Computer, Automated Teller, and Office Machine Repairers: Salary, Job Outlook & How to Become One (2026 Parent Guide)

Installation, Maintenance, and Repair · SOC 49-2011 · O*NET 49-2011.00

Median salary
$46,860
Rank #585 of ~830 BLS occupations
10-year growth
-0.9%
2024–2034, declining
Employment
73.0M
BLS 2024
Projected 2034
78K
BLS projection
Official O*NET description

Repair, maintain, or install computers, word processing systems, automated teller machines, and electronic office machines, such as duplicating and fax machines.

Computer, Automated Teller, and Office Machine Repairers fall under the Installation, Maintenance, and Repair category in the U.S. occupational classification. Computer, Automated Teller, and Office Machine Repairers earn a median salary of $46,860 per year, ranking in the top 72% of all U.S. occupations. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects -0.9% job growth through 2034, projected to lose jobs through 2034. 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 computer, automated teller, and office machine repairers earn?

The median annual wage for computer, automated teller, and office machine repairers is $46,860. That puts computer, automated teller, and office machine repairers at #585 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.

Full salary distribution (national, BLS 2024)
10th percentile (entry-level)$35,120
25th percentile$38,290
50th percentile (median)$46,860
75th percentile$59,420
90th percentile (top earners)$69,560
Median hourly wage$22.53/hr

Is computer, automated teller, and office machine repairers a growing career?

The 10-year outlook for computer, automated teller, and office machine repairers is -0.9%, projected to lose jobs through 2034. Employment is projected to move from approximately 79K positions in 2024 to 78K 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 computer, automated teller, and office machine repairers do every day?

According to O*NET task surveys of working computer, automated teller, and office machine repairers, these are the core responsibilities most professionals perform. This is what your teen would actually be doing in this role.

  1. 1.Maintain parts inventories and order any additional parts needed for repairs.
  2. 2.Complete repair bills, shop records, time cards, or expense reports.
  3. 3.Test components or circuits of faulty equipment to locate defects, using oscilloscopes, signal generators, ammeters, voltmeters, or special diagnostic software programs.
  4. 4.Enter information into computers to copy programs from one electronic component to another or to draw, modify, or store schematics.
  5. 5.Fill machines with toners, inks, or other duplicating fluids.
  6. 6.Converse with customers to determine details of equipment problems.
  7. 7.Operate machines to test functioning of parts or mechanisms.
  8. 8.Reinstall software programs or adjust settings on existing software to fix machine malfunctions.

Top skills for computer, automated teller, and office machine repairers

O*NET ranks these as the most important skills for this occupation, on a 1–5 importance scale derived from worker surveys.

Active Listening
3.6
Repairing
3.6
Critical Thinking
3.5
Complex Problem Solving
3.4
Troubleshooting
3.4
Speaking
3.3
Equipment Maintenance
3.3

What education does my child need to become computer, automated teller, and office machine repairer?

Computer, Automated Teller, and Office Machine 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.

Actual education levels of working computer, automated teller, and office machine repairers

Based on O*NET surveys of incumbents — what people in this job actually have, not what employers list as required.

Associate's degree
33.0%
Post-secondary certificate
31.0%
High school diploma
28.1%
Some college courses
7.5%
Bachelor's degree
0.4%

Related careers your child might also consider

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 computer, automated teller, and office machine repairers

What is the median salary for computer, automated teller, and office machine repairers?

The median annual salary for computer, automated teller, and office machine repairers is $46,860 according to the latest Bureau of Labor Statistics data.

Is computer, automated teller, and office machine repairers a growing career?

BLS projects -0.9% growth for computer, automated teller, and office machine repairers from 2024 through 2034, which is declining growth projected to lose jobs through 2034.

What education does my child need to become computer, automated teller, and office machine 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 computer, automated teller, and office machine 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 2024–2034 release.