Jetted FoxCareers · Factory machines & building upkeep
Maintenance and repair workers, general
Fixes a bit of everything in buildings: plumbing, electrical, painting, doors and appliances. No college degree needed.
Start now · paid while you train
Starting pay ranges from about $15.64/hr in West Virginia to $23.67/hr in Washington, DC.
Pay in every state
| State | Start | 2 years |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $13.98–17.36/hr | $20.97/hr |
| Alaska | $18.39–22.57/hr | $28.97/hr |
| Arizona | $17.22–19/hr | $22.90/hr |
| Arkansas | $14.01–16.67/hr | $20.87/hr |
| California | $18.66–22.28/hr | $27.41/hr |
| Colorado | $18.61–21.92/hr | $24.65/hr |
| Connecticut | $18.49–21.89/hr | $27.70/hr |
| Delaware | $17.56–20.87/hr | $24.11/hr |
| Florida | $16.44–18.19/hr | $22.15/hr |
| Georgia | $16.31–18.82/hr | $22.92/hr |
| Hawaii | $18.24–22.54/hr | $27.86/hr |
| Idaho | $17.23–19.62/hr | $23.17/hr |
| Illinois | $17.36–21.15/hr | $27.27/hr |
| Indiana | $16.91–20.02/hr | $23.99/hr |
| Iowa | $17.58–21.21/hr | $25.08/hr |
| Kansas | $16.14–18.92/hr | $22.70/hr |
| Kentucky | $14.65–17.89/hr | $22.50/hr |
| Louisiana | $13.52–16.99/hr | $21.13/hr |
| Maine | $18–20.90/hr | $23.76/hr |
| Maryland | $17.74–21.16/hr | $24.76/hr |
| Massachusetts | $18.63–22.55/hr | $28.04/hr |
| Michigan | $16.85–18.95/hr | $22.87/hr |
| Minnesota | $18.57–22.81/hr | $28.46/hr |
| Mississippi | $13.73–16.85/hr | $21.32/hr |
| Missouri | $16.37–19.19/hr | $23.26/hr |
| Montana | $16.73–18.50/hr | $22.54/hr |
| Nebraska | $17.43–21.36/hr | $24.38/hr |
| Nevada | $17.39–21.03/hr | $25.17/hr |
| New Hampshire | $18.09–21.90/hr | $25.40/hr |
| New Jersey | $18.03–21.93/hr | $26.35/hr |
| New Mexico | $14.87–17.71/hr | $22/hr |
| New York | $17.79–21.92/hr | $27.79/hr |
| North Carolina | $16.17–18.74/hr | $23.03/hr |
| North Dakota | $17.44–20.06/hr | $23.96/hr |
| Ohio | $16.98–21.17/hr | $25.68/hr |
| Oklahoma | $14.12–16.94/hr | $20.55/hr |
| Oregon | $18.57–21.97/hr | $26.13/hr |
| Pennsylvania | $16.81–19.99/hr | $23.70/hr |
| Rhode Island | $17.75–21.68/hr | $24.47/hr |
| South Carolina | $15.84–18.61/hr | $23.02/hr |
| South Dakota | $17.95–20.51/hr | $23.13/hr |
| Tennessee | $16.25–18.39/hr | $22.71/hr |
| Texas | $14.88–18.11/hr | $22.44/hr |
| Utah | $17.08–20.36/hr | $24.26/hr |
| Vermont | $20.28–23.02/hr | $26.69/hr |
| Virginia | $16.66–19.01/hr | $23.79/hr |
| Washington | $20.08–23.20/hr | $28.44/hr |
| Washington, DC | $20.24–23.67/hr | $29/hr |
| West Virginia | $13.54–15.64/hr | $18.70/hr |
| Wisconsin | $17.25–21.92/hr | $26.83/hr |
| Wyoming | $14.94–18.51/hr | $23.03/hr |
Estimates, May 2025. Start = what the lowest-paid 10–25% earn; 2 years = the median. US Bureau of Labor Statistics
What it takes
Before you're hired
Once you're hired
A normal day
You get work orders and go fix leaks, broken lights, jammed doors and appliances around apartments, schools or offices. You also do routine upkeep like changing filters and painting. You deal with residents, staff and the building manager.
The good parts
Every day is different. Apartments, schools and offices hire everywhere. You learn plumbing, electrical and HVAC basics on the job.
The hard parts
Dirty jobs like clogged toilets, pests and mold. On-call nights and weekends for emergencies. Unhappy residents waiting for repairs.
Where it leads
Shop or maintenance supervisor (after 3–5 years). maintenance workers move to maintenance supervisor, facilities manager or a licensed trade like HVAC or electrical.
Quick answers
Do maintenance and repair workers, general need a college degree?
No. You can start now: paid while you train.
How long is the training for maintenance and repair workers, general?
3–12 months of paid training at work.
How much do maintenance and repair workers, general make?
About $17–19.64 an hour to start and $23.84 an hour at the median across the US (May 2025).
Is it a fit for you?
Answer a few questions and see your paths. Free, about 7 minutes.
Last updated October 13, 2026. Pay: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Jobs: BLS Employment Projections 2025–35. Training, costs and requirements: Jetted Fox research (estimates). This site includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. Jetted Fox has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. Facts, not advice.