Coin, Vending, and Amusement Machine Servicers and Repairers: Salary, Job Outlook & How to Become One (2026 Parent Guide)
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair · SOC 49-9091 · O*NET 49-9091.00
Install, service, adjust, or repair coin, vending, or amusement machines including video games, juke boxes, pinball machines, or slot machines.
Coin, Vending, and Amusement Machine Servicers and Repairers fall under the Installation, Maintenance, and Repair category in the U.S. occupational classification. Coin, Vending, and Amusement Machine Servicers and Repairers earn a median salary of $47,450 per year, ranking in the top 74% of all U.S. occupations. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects -3.4% job growth through 2035, projected to lose jobs through 2035. Entry into this field typically requires an apprenticeship, technical certification, or postsecondary training, with specific licensing or certification depending on the state and employer. For parents whose teenager is exploring this path, the most actionable step is mapping the education requirements to specific colleges and majors before junior year — not waiting until application season.
What do coin, vending, and amusement machine servicers and repairers earn?
The median annual wage for coin, vending, and amusement machine servicers and repairers is $47,450. That puts coin, vending, and amusement machine servicers and repairers at #612 on the BLS ranked list of all U.S. occupations by median pay. This salary is around or below the U.S. median for individual workers, so career growth often depends on advancement into supervisory roles, specialization, or additional credentials. Actual pay varies meaningfully by state, employer type, and years of experience — entry-level salaries are typically 30–40% below the median, while top-decile earners often exceed it by 50% or more.
| 10th percentile (entry-level) | $34,320 |
| 25th percentile | $39,760 |
| 50th percentile (median) | $47,450 |
| 75th percentile | $58,110 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $66,370 |
| Median hourly wage | $22.81/hr |
Is coin, vending, and amusement machine servicers and repairers a growing career?
The 10-year outlook for coin, vending, and amusement machine servicers and repairers is -3.4%, projected to lose jobs through 2035. Employment is projected to move from approximately 34K positions in 2024 to 33K in 2034, a net change of <1K. A declining outlook does not mean the field is disappearing; it means automation, demographics, or substitution effects are shrinking the pool of openings. Students entering a declining field should plan for adjacent skills that transfer to growing roles.
What do coin, vending, and amusement machine servicers and repairers do every day?
According to O*NET task surveys of working coin, vending, and amusement machine servicers and repairers, these are the core responsibilities most professionals perform. This is what your teen would actually be doing in this role.
- 1.Clean and oil machine parts.
- 2.Test machines to determine proper functioning.
- 3.Adjust and repair coin, vending, or amusement machines and meters and replace defective mechanical and electrical parts, using hand tools, soldering irons, and diagrams.
- 4.Record transaction information on forms or logs, and notify designated personnel of discrepancies.
- 5.Inspect machines and meters to determine causes of malfunctions and fix minor problems such as jammed bills or stuck products.
- 6.Maintain records of machine maintenance and repair.
- 7.Replace malfunctioning parts, such as worn magnetic heads on automatic teller machine (ATM) card readers.
- 8.Fill machines with products, ingredients, money, and other supplies.
Top skills for coin, vending, and amusement machine servicers and repairers
O*NET ranks these as the most important skills for this occupation, on a 1–5 importance scale derived from worker surveys.
What education does my child need to become coin, vending, and amusement machine servicers and repairer?
Coin, Vending, and Amusement Machine Servicers and Repairers typically enter the field through a formal apprenticeship, technical certification, or vocational training program — a strong fit for teens who prefer hands-on learning over traditional college. For parents helping a teen prepare, the highest-leverage step before junior year is identifying colleges and programs that feed reliably into this occupation — Solyo's college search lets parents filter by major and admissions data side by side.
Based on O*NET surveys of incumbents: what people in this job actually have, not what employers list as required.
Related careers your child might also consider
- Musical Instrument Repairers and Tuners$46,420 median
- Manufactured Building and Mobile Home Installers$45,990 median
- Bicycle Repairers$42,780 median
- Helpers--Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers$39,630 median
- Tire Repairers and Changers$37,710 median
- Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Powerhouse, Substation, and Relay$103,020 median
How parents help teens explore careers like this
Solyo helps parents map a teen's interests to specific careers, then back to the colleges and majors that lead there. Salary, outlook, and education data come from BLS and O*NET — the same sources high school counselors use — but presented for the parent's planning lens, not the student's exploration view.
Common questions parents ask about coin, vending, and amusement machine servicers and repairers
What is the median salary for coin, vending, and amusement machine servicers and repairers?
The median annual salary for coin, vending, and amusement machine servicers and repairers is $47,450 according to the latest Bureau of Labor Statistics data.
Is coin, vending, and amusement machine servicers and repairers a growing career?
BLS projects -3.4% growth for coin, vending, and amusement machine servicers and repairers from 2025 through 2035, which is declining growth projected to lose jobs through 2035.
What education does my child need to become coin, vending, and amusement machine servicers and repairer?
The typical entry path requires an apprenticeship, technical certification, or postsecondary training, plus any state licensure or certification specific to the role. Programs that align well with this career can be filtered inside Solyo's college search.
What careers are similar to coin, vending, and amusement machine servicers and repairers?
Related occupations within the Installation, Maintenance, and Repair category share education paths and skill profiles, so they're a useful starting set when a teen is uncertain. The "Related careers" section below lists nearby options.
Salary data sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment Statistics program. Skills, tasks, and education distribution from the O*NET database. Job outlook from the BLS Employment Projections 2025–2035 release.