According to the 2012 ERC Wage Survey, with the exception of entry level workers, wages for Machine Maintenance Mechanics in Northeast Ohio fall largely in line with the national dollar figures reported by the 2012-2013 Occupational Outlook Handbook. The national median wage for this job category averaged $21.23 per hour.
2012 ERC Wage Survey: Machine Maintenance Mechanic
| Job Title | Minimum | Midpoint | Maximum |
| Machine Maintenance Mechanic (Entry) | $13.59 | $15.29 | $16.98 |
| Machine Maintenance Mechanic (Junior) | $17.60 | $19.81 | $22.01 |
| Machine Maintenance Mechanic (Senior) | $20.48 | $23.05 | $25.61 |
Note: Median base hourly rates have been set as the midpoint values. The table above was designed to be used as a guide for establishing pay ranges for positions. The range spread was set at 25% with minimum and maximum values calculated 11.1% above and below the midpoint. Individual ranges may vary based on your organization’s compensation philosophy.
Both the junior and senior level Machine Maintenance Mechanic jobs fall in the top 25% paying jobs reported by the Wage Survey. In fact, the senior level position offers the third highest paying wage in the entire survey and has shown continued wage growth over the past several years.
One aspect of these positions that may contribute to the relative strength of the wages as compared to other hourly maintenance and production jobs reported is an educational requirement, typically a minimum of 2 years of technical training- plus additional years of experience for the junior and senior level positions. Moving forward these technical skills may prove to be key to the continued job growth in the manufacturing sector.
As noted in the job outlook from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, many basic or unskilled maintenance functions are likely to become automated as technological advances supersede many functions currently filled by unskilled maintenance workers. A clear difference can be seen in the job outlook statistics, which project average job growth at 19%, a number considered average compared to the overall growth seen across all occupations. However, this growth is primarily driven by the faster than average job growth projections for skilled Machinery Mechanics (22%). Unskilled Machinery Maintenance workers can only expect a 6% job growth rate, well below the typical growth numbers.
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Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2012-13 Edition, Industrial Machinery Mechanics and Maintenance Workers, (June,2012). http://www.bls.gov/ooh/installation-maintenance-and-repair/industrial-machinery-mechanics-and-maintenance-workers.htm.
