Elevator and Escalator Installers and Repairers
Elevator and Escalator Installers and Repairers (SOC 47-4021) earn a median $109,910 a year ($52.84 an hour) in the United States, with 23,790 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is Maine.
What elevator and escalator installers and repairers do
Elevator and escalator installers and repairers assemble, install, repair and maintain electric and hydraulic freight and passenger elevators, escalators, moving sidewalks and dumbwaiters. They read and interpret blueprints to determine the layout of components, frameworks and foundations and to select installation equipment, connect car frames to counterweights with steel cables, and inspect wiring connections, control panel hookups, door installations, and the alignments and clearances of cars and hoistways. Hand and power tools and test devices such as test lamps, ammeters and voltmeters are used. When something fails they locate malfunctions in brakes, motors, switches, and signal and control systems, disassemble defective units, repair or replace parts such as locks, gears, cables and wiring, and adjust safety controls, counterweights and door mechanisms. They confirm that safety regulations and building codes are satisfied and write service reports documenting that the equipment meets standards. Accessibility and private residence lift technician is among the listed titles.
Typical entry: O*NET respondents most often report a high school diploma or the equivalent as the education needed.
Also called: Accessibility and Private Residence Lift Technician (Accessibility and Private Residence Lift Tech), Accessibility Lift Technician (Accessibility Lift Tech), Building Serviceman, Contract Serviceman, Elevator Adjuster.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $28.49 | $38.12 | $52.84 | $65.25 | $76.39 | $52.80 | 23,790 |
| Annual | $59,270 | $79,290 | $109,910 | $135,720 | $158,890 | $109,820 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where elevator and escalator installers and repairers earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Maine | Hourly | $38.12 | $40.89 | $69.08 | $74.17 | $76.32 | $59.06 | 110 | 0.17 | 1.12 |
| Annual | $79,300 | $85,050 | $143,690 | $154,260 | $158,750 | $122,840 | ||||
| Nevada | Hourly | $49.48 | $60.71 | $68.25 | $79.71 | $83.99 | $68.22 | 510 | 0.33 | 2.13 |
| Annual | $102,920 | $126,270 | $141,950 | $165,790 | $174,710 | $141,910 | ||||
| California | Hourly | $35.90 | $58.12 | $67.88 | $77.52 | $83.62 | $66.19 | 1,910 | 0.11 | 0.69 |
| Annual | $74,670 | $120,900 | $141,180 | $161,230 | $173,920 | $137,670 | ||||
| Oregon | Hourly | $36.75 | $47.44 | $66.64 | $70.57 | $76.56 | $61.62 | 230 | 0.12 | 0.75 |
| Annual | $76,440 | $98,670 | $138,600 | $146,790 | $159,230 | $128,170 | ||||
| Massachusetts | Hourly | $37.79 | $39.92 | $66.55 | $73.92 | $74.17 | $59.18 | ** | ** | ** |
| Annual | $78,600 | $83,020 | $138,420 | $153,760 | $154,280 | $123,100 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| New York | Hourly | $37.59 | $52.37 | $65.25 | $73.66 | $80.95 | $62.67 | 3,470 | 0.36 | 2.34 |
| Annual | $78,180 | $108,940 | $135,720 | $153,220 | $168,370 | $130,360 | ||||
| Florida | Hourly | $28.10 | $34.19 | $50.35 | $54.90 | $59.53 | $45.43 | 2,790 | 0.28 | 1.84 |
| Annual | $58,440 | $71,100 | $104,730 | $114,180 | $123,830 | $94,480 | ||||
| Texas | Hourly | $26.84 | $35.66 | $49.11 | $52.72 | $58.56 | $44.79 | 2,030 | 0.14 | 0.94 |
| Annual | $55,820 | $74,180 | $102,140 | $109,650 | $121,800 | $93,160 | ||||
| California | Hourly | $35.90 | $58.12 | $67.88 | $77.52 | $83.62 | $66.19 | 1,910 | 0.11 | 0.69 |
| Annual | $74,670 | $120,900 | $141,180 | $161,230 | $173,920 | $137,670 | ||||
| Illinois | Hourly | $32.43 | $45.60 | $64.27 | $77.14 | $80.16 | $60.18 | 1,080 | 0.18 | 1.15 |
| Annual | $67,460 | $94,850 | $133,690 | $160,450 | $166,740 | $125,180 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | Hourly | $50.95 | $81.34 | $83.62 | $83.91 | $96.72 | $79.43 | 70 | 0.07 | 0.43 |
| Annual | $105,980 | $169,190 | $173,920 | $174,530 | $201,180 | $165,220 | ||||
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | Hourly | $40.83 | $80.26 | $80.90 | $84.05 | $94.41 | $76.52 | 370 | 0.15 | 1.01 |
| Annual | $84,920 | $166,940 | $168,270 | $174,820 | $196,370 | $159,150 | ||||
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | Hourly | $39.27 | $40.79 | $72.17 | $73.92 | $74.17 | $60.02 | ** | ** | ** |
| Annual | $81,690 | $84,840 | $150,120 | $153,760 | $154,280 | $124,840 | ||||
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | Hourly | $33.04 | $48.48 | $70.47 | $79.57 | $81.72 | $62.99 | 850 | 0.19 | 1.22 |
| Annual | $68,710 | $100,840 | $146,580 | $165,500 | $169,990 | $131,010 | ||||
| Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | Hourly | $48.40 | $59.67 | $68.23 | $79.63 | $83.08 | $67.35 | 410 | 0.36 | 2.35 |
| Annual | $100,670 | $124,110 | $141,920 | $165,630 | $172,800 | $140,090 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $39.88 | $53.89 | $65.39 | $79.50 | $82.63 | $64.77 | 3,270 | 0.35 | 2.25 |
| Annual | $82,950 | $112,100 | $136,000 | $165,350 | $171,860 | $134,710 | ||||
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | Hourly | $29.30 | $36.55 | $52.01 | $54.90 | $59.53 | $46.81 | 1,050 | 0.37 | 2.42 |
| Annual | $60,950 | $76,020 | $108,170 | $114,180 | $123,830 | $97,360 | ||||
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | Hourly | $33.04 | $48.48 | $70.47 | $79.57 | $81.72 | $62.99 | 850 | 0.19 | 1.22 |
| Annual | $68,710 | $100,840 | $146,580 | $165,500 | $169,990 | $131,010 | ||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $35.90 | $52.94 | $67.60 | $74.25 | $77.18 | $62.79 | 850 | 0.14 | 0.88 |
| Annual | $74,670 | $110,120 | $140,600 | $154,440 | $160,540 | $130,610 | ||||
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | Hourly | $27.65 | $37.15 | $50.17 | $52.35 | $59.21 | $46.19 | 540 | 0.16 | 1.07 |
| Annual | $57,520 | $77,260 | $104,350 | $108,880 | $123,170 | $96,060 | ||||
Top industries employing elevator and escalator installers and repairers
Building Equipment Contractors employ 88.8% of elevator and escalator installers and repairers nationally (21,120 jobs) at a median $113,290 a year ($54.46 an hour), followed by Machinery Manufacturing (3331, 3332, 3334, and 3339 only) (4.2%) and Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) (1.0%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Building Equipment Contractors NAICS 238200 | 21,120 | 88.8% | $113,290 | $54.46 |
| Machinery Manufacturing (3331, 3332, 3334, and 3339 only) NAICS 3330A1 | 1,010 | 4.2% | $115,300 | $55.43 |
| Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) NAICS 999300 | 240 | 1.0% | $122,260 | $58.78 |
| Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools NAICS 611300 | 140 | 0.6% | $98,300 | $47.26 |
| Farm Product Raw Material Merchant Wholesalers NAICS 424500 | 70 | 0.3% | $38,530 | $18.53 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (23,790). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $97,860 for elevator and escalator installers and repairers in May 2021 and $109,910 in May 2025, with employment of 22,510 and 23,790.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $97,860 | $47.05 | 22,510 |
| May 2022 | $99,000 | $47.60 | 24,380 |
| May 2023 | $102,420 | $49.24 | 23,990 |
| May 2024 | $106,580 | $51.24 | 23,340 |
| May 2025 | $109,910 | $52.84 | 23,790 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
38 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maine profile | $69.08 | $143,690 | $79,300 | $158,750 | 110 | 0.17 | 1.12 |
| 2 | Nevada profile | $68.25 | $141,950 | $102,920 | $174,710 | 510 | 0.33 | 2.13 |
| 3 | California profile | $67.88 | $141,180 | $74,670 | $173,920 | 1,910 | 0.11 | 0.69 |
| 4 | Oregon profile | $66.64 | $138,600 | $76,440 | $159,230 | 230 | 0.12 | 0.75 |
| 5 | Massachusetts profile | $66.55 | $138,420 | $78,600 | $154,280 | ** | ** | ** |
| 6 | New Jersey profile | $66.31 | $137,920 | $89,410 | $173,530 | 800 | 0.19 | 1.23 |
| 7 | Washington profile | $65.95 | $137,180 | $76,120 | $160,420 | 540 | 0.15 | 1.00 |
| 8 | New York profile | $65.25 | $135,720 | $78,180 | $168,370 | 3,470 | 0.36 | 2.34 |
| 9 | Illinois profile | $64.27 | $133,690 | $67,460 | $166,740 | 1,080 | 0.18 | 1.15 |
| 10 | Minnesota profile | $61.55 | $128,020 | $64,940 | $135,490 | 550 | 0.19 | 1.23 |
| 11 | Missouri profile | $60.94 | $126,750 | $76,980 | $150,590 | 450 | 0.15 | 0.99 |
| 12 | Colorado profile | $59.31 | $123,360 | $46,060 | $135,810 | 530 | 0.19 | 1.21 |
| 13 | District of Columbia profile | $58.93 | $122,570 | $65,870 | $148,490 | ** | ** | ** |
| 14 | Maryland profile | $58.78 | $122,260 | $78,620 | $132,540 | 810 | 0.29 | 1.92 |
| 15 | Nebraska profile | $56.58 | $117,690 | $62,150 | $122,410 | 140 | 0.13 | 0.87 |
| 16 | Pennsylvania profile | $56.37 | $117,250 | $63,280 | $132,640 | 900 | 0.15 | 0.97 |
| 17 | South Dakota profile | $55.92 | $116,320 | $83,270 | $120,090 | ** | ** | ** |
| 18 | Iowa profile | $55.43 | $115,300 | $65,470 | $128,160 | 90 | 0.06 | 0.36 |
| 19 | Virginia profile | $52.04 | $108,250 | $50,220 | $131,620 | 280 | 0.07 | 0.45 |
| 20 | North Carolina profile | $51.78 | $107,700 | $46,710 | $123,770 | 240 | 0.05 | 0.32 |
| 21 | Oklahoma profile | $50.69 | $105,430 | $36,110 | $122,310 | 140 | 0.08 | 0.55 |
| 22 | Ohio profile | $50.49 | $105,020 | $56,860 | $123,460 | 690 | 0.12 | 0.81 |
| 23 | Florida profile | $50.35 | $104,730 | $58,440 | $123,830 | 2,790 | 0.28 | 1.84 |
| 24 | Alabama profile | $49.86 | $103,700 | $73,010 | $113,550 | 170 | 0.08 | 0.51 |
| 25 | Texas profile | $49.11 | $102,140 | $55,820 | $121,800 | 2,030 | 0.14 | 0.94 |
| 26 | Tennessee profile | $48.31 | $100,490 | $59,520 | $121,130 | 700 | 0.21 | 1.40 |
| 27 | Michigan profile | $47.67 | $99,140 | $47,820 | $142,110 | 560 | 0.13 | 0.83 |
| 28 | Indiana profile | $44.42 | $92,390 | $58,450 | $125,840 | 120 | 0.04 | 0.24 |
| 29 | South Carolina profile | $43.68 | $90,860 | $60,450 | $125,260 | 540 | 0.24 | 1.54 |
| 30 | Montana profile | $43.45 | $90,370 | $60,380 | $100,350 | 40 | 0.07 | 0.46 |
| 31 | Kansas profile | $40.75 | $84,760 | $49,550 | $143,430 | 70 | 0.05 | 0.34 |
| 32 | Georgia profile | $40.14 | $83,500 | $34,270 | $124,320 | 640 | 0.13 | 0.86 |
| 33 | Utah profile | $38.97 | $81,060 | $61,930 | $121,780 | 280 | 0.16 | 1.05 |
| 34 | Wisconsin profile | $37.33 | $77,640 | $48,620 | $126,830 | 370 | 0.13 | 0.83 |
| 35 | New Mexico profile | $34.34 | $71,430 | $42,640 | $117,890 | 110 | 0.13 | 0.82 |
| 36 | Arkansas profile | $29.58 | $61,530 | $37,870 | $106,860 | 60 | 0.05 | 0.30 |
| 37 | Kentucky profile | $20.51 | $42,670 | $39,420 | $98,480 | ** | ** | ** |
| – | Mississippi profile | * | * | * | * | 80 | 0.07 | 0.46 |
Part of Construction and Extraction Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 47-4021 Elevator and Escalator Installers and Repairers.
*- Wage estimate not available.
**- Employment estimate not available.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 47-4021, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 47-4021.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.