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Electric Motor, Power Tool, and Related Repairers vs Maintenance and Repair Workers, General: what changes?

Consider Electric Motor, Power Tool, and Related Repairers if you want to repair, maintain, or install electric motors, wiring, or switches. Consider Maintenance and Repair Workers, General if you would rather perform work involving the skills of two or more maintenance or craft occupations to keep machines, mechanical equipment, or the structure of a building in repair. Both list high school diploma or equivalent; compare training and prior experience separately. Prior experience in a related occupation is typically needed for Electric Motor, Power Tool, and Related Repairers (less than 5 years).

Try this next: Compare three local entry-level postings for Electric Motor, Power Tool, and Related Repairers and Maintenance and Repair Workers, General. List the duties, credentials, prior experience, and paid training each employer actually asks for. Try a supervised class or sample project from each field before choosing a program.

BLS 2025 wages and 2025–2035 projections. National medians are not starting offers. Occupation size is not a count of vacancies. View the BLS data.

Compare the practical differences
What this means in practice

The facts most likely to affect your decision

Start with earnings, the route into the job, training, available openings, and a day-to-day reality.

Electric Motor, Power Tool, and Related Repairers

National median pay (2025)
$56,210
Route into the job
High school diploma or equivalent; Prior related experience: less than 5 years; More than one month and up to 12 months of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing
Prior related experience
Prior related experience: less than 5 years.
Training and licensing
More than one month and up to 12 months of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing.
Work to investigate
Inspect and test equipment to locate damage or worn parts and diagnose malfunctions, or read work orders or schematic drawings to determine required repairs.
Annual openings (2025–2035)
1,400
Know before you choose

BLS lists less than 5 years of related experience. This is normally reached through feeder roles, not directly from school.

See the full Electric Motor, Power Tool, and Related Repairers brief

Maintenance and Repair Workers, General

National median pay (2025)
$49,590
Route into the job
High school diploma or equivalent; More than one month and up to 12 months of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing
Prior related experience
No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.
Training and licensing
More than one month and up to 12 months of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing.
Work to investigate
Perform routine maintenance, such as inspecting drives, motors, or belts, checking fluid levels, replacing filters, or doing other preventive maintenance actions.
Annual openings (2025–2035)
148,700
Know before you choose

Hands-on manipulation of tools, controls, or objects occupies a meaningful part of the workday.

See the full Maintenance and Repair Workers, General brief
See scores, detailed data, and how the comparison works

How the national numbers differ

1

Maintenance and Repair Workers, General has the edge on annual openings

Maintenance and Repair Workers, General is at 148,700 annual openings, compared with 1,400 annual openings for Electric Motor, Power Tool, and Related Repairers.

2

Electric Motor, Power Tool, and Related Repairers has the edge on median pay

Electric Motor, Power Tool, and Related Repairers is at $56,210, compared with $49,590 for Maintenance and Repair Workers, General.

3

Electric Motor, Power Tool, and Related Repairers has the edge on projected growth

Electric Motor, Power Tool, and Related Repairers is at 4.4% projected growth, compared with 4.2% projected growth for Maintenance and Repair Workers, General.

43.7/ 100

Electric Motor, Power Tool, and Related Repairers

vs
61.7/ 100

Maintenance and Repair Workers, General

Each available metric is ranked from 0 to 100 against the careers on ChooseField. The weighted average uses this profile: pay 30%, growth 25%, openings 30%, preparation level 15%. Missing values are not scored as zero; their weights are redistributed across available metrics. Occupation size has zero weight: employment is not accessible vacancies. Preparation categories do not measure admission difficulty or years without earnings. The score summarizes national measures; local opportunities and personal fit still need separate consideration.

Detailed evidence

Electric Motor, Power Tool, and Related Repairers vs Maintenance and Repair Workers, General

DimensionElectric Motor, Power Tool, and Related RepairersMaintenance and Repair Workers, General
Median pay (2025)$56,210$49,590
Pay percentile41.1 percentile31 percentile
Projected growth (2025–2035)4.4%4.2%
Annual openings (2025–2035)1,400148,700
2025 employment16,1001,621,800
How you qualifyHigh school diploma or equivalent; Prior related experience: less than 5 years; More than one month and up to 12 months of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensingHigh school diploma or equivalent; More than one month and up to 12 months of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing
O*NET preparation groupJob Zone 3Job Zone 3
Related work experiencePrior related experience: less than 5 years.No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.
On-the-job trainingMore than one month and up to 12 months of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing.More than one month and up to 12 months of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing.

The table reports national benchmarks and reviewed work descriptions. It does not rate personal suitability, job security, or physical safety.

Read Electric Motor, Power Tool, and Related Repairers briefRead Maintenance and Repair Workers, General brief

Try another comparison

Electric Motor, Power Tool, and Related Repairers vs Automotive Body and Related Repairers

Compare pay, growth, education, and the tradeoffs that affect the decision.

Electric Motor, Power Tool, and Related Repairers
$56,210 · 4.4% growth
Automotive Body and Related Repairers
$54,890 · 3.7% growth
Compare careers →

Maintenance and Repair Workers, General vs Automotive Body and Related Repairers

Compare pay, growth, education, and the tradeoffs that affect the decision.

Maintenance and Repair Workers, General
$49,590 · 4.2% growth
Automotive Body and Related Repairers
$54,890 · 3.7% growth
Compare careers →

Maintenance and Repair Workers, General vs Motorboat Mechanics and Service Technicians

Compare pay, growth, education, and the tradeoffs that affect the decision.

Maintenance and Repair Workers, General
$49,590 · 4.2% growth
Motorboat Mechanics and Service Technicians
$57,550 · 4.9% growth
Compare careers →
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