How much do elevator mechanics make?

Elevator Mechanic salary 2026 · BLS occupation: Elevator and Escalator Installers and Repairers (SOC 47-4021) · Updated October 28, 2026

Answer

Elevator mechanics in the US earned a median of $109,910 a year ($52.84 an hour) in May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The middle half earned $79,290 to $135,720.

Median annual pay: $109,910; Mean $109,820
Median hourly pay: $52.84; Mean $52.80
Typical range (10th–90th): $59.3K–$159K; $59,270 to $158,890
US jobs: 23,790; +5.7% projected, 2025–35

BLS OEWS, May 2025, released April 30, 2026. Wages include tips, commissions and production bonuses but not overtime premiums, shift differentials, other bonuses or benefits; self-employed workers are not included. Methodology

How to become an elevator mechanic: steps, years and cost · Best-paying state after cost of living: Maine

Elevator Mechanic pay range

Annual wages, May 2025

10th percentile$59,270
25th percentile$79,290
Median$109,910
75th percentile$135,720
90th percentile$158,890

Half of all elevator mechanics earned more than $109,910 and half earned less. The lowest-paid 10% made under $59,270; the top 10% made over $158,890. The middle 50%, from the 25th to the 75th percentile, ran from $79,290 to $135,720.

These percentiles describe everyone in the occupation at one time. They are not pay steps by years of experience: they mix new and senior workers, different states, employers and hours. Pay generally rises with experience, credentials and specialization, but BLS does not publish pay by experience.

Percentile	Annual	Hourly	Monthly
10th	$59,270	$28.49	$4,939
25th	$79,290	$38.12	$6,608
Median (50th)	$109,910	$52.84	$9,159
75th	$135,720	$65.25	$11,310
90th	$158,890	$76.39	$13,241
Mean (average)	$109,820	$52.80	$9,152

Elevator Mechanic salary by state

Median annual pay; cost of living from BEA regional price parities 2024

Median annual pay for elevator mechanics by state. Darker tiles pay more. A dash means BLS did not publish a figure.

Highest-paying states

1. Maine $143,690
2. Nevada $141,950
3. California $141,180
4. Oregon $138,600
5. Massachusetts $138,420

Lowest-paying states

37. Kentucky $42,670
36. Arkansas $61,530
35. New Mexico $71,430
34. Wisconsin $77,640
33. Utah $81,060

Best after cost of living: Maine. Its median of $143,690 is worth about $148,058 at national-average prices.


Alabama	$103,700	24	$116,749	18	$49.86	170	0.08
Alaska	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Arizona	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Arkansas	$61,530	36	$70,775	36	$29.58	60	0.05
California	$141,180	3	$127,511	12	$67.88	1,910	0.10
Colorado	$123,360	12	$119,707	17	$59.31	530	0.18
Connecticut	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Delaware	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
District of Columbia	$122,570	13	$111,528	22	$58.93	—	—
Florida	$104,730	23	$101,273	27	$50.35	2,790	0.28
Georgia	$83,500	32	$86,715	32	$40.14	640	0.13
Hawaii	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Idaho	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Illinois	$133,690	9	$133,746	5	$64.27	1,080	0.18
Indiana	$92,390	28	$98,994	28	$44.42	120	0.04
Iowa	$115,300	18	$131,378	6	$55.43	90	0.06
Kansas	$84,760	31	$94,107	31	$40.75	70	0.05
Kentucky	$42,670	37	$47,327	37	$20.51	—	—
Louisiana	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Maine	$143,690	1	$148,058	1	$69.08	110	0.17
Maryland	$122,260	14	$116,484	19	$58.78	810	0.29
Massachusetts	$138,420	5	$130,885	8	$66.55	—	—
Michigan	$99,140	27	$103,038	26	$47.67	560	0.13
Minnesota	$128,020	10	$129,810	10	$61.55	550	0.19
Mississippi	—	—	—	—	—	80	0.07
Missouri	$126,750	11	$139,566	3	$60.94	450	0.15
Montana	$90,370	30	$95,483	30	$43.45	40	0.07
Nebraska	$117,690	15	$130,617	9	$56.58	140	0.13
Nevada	$141,950	2	$141,980	2	$68.25	510	0.33
New Hampshire	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
New Jersey	$137,920	6	$126,759	13	$66.31	800	0.19
New Mexico	$71,430	35	$77,463	35	$34.34	110	0.13
New York	$135,720	8	$125,759	14	$65.25	3,470	0.36
North Carolina	$107,700	20	$114,178	20	$51.78	240	0.05
North Dakota	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Ohio	$105,020	22	$113,200	21	$50.49	690	0.12
Oklahoma	$105,430	21	$120,021	16	$50.69	140	0.08
Oregon	$138,600	4	$134,093	4	$66.64	230	0.12
Pennsylvania	$117,250	16	$120,168	15	$56.37	900	0.15
Rhode Island	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
South Carolina	$90,860	29	$96,918	29	$43.68	540	0.24
South Dakota	$116,320	17	$131,307	7	$55.92	—	—
Tennessee	$100,490	26	$109,383	23	$48.31	700	0.21
Texas	$102,140	25	$105,237	25	$49.11	2,030	0.14
Utah	$81,060	33	$81,991	34	$38.97	280	0.16
Vermont	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Virginia	$108,250	19	$107,068	24	$52.04	280	0.07
Washington	$137,180	7	$128,190	11	$65.95	540	0.15
West Virginia	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Wisconsin	$77,640	34	$82,512	33	$37.33	370	0.13
Wyoming	—	—	—	—	—	—	—

BLS OEWS, May 2025, state estimates. Adjusted pay = median ÷ (state price level ÷ 100), using BEA regional price parities for 2024; it ignores taxes. Figures for states with few workers in the occupation have larger survey errors and can change sharply from one year to the next. “—” means BLS did not publish the figure (14 states). State names link to each state’s highest-paying jobs.

Best-paying metro areas for elevator mechanics

56 metro areas with published pay

Highest median pay
Metro area	Median	Adjusted	Jobs
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA	$173,920	$157,503	70
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA	$168,270	$145,546	370
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH	$150,120	$138,658	—
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN	$146,580	$141,493	850
Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV	$141,920	$141,616	410
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA	$140,600	$123,805	850
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA	$140,250	$125,350	170
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA	$138,880	$124,967	290
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA	$138,600	$131,473	240
Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA	$138,100	$137,624	60

Most jobs
Metro area	Jobs	Median	Adjusted
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ	3,270	$136,000	$120,821
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL	1,050	$108,170	$94,757
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN	850	$146,580	$141,493
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA	850	$140,600	$123,805
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX	540	$104,350	$105,801
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD	540	$132,640	$129,337
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA	510	$83,500	$83,452
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX	500	$108,150	$104,908
Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO	450	$123,360	$116,617
Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV	410	$141,920	$141,616

BLS OEWS, May 2025, metropolitan statistical areas; adjusted with BEA metro price parities (2024).

What moves elevator mechanic pay: employers and settings

Training stage moves pay. Many elevator mechanics come up through the International Union of Elevator Constructors apprenticeship, where apprentices earn a percentage of the mechanic's rate that rises as they progress, so a new apprentice earns well under a full mechanic. Across the whole occupation, pay runs from $59,270, the 10th percentile, to $158,890, the 90th, a wide spread for one trade; percentiles describe the range of pay, not steps by years of experience.

Location is the other big factor. Maine has the highest median at $143,690, followed by Nevada at $141,950, California at $141,180, Oregon at $138,600, and Massachusetts at $138,420. Maine also comes out best after living costs, at $148,058. The lowest medians are in New Mexico at $71,430, Arkansas at $61,530, and Kentucky at $42,670.

Employer type matters less, because almost everyone works for an elevator contractor, where the median is $113,290. Machinery manufacturers pay $115,300 and local government $122,260. Overtime for after-hours trouble calls can add to income in service work, but BLS leaves overtime out of these wage figures. The hourly median is $52.84.

Where elevator mechanics work
Industry	Share of jobs	Median pay
Building Equipment Contractors	88.8%	$113,290
Machinery Manufacturing (3331, 3332, 3334, and 3339 only)	4.2%	$115,300
Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals	1%	$122,260
Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools	0.6%	$98,300
Farm Product Raw Material Merchant Wholesalers	0.3%	$38,530
Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services	0.1%	$66,710

Private employers and government
Employer type	Jobs	Median pay
Private employers	23,370	$109,910
State government (incl. schools and hospitals)	150	$97,560
Local government (incl. schools and hospitals)	260	$122,260

BLS OEWS, May 2025, national industry-specific and ownership estimates (4-digit NAICS).

Elevator Mechanic pay over time

Median annual pay, 2015–2025

$110K $80.9K

2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025

Nominal median (dollars of each year)In May 2025 dollars (adjusted with CPI-U)

The median rose from $80,870 in 2015 to $109,910 in 2025, up 36% in nominal dollars. After inflation, the 2015 median is worth $109,320 in May 2025 dollars, so real pay was about flat over the period.

BLS OEWS, May 2025 and earlier May releases; inflation from the CPI-U, US city average, May of each year.

What elevator mechanics do

An elevator mechanic, also called an elevator technician, installer or repairer, builds, maintains and fixes elevators, escalators, moving walkways, dumbwaiters and wheelchair lifts. Construction crews set rails in new shafts, hang cars and counterweights, run cables and wire controllers. Modernization crews tear out old equipment and fit new controls into existing buildings. Service mechanics drive a route of buildings doing scheduled maintenance, answering trouble calls and freeing people trapped between floors.

The work blends electrical, electronic, hydraulic and mechanical skills, and much of it now involves troubleshooting computer-based controllers. In our data, 88.8% of elevator mechanics work for building equipment contractors, the elevator companies that install and service equipment; a smaller group works for equipment manufacturers, cities and universities. Expect to work in tight shafts and machine rooms, at heights and around high voltage, and to lift heavy parts. Service mechanics may be on call for nights and weekends, and new-construction jobs move from site to site.

A typical day

Install rails, cars, counterweights, cables and doors in new elevator shafts
Wire controllers, motors and door operators and test the finished system
Run scheduled maintenance: lubricate, adjust brakes and check safety devices
Track down faults in controls, signals and motors with meters and diagnostic tools
Respond to breakdown calls and release passengers stuck in stalled cars
Replace worn parts such as sheaves, seals, gears and door equipment
Read blueprints and fill out service logs and code compliance reports

Also called: elevator technician, elevator installer, elevator repairer, elevator adjuster, elevator constructor, elevator repair and maintenance technician (elevator repair and maintenance tech), elevator service mechanic, elevator service technician (elevator service tech).

How to become an elevator mechanic

Full guide

Most elevator mechanics train through a paid apprenticeship of about four to five years, then pass a mechanic exam and get a state license where one is required. You need a high school diploma or GED to apply, and the union program costs nothing out of pocket.

Typical time: 4-5 years; Fastest: 4 years
Minimum education: High school diploma or GED, followed by an apprenticeship
License: Required in most states (rules and exams set by each state)
Typical training cost: $125–$270; See the guide for what it includes

Read the step-by-step guide to becoming an elevator mechanic: each step with its time and cost, education options, exams, licensing and advancement.

Is it worth it? Training cost against pay

Compare careers

Training time: 4-5 years; Typical path in our guide
Training cost: $125–$270; Tuition and exam fees, before aid
Median pay: $109,910; $58,930 above the all-jobs median ($50,980)
Cost vs. one year's pay: 0–0%; Training cost as a share of a year at the median

Once qualified, the pay difference over the typical US job at the median ($58,930 a year before tax) would repay the training cost in less than a year after training ends (4-5 years in our guide). This is a rough guide: it ignores taxes, financial aid, interest, earnings given up while training and how pay changes over a career. How we calculate ROI.

Job outlook for elevator mechanics

BLS Employment Projections 2025–35

Projected growth: +5.7%; All occupations +3.5%
Jobs in 2025: 24,700; 26,100 projected for 2035
Openings each year: 1,900; New jobs plus replacements
Self-employed: —; Not in the pay figures above

BLS projects jobs for elevator and escalator installers and repairers to grow 5.7% from 2025 to 2035, from 24,700 to 26,100, faster than the 3.5% for all occupations. That means about 1,900 openings a year in a small trade.

New construction of buildings with elevators is expected to slow, which cuts into installation work. But existing equipment needs regular maintenance, repairs and modernization, buildings keep adding accessibility equipment, and newer controls are more complex. That steady service demand keeps the outlook solid.

Related careers and their pay

Diesel Mechanic$61,770
HVAC Technician$61,010
Plumber$63,800
Lineman$95,320
Maintenance and Repair Workers, General$49,590

Related occupations from O*NET 31.0; median annual pay from BLS OEWS, May 2025.

Elevator Mechanic salary FAQ

How much do elevator mechanics make an hour?

The median hourly wage for elevator mechanics was $52.84 in May 2025. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $28.49 an hour and the highest-paid 10% more than $76.39. Hourly figures are BLS estimates for all workers in the occupation, full-time and part-time.

Which state pays elevator mechanics the most?

Maine has the highest median pay for elevator mechanics, $143,690 a year, followed by Nevada ($141,950) and California ($141,180). After adjusting for each state's price level, Maine comes out ahead at about $148,058 in national-average dollars.

Do elevator mechanics make $200,000 a year?

Few do: based on the BLS percentiles, fewer than 10% of elevator mechanics earn more than $200,000 a year. The median is $109,910, and the top 10% earn more than $158,890. Pay generally rises with experience, specialization and location.

Has elevator mechanic pay kept up with inflation?

Just about. The median rose from $80,870 in 2015 to $109,910 in 2025. In 2025 dollars, the 2015 median was worth $109,320. Real pay has been roughly flat over the decade, at a high level. These are medians for all elevator installers and repairers, union and non-union, and they leave out overtime, which BLS does not count in these wage estimates.

Which states have the most elevator mechanic jobs?

New York has the most, 3,470 in our data. Florida follows with 2,790, then Texas with 2,030, California with 1,910 and Illinois with 1,080. States with large cities and many tall buildings tend to have the most elevators to install and service.

Why do elevator mechanics earn so much?

The training is long and selective, the work is dangerous and highly technical, and many mechanics work under union contracts with negotiated wage scales. Most states also require a license, which limits who can do the work. In our data, the 75th percentile is $135,720, and the median is $109,910.

Sources

Data updated October 28, 2026 · Text checked against its sources October 28, 2026

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates, released April 30, 2026, SOC 47-4021
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025–2035, released September 2026
O*NET 31.0 Database (47-4021.00), U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under CC BY 4.0; tasks rewritten by Careers and Salaries
U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by state and metro area, 2024
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), US city average, May values
U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard field-of-study and institution data, most recent cohorts, released 2026-10-15
Elevator and Escalator Installers and Repairers: Occupational Outlook Handbook, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · checked October 28, 2026
NEIEP apprenticeship information and Help Center, National Elevator Industry Educational Program · checked October 28, 2026
Certification, National Association of Elevator Contractors · checked October 28, 2026
Elevator Licensing Information, New York State Department of Labor · checked October 28, 2026
License Finder, CareerOneStop, U.S. Department of Labor · checked October 28, 2026
Apprenticeship Opportunities, National Elevator Industry Educational Program · checked October 28, 2026
IUEC Elevator Apprentices, National Elevator Industry Educational Program · checked October 28, 2026

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