Which state pays industrial machinery mechanics the most?

District of Columbia, at a median of $87,670. After adjusting for prices, Wyoming is highest, at $84,496 in US-average prices.

What education do industrial machinery mechanics need?

The Bureau of Labor Statistics lists high school diploma or equivalent as the typical education to start. The federal crosswalk from fields of study to jobs links 2 programs here to industrial machinery mechanics: Heavy Equipment Maintenance (Associate's) and Heavy Equipment Maintenance (Certificate).

Industrial Machinery Mechanics: Pay by State and the Programs That Lead There

439,640 jobs in the US
Typical education to start: high school diploma or equivalent
Occupation code 49-9041

BLS wages May 2025 · BLS projections 2025 to 2035 · BEA price parities 2024

The short answer

Industrial machinery mechanics earn a median of $64,520 a year in the US, across all experience levels. Pay is highest in District of Columbia ($87,670) and lowest in Puerto Rico ($37,450). After adjusting for prices, Wyoming is highest ($84,496) and Florida lowest ($58,648). Jobs are projected to grow 18% from 2025 to 2035, with about 44,400 openings a year across the US.

Median pay$64,520US, all experience levels

Bottom 10% earn under$46,120US

Top 10% earn over$95,170US

Projected job growth18%2025 to 2035, about 44,400 openings a year

Pay for industrial machinery mechanics by state

Median pay across all experience levels. "After prices" divides it by the state's price level (US average = 100), so states can be compared by what the pay buys.

#	State	Median pay	After prices	Jobs	Bottom 10%	Top 10%
1	District of Columbia	$87,670	$79,772	200	$54,310	$106,200
2	Wyoming	$78,320	$84,496	2,010	$50,960	$114,830
3	Nevada	$77,750	$77,766	2,240	$59,450	$96,150
4	Alaska	$77,390	$75,606	860	$47,360	$109,160
5	Hawaii	$77,330	$70,331	910	$50,960	$117,520
6	Washington	$77,220	$72,159	10,710	$49,450	$112,410
7	Illinois	$76,200	$76,232	12,100	$49,230	$102,590
8	Oregon	$75,670	$73,209	7,070	$53,290	$99,470
9	Colorado	$75,600	$73,361	7,260	$50,470	$101,590
10	Arizona	$74,790	$74,287	5,020	$51,240	$100,810
11	New Jersey	$74,760	$68,710	8,380	$48,680	$99,440
12	California	$74,400	$67,197	26,830	$47,880	$107,700
13	Massachusetts	$72,840	$68,875	6,130	$49,230	$98,350
14	Maine	$72,310	$74,508	1,190	$51,160	$94,060
15	Minnesota	$71,960	$72,966	6,510	$52,040	$97,600
16	Maryland	$71,870	$68,474	2,880	$47,620	$96,450
17	Utah	$70,720	$71,533	4,040	$47,870	$102,800
18	Connecticut	$69,950	$67,513	2,360	$47,310	$101,490
19	New York	$69,740	$64,621	12,740	$47,820	$101,360
20	Missouri	$67,390	$74,204	5,420	$45,190	$104,110
21	Delaware	$67,320	$67,450	890	$49,410	$102,610
22	Montana	$67,250	$71,055	820	$48,730	$105,930
23	Wisconsin	$66,620	$70,801	13,870	$49,360	$88,790
24	North Dakota	$65,990	$74,180	2,560	$51,210	$104,350
25	Kansas	$65,830	$73,089	7,700	$45,910	$90,640
26	Ohio	$65,130	$70,203	21,950	$47,580	$91,540
27	Tennessee	$65,010	$70,763	12,850	$45,530	$88,610
28	Rhode Island	$64,770	$63,326	1,070	$48,970	$82,980
29	Kentucky	$64,560	$71,607	11,540	$46,050	$85,320
30	Iowa	$64,400	$73,380	6,050	$47,770	$82,780
31	Michigan	$64,250	$66,776	17,310	$47,080	$91,270
32	New Hampshire	$64,150	$61,585	1,950	$46,630	$91,850
33	Nebraska	$64,110	$71,152	2,880	$49,130	$83,320
34	Virginia	$64,020	$63,321	9,470	$46,060	$92,210
35	Indiana	$63,950	$68,521	14,960	$47,860	$87,300
36	Pennsylvania	$63,840	$65,429	22,160	$47,510	$84,620
37	Vermont	$63,180	$64,497	700	$50,170	$86,210
38	Idaho	$62,860	$65,826	2,750	$47,270	$90,580
39	North Carolina	$62,430	$66,185	15,720	$43,550	$81,970
40	South Carolina	$62,330	$66,486	9,890	$45,060	$83,050
41	Texas	$61,930	$63,808	56,950	$41,580	$95,770
42	Alabama	$61,920	$69,712	17,850	$42,940	$91,840
43	West Virginia	$61,710	$68,952	3,150	$44,860	$93,730
44	South Dakota	$61,560	$69,492	1,230	$48,510	$77,680
45	Oklahoma	$61,540	$70,057	6,250	$46,210	$90,700
46	Georgia	$61,130	$63,483	14,230	$44,730	$83,890
47	New Mexico	$60,670	$65,794	2,780	$41,290	$84,480
48	Florida	$60,650	$58,648	17,120	$43,470	$84,000
49	Louisiana	$60,260	$68,317	7,410	$37,790	$88,490
50	Arkansas	$59,760	$68,739	6,270	$39,180	$81,020
51	Mississippi	$57,760	$66,427	4,460	$38,880	$86,930
52	Puerto Rico	$37,450	Not available	2,940	$25,560	$58,000

State names link to the state's college page. Puerto Rico has no BEA price level, so its pay is not adjusted.

Programs that lead to this job

The federal crosswalk from fields of study to jobs links these programs to industrial machinery mechanics. Figures are medians across each program type's US programs. Program names link to the national ranking.

Program	Programs	Year 1 pay	Debt
Heavy Equipment Maintenance (Associate's)	27	$55,532	$12,000
Heavy Equipment Maintenance (Certificate)	45	$49,247	$9,375

Program figures are first-year pay for new graduates. The job's median pay covers every experience level.

Common questions

Industrial machinery mechanics earn a median of $64,520 a year in the US, across all experience levels (May 2025). The bottom 10% earn less than $46,120, and the top 10% more than $95,170.

About this data

Pay is from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics for May 2025. It covers all experience levels and all industries, and leaves out self-employed workers.
Projections are the Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections for 2025 to 2035, for the whole US.
Price levels are the Bureau of Economic Analysis Regional Price Parities for 2024.
Program figures are College Scorecard medians across programs, and only include students who received federal financial aid.

Sources

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025
Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025 to 2035
Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities, 2024
NCES, CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk
U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, field of study files, June 2026 release