TRADES Zone 3: Medium Preparation

Office Machine Repairers

Office Machine Repairers earn $47,810 nationally at the median. The middle 50% of workers fall between $38,900 and $59,870. Where you land depends on specialization, employer, and experience.

About Office Machine Repairers

This page sets out what the federal data says about working as a office machine repairers: what the job pays, how fast it is growing, and what it takes to get in. Most people arrive through a degree in Electrical/Electronics Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians and what it leads to, though it is not the only route.

Repair, maintain, or install computers, word processing systems, automated teller machines, and electronic office machines, such as duplicating and fax machines.


Median Wage
$47,810
Employed Nationally
66K
Openings / Year
6,100
Entry Education
Some college, no degree
Job Zone
Zone 3: Medium Preparation

Also known as:

Accounting Machine Mechanic Adding Machine Mechanic Assembly Technician ATM Servicer (Automated Teller Machine Servicer) ATM Technician (Automated Teller Machine Technician)

How Much Do Office Machine Repairers Make?

Most office machine repairers take home around $47,810 a year, below what most graduates with a bachelor's make. Half earn somewhere between $38,900 and $59,870, so where you land depends a lot on employer, specialty and city. Think carefully about how much debt is worth taking on for it. Source: BLS.

A wage on its own says nothing about whether the degree behind it pays for itself, which is a question of lifetime earnings set against the total cost of getting there.

$47,810
National Median (Annual)

Below average for bachelor's degree holders.

$39K–$60K
Middle 50% Range

25th to 75th percentile. Most workers earn within this band.


Earnings Range

What Do Office Machine Repairers Do?

This is what the job actually looks like on a Tuesday: 5 core activities and 5 skills the work depends on. Read it before the salary, because pay matters less than whether you would want to spend your days doing this. Source: O*NET.

What You'll Do

  • Reassemble machines after making repairs or replacing parts.
  • Converse with customers to determine details of equipment problems.
  • Disassemble machines to examine parts, such as wires, gears, or bearings for wear or defects, using hand or power tools and measuring devices.
  • Advise customers concerning equipment operation, maintenance, or programming.
  • Align, adjust, or calibrate equipment according to specifications.

Core Skills Employers Look For

Active Listening Repairing Critical Thinking Complex Problem Solving Troubleshooting

Who Thrives Here

R
Realistic

Hands-on tasks, physical activity, or working with tools and real materials are central parts of the daily work here.

C
Conventional

Success depends on precision and structured processes, where detail-oriented people who work consistently within established systems perform best.

I
Investigative

This career demands analytical thinking: researching problems, interpreting data, and applying logical reasoning to find practical solutions.

Where Do Office Machine Repairers Work?

What the physical and mental conditions of this job actually look like day to day, based on O*NET Work Context data collected from people working in this occupation.

Work Setting
Mixed

Split between indoor and outdoor or field settings.

Physical Demands
Light

Mix of sitting and movement throughout the day.

Stress Level
Moderate

Moderate pressure. Regular deadlines exist but are generally manageable with experience.

What Is the Job Outlook for Office Machine Repairers?

Through 2035 the BLS expects this field to change by -3.0%, meaning it is shrinking, so expect more competition for fewer roles. Around 6,100 roles open up each year, which is the number that matters most if you are starting out. Source: BLS.

Growth rates are only meaningful next to other occupations, and the full list of careers with their projected growth puts this one in context.

↘ -3.0%
10-Year Growth (2025–2035)

Declining employment projected.

6,100
Annual Openings

New positions plus replacements for retirees and career-changers.

66K
Currently Employed

Total US employment as of BLS May 2025.

Source: BLS Employment Projections 2025–2035 and Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025.

Where the Jobs Are

The five states below employ the most Office Machine Repairers professionals nationwide. State-level wages can differ significantly from the $47,810 national median. Research your specific market before committing to a program.

# State Jobs Median Wage vs. National
1 California 7,250 $58,280 +21.9%
2 Texas 7,140 $45,480 -4.9%
3 Florida 3,470 $45,690 -4.4%
4 Illinois 3,260 $44,860 -6.2%
5 New York 3,240 $57,290 +19.8%

Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Employment figures rounded. Read our methodology →

How to Get Here

To get hired here you will usually need a some college, no degree. The program below is the most common route in, ordered by how many people actually graduate from each one.

Some college, no degree
Zone 3: Medium Preparation

A medium amount of preparation is required, often an associate degree, certificate program, or apprenticeship, plus some related experience.


Degree Programs That Lead Here

# Program Graduates/yr 4yr Median Colleges
1 Electrical/Electronics Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians 7,979 — 384

Top Colleges for Aspiring Office Machine Repairers

Colleges offering the degree programs that lead to this career, ranked by UCD Score. A strong program plus solid outcomes is a good place to begin your search.

# College UCD Score Net Price Salary 10yr
1 Victor Valley College Victorville, CA 90 $1,947 $36,119
2 South Georgia Technical College Americus, GA 86 $1,164 $30,364
3 Imperial Valley College Imperial, CA 86 $1,115 $34,487
4 Irvine Valley College Irvine, CA 83 $2,090 $49,156
5 Central Louisiana Technical Community College Alexandria, LA 83 $5,702 $29,558
6 Northeast Alabama Community College Rainsville, AL 82 $2,756 $34,913

Plan Your Path

Once you've sized up Office Machine Repairers, these tools turn the numbers into a plan. Estimate the real cost of a degree that leads here, weigh the long-term payoff, compare specific colleges side-by-side, and find programs that match your profile.

Office Machine Repairers Pros & Cons

Office Machine Repairers has real financial strengths, but declining employment projections deserve careful consideration. The 0 upsides and 2 concerns below are all data-sourced.

CONS
  • Modest median salary At $47,810 median, this career lags STEM and business fields. High-cost degree programs may be difficult to justify on salary alone.
  • Declining employment The BLS projects -3.0% employment change through 2035. This field is expected to shrink. Automation, offshoring, or structural industry change are likely factors.

Office Machine Repairers Frequently Asked Questions

How much do Office Machine Repairers professionals earn?
Around $47,810 a year for the typical worker, below the national median, program ROI depends heavily on keeping tuition costs low. The middle 50% of earners fall between $38,900 and $59,870. Treat the national figure as a starting point rather than a promise: employer size, industry and city all move it.
Is Office Machine Repairers a good career?
With realistic expectations. The BLS projects -3.0% employment change through 2035. This field is shrinking, not expanding. The $47,810 median wage is competitive, but most openings come from retirements and exits rather than new positions. If you're drawn to this work, differentiate through a specialized niche or adjacent certification that keeps you relevant as the broader field contracts.
How do I become an Office Machine Repairers?
Most Office Machine Repairers positions require a some college, no degree as the minimum credential. a medium amount of preparation is required, often an associate degree, certificate program, or apprenticeship, plus some related experience. Programs like Electrical/Electronics Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians are common starting points.
Why are Office Machine Repairers jobs declining?
The BLS projects -3.0% employment change for Office Machine Repairers through 2035. Declining occupations typically face some combination of automation, industry consolidation, offshoring, or reduced consumer demand, rarely a single cause. Despite the overall decline, about 6,100 openings per year are still projected, mostly replacements for workers who retire or leave, not new positions. 66K people currently work in this field, so while it's contracting, active hiring still occurs. Specialization in high-value segments of the role gives the strongest protection.
What skills do Office Machine Repairers professionals need?
Mainly Active Listening, Repairing, Critical Thinking, Complex Problem Solving, and Troubleshooting. Notice how many of those are habits rather than facts: they come from doing the work, not from a lecture. That is why programs with an internship or co-op requirement put you ahead of people who only studied the theory. Source: O*NET.

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