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Skilled Trades

Elevator and Escalator Installers and Repairers

Assemble, install, repair, or maintain electric or hydraulic freight or passenger elevators, escalators, or dumbwaiters.

Median salary (BLS)

$109,910

10th–90th percentile (BLS)

$59k – $159k

Job outlook

+5% (faster than average)

AI exposure

Early-career check: graduates of the matching programs below typically earn $70,000 ten years after starting college — an early-career figure, vs. the all-experience BLS median above. Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard.

Plan a path to Elevator and Escalator Installers and Repairers

Qualification costsStack incomeBest cities/statesSchool ROIJob-posting fitTailored resume

Education

Typical entry: No degree (trade/license)

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How to qualify

EstimateLicense required

Cost to qualify

$100–$2,600

Time to qualify

3.1 yr

Renewal

$50/yr

  1. 1

    Registered apprenticeship (paid)

    Experience

    Earn-while-you-learn training — apprentices are paid during the program; fees are tools/books, not tuition.

    $0–$2,000 · 36 months · varies by state source

  2. 2

    Journeyman exam & state/local license

    License

    Most states and municipalities test and license journeyman-level trades workers.

    $100–$600 · 1 months · varies by state · renews every 2 yr source

Estimated typical U.S. route for "Elevator and Escalator Installers and Repairers" — built from BLS education requirements and College Board 2024–25 average published prices (public, in-state tuition + fees + books). Not yet verified against a specific state's licensing rules — confirm with your state licensing board or program.

Typical progression

  1. Junior Elevator and Escalator Installers and Repairers

    Entry / Junior

    $59,270

    ~2 yrs to advance

  2. Elevator and Escalator Installers and Repairers

    Established

    $109,910

    ~3 yrs to advance

  3. Senior Elevator and Escalator Installers and Repairers

    Senior

    $134,400

Key skills

A typical day

  • •Inspect wiring connections, control panel hookups, door installations, and alignments and clearances of cars and hoistways to ensure that equipment will operate properly.
  • •Assemble, install, repair, and maintain elevators, escalators, moving sidewalks, and dumbwaiters, using hand and power tools, and testing devices such as test lamps, ammeters, and voltmeters.
  • •Disassemble defective units, and repair or replace parts such as locks, gears, cables, and electric wiring.
  • •Check that safety regulations and building codes are met, and complete service reports verifying conformance to standards.
  • •Locate malfunctions in brakes, motors, switches, and signal and control systems, using test equipment.

Fields of study

Any field

Top colleges for Skilled Trades

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Reputation-based selection; stats shown are outcome data per school.