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Career overview · SOC 49-9031

Home Appliance Repairers

Repair, adjust, or install all types of electric or gas household appliances, such as refrigerators, washers, dryers, and ovens.

Also called: Appliance Mechanic · Appliance Repair Mechanic · Appliance Repair Technician (Appliance Repair Tech) · Appliance Service Technician · Appliance Technician (Appliance Tech) · Repair Man

Median pay (national)
$49,410
$33,280–$77,800 (10th–90th)
Employed (US)
31,940
BLS OEWS, May 2024
Outlook 2024–34
+2.6%
~3,100 openings/yr
Typical entry
High school diploma or equivalent

What the numbers say

Refit analysis ·Pay for home appliance repairers shows a broad range: the top 10% earn $77,800 versus $33,280 at the bottom 10% — 2.3x. The median of $49,410 leaves roughly 57% of headroom to the 90th percentile, which is where seniority, specialization, and the skills below tend to pay off.
Refit analysis ·Employment is projected to change +2.6% from 2024 to 2034 — about as fast as the 3% all-occupation average. Even so, BLS projects about 3,100 openings a year, mostly to replace workers who retire or change careers.
Refit analysis ·Where you work moves the number a lot. Across the 50 states with released data, Massachusetts pays the most for this role (median $64,460, +30% vs the national median), while Puerto Rico sits lowest at $29,120 — a 121% spread for the same job title.
Refit analysis ·O*NET rates Critical Thinking, Speaking, Active Listening as the highest-importance skills here — so a resume aimed at this role should lead with evidence of those, not a generic skills list.

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Top skills employers ask for

Ranked by O*NET importance for this occupation.

  • Critical Thinking
  • Speaking
  • Active Listening
  • Reading Comprehension
  • Active Learning
  • Monitoring
  • Writing
  • Mathematics
  • Learning Strategies
  • Science

What they actually do

Core O*NET tasks for this role.

  • Trace electrical circuits, following diagrams, and conduct tests with circuit testers and other equipment to locate shorts and grounds.
  • Provide repair cost estimates, and recommend whether appliance repair or replacement is a better choice.
  • Respond to emergency calls for problems such as gas leaks.
  • Service and repair domestic electrical or gas appliances, such as clothes washers, refrigerators, stoves, and dryers.
  • Reassemble units after repairs are made, making adjustments and cleaning and lubricating parts as needed.
  • Test and examine gas pipelines and equipment to locate leaks and faulty connections, and to determine the pressure and flow of gas.
  • Contact supervisors or offices to receive repair assignments.
  • Maintain stocks of parts used in on-site installation, maintenance, and repair of appliances.
  • Level refrigerators, adjust doors, and connect water lines to water pipes for ice makers and water dispensers, using hand tools.
  • Set appliance thermostats, and check to ensure that they are functioning properly.

Tools & technology

  • Microsoft Windows
  • dESCO ESC
  • Intac International Wintac
  • Parts database software
  • RazorSync
  • Route mapping software
  • ServiceMax
  • Web browser software
  • Microsoft Excel
  • Microsoft Office software
  • Microsoft Outlook
  • Microsoft Word

Knowledge areas

  • Customer and Personal Service
  • Mechanical
  • English Language
  • Administration and Management
  • Administrative
  • Computers and Electronics
  • Sales and Marketing
  • Engineering and Technology