Installation, Maintenance & Repair
Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Commercial and Industrial Equipment
Also called: Control Technician, E and I Mechanic (Electrical and Instrument Mechanic), E and I Mechanic (Electrical and Instrumentation Mechanic), Electrical and Instrument Technician (E and I Tech)
US median pay
$74,090
per year, 2025
Job growth 2025–35
+0.3%
about average or slower
Openings a year (US)
4,700
65,500 employed
Typical entry education
Postsecondary nondegree award
Preparation 3/5 · Medium preparation
What this job is
Repair, test, adjust, or install electronic equipment, such as industrial controls, transmitters, and antennas.
What they do day to day
- Test faulty equipment to diagnose malfunctions, using test equipment or software, and applying knowledge of the functional operation of electronic units and systems.
- Maintain equipment logs that record performance problems, repairs, calibrations, or tests.
- Set up and test industrial equipment to ensure that it functions properly.
- Inspect components of industrial equipment for accurate assembly and installation or for defects, such as loose connections or frayed wires.
- Install repaired equipment in various settings, such as industrial or military establishments.
- Operate equipment to demonstrate proper use or to analyze malfunctions.
- Enter information into computer to copy program or to draw, modify, or store schematics, applying knowledge of software package used.
- Perform scheduled preventive maintenance tasks, such as checking, cleaning, or repairing equipment, to detect and prevent problems.
- Calibrate testing instruments and installed or repaired equipment to prescribed specifications.
- Repair or adjust equipment, machines, or defective components, replacing worn parts, such as gaskets or seals in watertight electrical equipment.
Skills and knowledge that matter most
Skills
- Repairing3.9/5
- Operations Monitoring3.9/5
- Troubleshooting3.8/5
- Quality Control Analysis3.8/5
- Equipment Maintenance3.8/5
- Judgment and Decision Making3.2/5
- Complex Problem Solving3.2/5
- Equipment Selection3.1/5
Knowledge
- Computers and Electronics4.2/5
- Mechanical4.1/5
- Production and Processing3.9/5
- Customer and Personal Service3.7/5
- Mathematics3.6/5
- Administration and Management3.5/5
Importance rated by people working in the job (1 = not important, 5 = extremely important).
Education and preparation
Preparation level 3 of 5 — Medium preparation. Usually vocational training, an associate's degree or an apprenticeship.
Typical entry education (BLS): Postsecondary nondegree award.
Highest education of people in this job:
- Associate's degree46%
- Post-secondary certificate32%
- High school diploma22%
Who this job suits
Mostly Realistic
Hands-on work with tools, machines, plants or animals
Conventional
Organising data, details and procedures
Investigative
Ideas, research and solving problems
Based on the Holland (RIASEC) interest profile for this occupation.