Elevator & Escalator Mechanic
Trades/Construction · $106,580 median · 16–208 weeks training · Structurally ineligible for Workforce Pell
How we know this
The BLS wage is verified; the supplementary figures are a best-knowledge estimate still being checked (OEWS/OOH 2024), last reviewed June 29, 2026. We show our sources so you can check every number yourself.
Honest tradeoffs
Hard to get into
Union apprenticeships are very competitive with long waitlists in many metros, and the work involves heights, confined spaces, and on-call repair. But the pay is among the best in the trades.
Wages
Earnings by career stage
range · estimatedResearched estimates by experience level, setting, and region — see the full breakdown below. The BLS median is the one figure verified directly against bls.gov.
Pay by stage & setting
- Apprentice elevator mechanic (NEIEP, years 1-4, while training) $55-75K
- Journeyman elevator constructor / mechanic $100-125K
- Modernization adjuster or maintenance-route specialist $120-145K
- Mechanic with overtime $130-160K+. One of the highest-paid building trades.
Workforce Pell eligibility
Not eligible for Workforce Pell
Training
That's a wide span on purpose: you can start working after a short pre-apprenticeship or entry course, while the longer figure reflects a full apprenticeship. The career ladder below breaks the journey into steps.
Ways in
Paid, on-the-job training combined with classroom hours — you get a wage from day one instead of paying tuition.
Pay while training: ~50% of journeyman scale in year 1, stepping up each year to full journey rate (~$45-60/hr in many metros)
Common sponsors: NEIEP (National Elevator Industry Educational Program), IUEC (International Union of Elevator Constructors)
Credentials you'll earnwith typical prep time
State elevator mechanic license
State licensing board (most states)
Most states require a license; estimate pending verification.
Cost vs. payoff
Cost vs. payoff
- Training cost
- Often free or employer-paid
- Time to start earning
- ~16 weeks
- Pays for itself in
- no cost to recoup
- Typical debt
- ~$30,000
- Time to start earning
- ~4 years
- Pays for itself in
- varies widely
We're not anti-college — for many careers a degree is the right call. But the honest gap is real: this path starts paying while a 4-year student is still accumulating cost. Degree figures are a national reference (average borrower debt ~$29–38K; sources vary), not a guarantee for any specific school or major.
Getting started — your first moves
- 1
Find an apprenticeship
Apply to a registered apprenticeship — you earn a paycheck from day one while you train, instead of paying tuition.
- 2
Earn your first credential
Study for and pass the State elevator mechanic license.
- 3
Get hired and grow
Land an entry role and start building experience — pay climbs as you move up the career ladder above.
See it where you live
The figures above are national. Pay and programs vary a lot by state — pick yours and we'll send you straight to the official local data, no guessing.
Career ladder
Elevator apprentice
Entry$65,000Training: NEIEP apprenticeship (paid), ~4 years
Journeyman elevator mechanic
Year 4$110,000Adjuster / modernization specialist
Year 7$135,000
State licensure
Licensure is required in most states, but the verified per-state list is still pending — check your state licensing board before enrolling. See “Data limitations” below.
Data limitations
- • Training length/cost, apprenticeship pay, licensure, and career-ladder wages are researched estimates anchored to verified BLS figures — confirm in a C2 pass.
- • A state elevator-mechanic license is required in most states, but the verified per-state list (and which states defer to local/municipal licensing) is not yet compiled.
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