Outdoor Power Equipment and Other Small Engine Mechanics

Median salary

$47,880

Average salary

$49,990

Employment

36,060

Projected growth

2.5% growth

Annual openings

3,500

Typical entry education

High school diploma or equivalent

What Outdoor Power Equipment and Other Small Engine Mechanics Do

Diagnose, adjust, repair, or overhaul small engines used to power lawn mowers, chain saws, recreational sporting equipment, and related equipment.

See full salary breakdown & percentiles →

Career Outlook

National employment outlook, 2024–2034.

Related work experience: None
On-the-job training: Moderate-term on-the-job training
Self-employed: 7.6%

Source: BLS Employment Projections — 2024-2034.

How Much Preparation Does This Take?

Job Zone 2 of 5

Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed

Experience: Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience.
Education: Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
Job training: Ranges from a few days to one year of on-the-job training.

Source: O*NET Job Zones.

Key Knowledge Areas

Subject-matter areas this occupation draws on most, per O*NET.

Mechanicalimportance 4.3/5
Customer and Personal Serviceimportance 3.5/5
English Languageimportance 3.4/5
Engineering and Technologyimportance 3.2/5
Education and Trainingimportance 3.2/5
Transportationimportance 3.1/5
Sales and Marketingimportance 3.1/5
Computers and Electronicsimportance 3.0/5

Work Environment

What the day-to-day work setting is like, per O*NET.

Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls4.7/5
Spend Time Standing4.5/5
Contact With Others4.4/5
Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets4.4/5
Freedom to Make Decisions4.4/5
Exposed to Contaminants4.3/5

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.

Motorboat Mechanics and Service Technicians96% skill match
Recreational Vehicle Service Technicians95% skill match
Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators95% skill match
Helpers--Extraction Workers95% skill match
Roustabouts, Oil and Gas94% skill match
Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists94% skill match
Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators94% skill match
Motorcycle Mechanics94% skill match

Transferable Skills

Cross-functional skills this occupation draws on most, per O*NET — the kind that carry over to other careers.

Equipment Maintenanceimportance 3.9/5
Repairingimportance 3.9/5
Troubleshootingimportance 3.8/5
Operations Monitoringimportance 3.4/5
Equipment Selectionimportance 3.3/5
Operation and Controlimportance 3.3/5
Quality Control Analysisimportance 3.1/5
Complex Problem Solvingimportance 3.0/5

Software & Technologies

Tools and software used in this occupation, per O*NET.

Hot Technologies

Other Software Used

Ideal Computer Systems Ideal OPE
Land & Sea DYNO-MAX
RepairTRAX
Sale processing software
Smart Equipment Repair
VersaDyne small engine test system
Web browser software

Work Style

Personal work characteristics that matter most for this occupation, per O*NET.

Attention to Detail
Dependability
Cautiousness
Perseverance
Integrity
Achievement Orientation
Stress Tolerance

Career Interests

This occupation’s RIASEC interest profile, per O*NET — how strongly it fits each of the six Holland interest types.

RealisticHigh
ConventionalMedium
InvestigativeLow
EnterprisingLow
SocialLow
ArtisticLow

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 outdoor power equipment and other small engine mechanics make up the largest share of local employment, relative to the national average (BLS location quotient).