Elevator and escalator installers and repairers held about 23,200 jobs in 2021. The largest employers of elevator and escalator installers and repairers were as follows:
| Building equipment contractors | 87% |
| Government | 3 |
| Educational services; state, local, and private | 1 |
Elevator and escalator installation and repair work is usually physically demanding. These workers may sit or stand for extensive periods, lift items that weigh up to 200 pounds, and work in cramped areas inside crawl spaces and machine rooms. They also may work at heights in elevator shafts, in dusty and dirty places with oily and greasy equipment, and in hot or cold environments.
Injuries and Illnesses
Elevator and escalator installers and repairers may suffer injuries from falls, burns from electrical shocks, and muscle strains from lifting and carrying heavy equipment. To reduce their risks and prevent injury, workers must wear protective equipment such as hardhats, harnesses, and safety glasses.
Work Schedules
Most elevator and escalator installers and repairers work full time. They may work overtime to make emergency repairs or to meet construction deadlines. They may be on call 24 hours a day.
Elevator and escalator installers and repairers typically need a high school diploma or equivalent. Nearly all learn how to do the work through an apprenticeship. Most states require workers to be licensed.
Education
A high school diploma or equivalent is typically required. High school classes in math, mechanical drawing, and physics may be helpful.
Training
A career in elevator or escalator installation and repair typically begins with a 4-year apprenticeship program sponsored by a union, industry association, or employer. For each year of a typical program, apprentices must complete a predetermined number of hours of technical instruction and paid on-the-job training. During training, apprentices learn about safety, blueprint reading, mathematics, applied physics, elevator and escalator parts, electrical and digital theory, and electronics.
When they finish the apprenticeship program, fully trained elevator and escalator installers and repairers become mechanics or assistant mechanics. Elevator and escalator installers and repairers need ongoing training in order to keep up with technological developments.
Workers with relevant experience who can document it and demonstrate their skill may qualify for a shorter apprenticeship.
Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations
Most states require elevator and escalator installers and repairers to be licensed. Check with your state for more information.
Although not required, certification shows competence and proficiency in the field.
Elevator and escalator installers and repairers can become Certified Elevator Technicians (CET) or Certified Accessibility and Private Residence Lift Technicians (CAT) through the National Association of Elevator Contractors. They can also be certified as Qualified Elevator Inspectors (QEI) through the National Association of Elevator Safety Authorities International.
Employers may require elevator and escalator installers to have a driver’s license or reliable transportation to travel to jobsites.
Advancement
Installers may receive additional training to specialize and advance to become a mechanic-in-charge, adjuster, or supervisor.
Elevator installers and repairers typically have an interest in the Building, Thinking and Organizing interest areas, according to the Holland Code framework. The Building interest area indicates a focus on working with tools and machines, and making or fixing practical things. The Thinking interest area indicates a focus on researching, investigating, and increasing the understanding of natural laws. The Organizing interest area indicates a focus on working with information and processes to keep things arranged in orderly systems.
If you are not sure whether you have a Building or Thinking or Organizing interest which might fit with a career as an elevator installer and repairer, you can take a career test to measure your interests.
Elevator installers and repairers should also possess the following specific qualities:
Detail oriented. Elevator installers must keep accurate records of their service schedules. These records are used to schedule future maintenance, which often helps reduce breakdowns.
Mechanical skills. Elevator installers use a variety of power tools and handtools to install and repair lifts. Escalators, for example, run on tracks that must be installed using wrenches and screwdrivers.
Physical stamina. Elevators installers must be able to perform strenuous work for long periods.
Physical strength. Elevator installers often lift heavy equipment and parts, including escalator steps, conduit, and metal tracks. Some apprentices must be able to lift 100 pounds to participate in a program.
Troubleshooting skills. Elevator installers and repairers must be able to diagnose and repair problems. When an escalator stops moving, for example, mechanics determine why it stopped and make the necessary repairs.
The median annual wage for elevator and escalator installers and repairers was $97,860 in May 2021. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $47,370, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $130,940.
In May 2021, the median annual wages for elevator and escalator installers and repairers in the top industries in which they worked were as follows:
| Government | $100,120 |
| Building equipment contractors | 98,610 |
| Educational services; state, local, and private | 80,490 |
The starting pay for apprentices is usually about 50 percent of what fully trained elevator and escalator installers and repairers make. They earn pay increases as they progress in their apprenticeship. Apprentices who are also certified welders usually receive higher wages while welding.
Most elevator and escalator installers and repairers work full time. They may work overtime to make emergency repairs or to meet construction deadlines. Workers may be on call 24 hours a day.
Employment of elevator and escalator installers and repairers is projected to grow 3 percent from 2021 to 2031, slower than the average for all occupations.
Despite limited employment growth, about 2,100 openings for elevator and escalator installers and repairers are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Most of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
Employment
Demand for elevator and escalator installers and repairers is closely tied to the construction of office buildings and stores that have elevators and escalators, and this type of construction is expected to slow over the projections decade.
However, the need to regularly maintain, update, and repair old equipment; provide access for people with disabilities; and install increasingly sophisticated equipment and controls will sustain demand for elevator and escalator installers and repairers.
For information about apprenticeships or job opportunities as an elevator and escalator installer or repairer, contact local elevator and escalator contractors, a local chapter of the International Union of Elevator Constructors, a local joint union–management apprenticeship committee, or the nearest office of your state employment service or apprenticeship agency. Apprenticeship information is available from the U.S. Department of Labor’s Apprenticeship program online or by phone at 877-872-5627. Visit Apprenticeship.gov to search for apprenticeship opportunities.
For more information about elevator installers and repairers, visit
International Union of Elevator Constructors
National Elevator Industry Educational Program
For more information about the NAEC Apprenticeship Program, the Certified Elevator Technician program, or the Certified Accessibility and Private Residence Lift Technician program, visit
National Association of Elevator Contractors
For more information about certification as a Qualified Elevator Inspector, visit
National Association of Elevator Safety Authorities International
For information about opportunities for military veterans, visit: