Industrial Machinery Mechanics
What Industrial Machinery Mechanics Do
Repair, install, adjust, or maintain industrial production and processing machinery or refinery and pipeline distribution systems. May also install, dismantle, or move machinery and heavy equipment according to plans.
See full salary breakdown & percentiles →
Career Outlook
National employment outlook, 2024–2034.
- Related work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- Long-term on-the-job training
- Self-employed
- 1.7%
Source: BLS Employment Projections — 2024-2034.
How Much Preparation Does This Take?
Job Zone 3 of 5Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed
- Experience
- Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations.
- Education
- Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
- Job training
- Employees in these occupations usually need one or two years of training involving both on-the-job experience and informal training with experienced workers. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.
Source: O*NET Job Zones.
Key Knowledge Areas
Subject-matter areas this occupation draws on most, per O*NET.
- Mechanicalimportance 4.3/5
- English Languageimportance 3.5/5
- Production and Processingimportance 3.4/5
- Engineering and Technologyimportance 3.3/5
- Designimportance 3.3/5
- Mathematicsimportance 3.1/5
- Computers and Electronicsimportance 3.0/5
- Education and Trainingimportance 2.8/5
Work Environment
What the day-to-day work setting is like, per O*NET.
- Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets4.7/5
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams4.6/5
- Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls4.5/5
- Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team4.4/5
- Contact With Others4.2/5
- Exposed to Contaminants4.1/5
Careers With Similar Skills
Occupations whose Transferable Skills profile most closely matches this one — a mathematical comparison, not observed data about people actually moving between these careers.
- Helpers--Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers94% skill match
- Elevator and Escalator Installers and Repairers93% skill match
- Maintenance Workers, Machinery93% skill match
- Electro-Mechanical and Mechatronics Technologists and Technicians93% skill match
- Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Commercial and Industrial Equipment92% skill match
- Signal and Track Switch Repairers91% skill match
- Farm Equipment Mechanics and Service Technicians90% skill match
- Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists90% skill match
Transferable Skills
Cross-functional skills this occupation draws on most, per O*NET — the kind that carry over to other careers.
- Operations Monitoringimportance 4.0/5
- Operation and Controlimportance 4.0/5
- Equipment Maintenanceimportance 4.0/5
- Troubleshootingimportance 4.0/5
- Repairingimportance 4.0/5
- Quality Control Analysisimportance 3.8/5
- Complex Problem Solvingimportance 3.1/5
- Equipment Selectionimportance 3.1/5
Software & Technologies
Tools and software used in this occupation, per O*NET.
Hot Technologies
Other Software Used
- BIT Corp ProMACS PLC
- Extranet Machine Tools Suite
- Inventory tracking software
- KEYENCE PLC Ladder Logic
- Maintenance management software
- Maintenance planning and control software
- Programmable logic controller PLC software
- Supervisory control and data acquisition SCADA software
Work Style
Personal work characteristics that matter most for this occupation, per O*NET.
- Dependability
- Attention to Detail
- Cautiousness
- Perseverance
- Integrity
- Stress Tolerance
- Achievement Orientation
Career Interests
This occupation’s RIASEC interest profile, per O*NET — how strongly it fits each of the six Holland interest types.
- RealisticHigh
- ConventionalMedium
- InvestigativeMedium
- EnterprisingLow
- ArtisticLow
- SocialLow
This page includes information from the O*NET 30.3 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
Where This Career Is Most Concentrated
Metro areas where industrial machinery mechanics make up the largest share of local employment, relative to the national average (BLS location quotient).
- 1Midland, TX7.62× national avg
- 2Odessa, TX7.28× national avg
- 3Decatur, AL5.47× national avg
- 4Tuscaloosa, AL5.19× national avg
- 5Dalton, GA4.93× national avg
Possible Career Moves
A computed starting point, not observed job-change data — see the full list for why each one might fit.
- Maintenance Workers, MachineryLateral Move
- Electric Motor, Power Tool, and Related RepairersLateral Move
- Control and Valve Installers and Repairers, Except Mechanical DoorLateral Move
- Elevator and Escalator Installers and RepairersCareer Change
See the full career path from Industrial Machinery Mechanics →
Related Education Programs
Schools that offer related fields of study, based on the NCES CIP-SOC crosswalk — not a guarantee that graduates enter this specific career.