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Elevator and Escalator Installers and Repairers
Assemble, install, repair, or maintain electric or hydraulic freight or passenger elevators, escalators, or dumbwaiters.
Other titles employers use
Elevator Adjuster · Elevator Constructor · Elevator Installer · Elevator Mechanic · Elevator Repair and Maintenance Technician (Elevator Repair and Maintenance Tech) · Elevator Service Mechanic · Elevator Service Technician (Elevator Service Tech) · Elevator Serviceman
Inside the work
What you would actually do.
6 responsibilities that define the role, before job titles and workplaces change the details.
- 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.
- Adjust safety controls, counterweights, door mechanisms, and components such as valves, ratchets, seals, and brake linings.
Who it suits
Would this work hold your attention?
This career often appeals to people drawn to practical and organizing work.
- Practical
- Building, repairing, using tools, or working outdoors
- Organizing
- Creating order, checking details, and keeping work accurate
Skills and strengths
What you would get good at.
Compare the skills the work relies on, the subjects behind it, and the abilities that make it easier to learn.
Core skills
- Equipment Maintenance
- Troubleshooting
- Repairing
- Critical Thinking
- Operations Monitoring
- Installation
Subjects to know
- Mechanical
- Customer and Personal Service
- Building and Construction
- Public Safety and Security
- Computers and Electronics
Useful strengths
- Problem Sensitivity
- Deductive Reasoning
- Oral Comprehension
- Manual Dexterity
- Inductive Reasoning
Working day
Picture yourself doing it.
These measures show how much of the day involves people, movement, conversation, and hands-on work.
| Measure | Out of 5 | What that means here |
|---|---|---|
| Close to other people | 3.6 | Shared rooms, but not shoulder to shoulder |
| On your feet | 4.0 | Standing or moving for most of it |
| Talking face to face | 4.5 | Continuous — the job is conversations |
| Working with your hands | 4.8 | Handling tools, instruments or materials |
Preparation
How people prepare for this work.
Employers usually ask for a high school diploma. Other routes may also lead into the field.
- A certificate or some college 48%
- High school or less 48%
- A two-year degree 4%
Tools of the work
Technology you may use.
- Spreadsheet software
- Electronic mail software
- Word processing software
- Analytical or scientific software
- Facilities management software
- Calendar and scheduling software
Opportunity near you
See where this work is growing.
Choose a state to compare the size of the field, annual openings, and expected hiring change.
- People doing this work
- 4,950
- Job openings each year
- 20
- Expected hiring change, 2022–2032
- 4.7%
Compare every available state
| State | People doing it | Job openings each year | Expected change |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York | 4,950 | 20 | 4.7% |
| Florida | 2,310 | 200 | 12.1% |
| California | 2,200 | 190 | 4.8% |
| Texas | 2,140 | 190 | 13.8% |
| Maryland | 1,020 | 90 | 5.2% |
| Virginia | 890 | 70 | 1.1% |
| Ohio | 870 | 70 | 2.4% |
| Illinois | 770 | 60 | 1.3% |
| Tennessee | 730 | 60 | 4.3% |
| New Jersey | 670 | 60 | 3.1% |
| Colorado | 650 | 60 | 12.1% |
| Pennsylvania | 640 | 50 | 1.6% |
| Georgia | 520 | 50 | 13.0% |
| Utah | 450 | 40 | 28.6% |
| South Carolina | 440 | 40 | 4.8% |
| Washington | 430 | 40 | 10.3% |
| Indiana | 380 | 30 | 5.6% |
| Alabama | 370 | 30 | 8.8% |
| Kentucky | 370 | 30 | — |
| Kansas | 350 | 30 | 2.9% |
| Louisiana | 320 | 30 | 6.7% |
| Minnesota | 260 | 20 | 4.0% |
| Puerto Rico | 260 | 20 | — |
| Oklahoma | 250 | 20 | — |
| Arizona | 240 | 20 | 14.3% |
| Mississippi | 230 | 20 | 21.1% |
| Massachusetts | 200 | 20 | 5.3% |
| North Carolina | 170 | 10 | 6.3% |
| Iowa | 150 | 10 | 7.1% |
| Maine | 150 | 10 | −6.3% |
| Nebraska | 120 | 10 | 9.1% |
| Delaware | 90 | 10 | — |
| District of Columbia | 90 | 10 | — |
| Wisconsin | 90 | 10 | 12.5% |
| New Hampshire | 80 | 10 | — |
| Idaho | 70 | 10 | 16.7% |
| Arkansas | 60 | 10 | 20.0% |
| Rhode Island | 50 | 0 | — |
| Alaska | 40 | 0 | 33.3% |
Career to college
Build a path toward this work.
Start with a related major, then compare colleges where students complete that field.
Where to study
Colleges with strong activity in these fields.
Start with program size, admission, and likely cost. Open a college for the full picture.
Compare every college offering heavy/industrial equipment maintenance technologies/technicians