Clear Communication, and Teamwork.
Core Responsibilities
- Figure out why a machine, control panel, or testing device stopped working by checking symptoms, reading error signs, and talking with the people who were using it.
- Repair or replace damaged electronic parts, wiring, and control components inside industrial and commercial equipment.
- Test repaired equipment, calibrate instruments, and make sure the machine is set to the right specifications before it goes back into service.
- Read work orders, wiring diagrams, and service notes to plan the fix or to make small changes to existing equipment.
Keep exploring: more Trades careers or browse all job titles.
A Day in the Life
01 Figure out why a machine, control panel, or testing device stopped working by checking symptoms, reading error signs, and talking with the people who were using it.
02 Repair or replace damaged electronic parts, wiring, and control components inside industrial and commercial equipment.
03 Test repaired equipment, calibrate instruments, and make sure the machine is set to the right specifications before it goes back into service.
04 Read work orders, wiring diagrams, and service notes to plan the fix or to make small changes to existing equipment.
05 Work with operators, engineers, supervisors, and other technicians so repairs and installations fit the rest of the system.
06 Document the problem, recommend improvements, and send equipment out for outside repair when the fix is beyond the shop's capability.
Industries That Hire
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Utilities and Power Generation
Duke Energy, NextEra Energy, Southern Company
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Warehousing and Logistics
Amazon, UPS, FedEx
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Semiconductor and Electronics Manufacturing
Intel, Texas Instruments, Micron
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Food and Beverage Processing
PepsiCo, Nestlé, Tyson Foods
Pros and Cons
Advantages
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Pay is solid for a role that usually does not require a 4-year degree: the median is $71,300 and the mean is $72,950.
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The work is concrete and varied, so you are not stuck doing the same desk task all day; you diagnose, repair, test, and calibrate real equipment.
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There are still about 4.7K annual openings, so even with slow growth there is regular hiring from retirements, turnover, and replacement demand.
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Your skills can transfer across many settings, from factories and utilities to warehouses and service contractors.
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Long-term on-the-job training can let you earn while learning instead of taking on a full college program.
Challenges
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The occupation is projected to shrink slightly, from 61.1K jobs in 2024 to 60.7K in 2034, a decline of 0.8%, so this is not a high-growth field.
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The work can be physically awkward and sometimes risky because you may be crawling into equipment, lifting parts, and working near live electrical systems.
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Training takes time: BLS says long-term on-the-job training, so it can take years before you are fully independent on difficult repairs.
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There is a real career ceiling if you stay in pure repair work; bigger pay jumps often require moving into supervision, controls specialization, or vendor support.
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More modern equipment is becoming smarter and more software-driven, which can reduce work for technicians who only know basic mechanical repair and increase pressure to keep up with diagnostic technology.
Career Progression
Electronics Repair Apprentice
0-2 years
$38K-$52K
Learns the equipment, safety rules, and basic diagnostic steps while assisting senior technicians with simple repairs and testing.
Electrical and Electronics Repairer, Commercial and Industrial Equipment
2-6 years
$68K-$82K
Handles routine troubleshooting, repair, and calibration work independently across commercial or industrial equipment.
Senior Industrial Electronics Technician THIS ROLE
6-10 years
$83K-$100K
Takes on harder failures, mentors newer workers, and handles more complex controls, testing systems, and equipment modifications.
Maintenance Supervisor or Lead Technician
10+ years
$101K-$125K
Oversees repair priorities, schedules crews, coordinates downtime, and makes decisions on major fixes or outside service calls.
Education Paths
Postsecondary nondegree award
BLS lists this as the typical entry point, usually paired with long-term on-the-job training.
Associate's degree (or other 2-year degree)
This is the most common formal pathway, used by 45.71% of workers in the occupation.
Post-secondary certificate
A strong alternative route, held by 32.27% of workers in the occupation.
High school diploma plus long-term training
A smaller share, 22.02%, enter with only a high school diploma and build the rest through long-term on-the-job training.
Key Skills
Technical
Operations Monitoring 78%
Repairing 78%
Equipment Maintenance 75%
Troubleshooting 75%
Quality Control Analysis 75%
Multimeters, Oscilloscopes & Calibrators 74%
PLCs, HMIs & SCADA Diagnostics 73%
Electrical Schematics, Wiring Diagrams & Service Manuals 72%
Soft Skills
Attention to DetailClear CommunicationTeamworkJudgmentCustomer ServiceAdaptability Job Outlook and Trends
+-0.8%
Projected growth (2024-2034)
4.7K
Annual job openings
Employment is projected to rise from 61.1K to 60.7 K over the next decade, representing -0.8% growth. Around 4.7 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.