Electronic Equipment Installers and Repairers, Motor Vehicles: Salary, Job Outlook & How to Become One (2026 Parent Guide)

Installation, Maintenance, and Repair · SOC 49-2096 · O*NET 49-2096.00

Median salary
$47,940
Rank #556 of ~830 BLS occupations
10-year growth
-13.6%
2024–2034, declining
Employment
10.1M
BLS 2024
Projected 2034
8K
BLS projection
Official O*NET description

Install, diagnose, or repair communications, sound, security, or navigation equipment in motor vehicles.

Electronic Equipment Installers and Repairers, Motor Vehicles fall under the Installation, Maintenance, and Repair category in the U.S. occupational classification. Electronic Equipment Installers and Repairers, Motor Vehicles earn a median salary of $47,940 per year, ranking in the top 69% of all U.S. occupations. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects -13.6% 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 electronic equipment installers and repairers, motor vehicles earn?

The median annual wage for electronic equipment installers and repairers, motor vehicles is $47,940. That puts electronic equipment installers and repairers, motor vehicles at #556 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)$31,680
25th percentile$39,970
50th percentile (median)$47,940
75th percentile$58,900
90th percentile (top earners)$70,480
Median hourly wage$23.05/hr

Is electronic equipment installers and repairers, motor vehicles a growing career?

The 10-year outlook for electronic equipment installers and repairers, motor vehicles is -13.6%, projected to lose jobs through 2034. Employment is projected to move from approximately 10K positions in 2024 to 8K in 2034, a net change of -2K. 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 electronic equipment installers and repairers, motor vehicles do every day?

According to O*NET task surveys of working electronic equipment installers and repairers, motor vehicles, these are the core responsibilities most professionals perform. This is what your teen would actually be doing in this role.

  1. 1.Replace and clean electrical or electronic components.
  2. 2.Diagnose or repair problems with electronic equipment, such as sound, navigation, communication, and security equipment, in motor vehicles.
  3. 3.Confer with customers to determine the nature of malfunctions.
  4. 4.Install equipment and accessories, such as stereos, navigation equipment, communication equipment, and security systems.
  5. 5.Cut openings and drill holes for fixtures and equipment, using electric drills and routers.
  6. 6.Splice wires with knives or cutting pliers, and solder connections to fixtures and equipment.
  7. 7.Remove seats, carpeting, and interiors of doors and add sound-absorbing material in empty spaces, reinstalling interior parts.
  8. 8.Record results of diagnostic tests.

Top skills for electronic equipment installers and repairers, motor vehicles

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

Troubleshooting
3.6
Repairing
3.6
Operations Monitoring
3.5
Critical Thinking
3.5
Active Listening
3.4
Equipment Maintenance
3.3
Installation
3.3

What education does my child need to become electronic equipment installers and repairers, motor vehicle?

Electronic Equipment Installers and Repairers, Motor Vehicles 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 electronic equipment installers and repairers, motor vehicles

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

Post-secondary certificate
47.4%
High school diploma
44.8%
Associate's degree
4.3%
Less than high school
2.4%
Some college courses
1.1%

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 electronic equipment installers and repairers, motor vehicles

What is the median salary for electronic equipment installers and repairers, motor vehicles?

The median annual salary for electronic equipment installers and repairers, motor vehicles is $47,940 according to the latest Bureau of Labor Statistics data.

Is electronic equipment installers and repairers, motor vehicles a growing career?

BLS projects -13.6% growth for electronic equipment installers and repairers, motor vehicles from 2024 through 2034, which is declining growth projected to lose jobs through 2034.

What education does my child need to become electronic equipment installers and repairers, motor vehicle?

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 electronic equipment installers and repairers, motor vehicles?

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.