Explore national salary, projected growth, education requirements, and career opportunities across the United States.
A concise view of this occupation’s national scale, compensation, and projected demand.
National median annual wage for this occupation.
Estimated jobs currently supported nationwide.
Projected employment change through 2034.
Estimated openings created each year.
The typical education, prior experience, and on-the-job training associated with entry into this career.
High school diploma or equivalent
None
Moderate-term on-the-job training
These are the highest-rated capabilities associated with success in this occupation. Scores are derived from occupational skill analysis and are measured on a 100-point scale.
Based on skills, knowledge, and work activities, these occupations are the closest match to your current career.
Explore the states and metropolitan areas offering the strongest combination of salary, employment, demand, and long-term opportunity.
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Control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical door, work in a specialized technical trade that combines hands-on mechanical work with problem solving and customer interaction. National employment stands at 48,000 workers, with projected employment growth of 1.3% and about 4,000 annual openings, indicating ongoing hiring needs. The national median annual salary of $74,690 positions this role as a solid option for people interested in skilled technical work with a mechanical focus. Strong mechanical aptitude, fine motor skills, and physical strength and stamina are important, along with being detail oriented and able to provide customer service. Skills in science, computers and information technology, project management, creativity and innovation, and leadership also play a role in this field. For individuals who want a career that blends technical skill, practical problem solving, and interaction with customers or teams, this occupation offers a structured path with clear salary benchmarks and opportunities across multiple states and metro areas.
Control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical door, have a national median annual salary of $74,690, with notable variation by location. Several states stand out for higher median pay levels, including Washington at $102,870, New York at $101,150, and California at $100,260. Massachusetts also reports a strong median salary of $95,520. Among metro areas, San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA shows a particularly high median salary of $130,800, while San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA is at $115,460 and New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ is at $103,780. These figures indicate that workers in certain regions can earn significantly more than the national median. At the same time, there are metros such as Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV with a median of $75,950 that align more closely with national levels, giving job seekers a range of earning scenarios to consider.
This occupation has national employment of 48,000 control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical door, with projected employment growth of 1.3%. The combination of existing employment and a positive growth rate suggests that the field is expected to continue to need workers. Annual openings are projected at 4,000, reflecting both new positions and turnover in existing jobs. For job seekers, these figures point to a labor market with ongoing hiring activity rather than a static or declining field. The consistent 1.3% growth rate that appears across the highlighted states and metros shows a shared projection pattern rather than large regional differences in growth expectations. People considering this career can factor in both the current employment base and the steady projected growth when evaluating long-term prospects and the potential for continued demand across different parts of the country.
Location makes a meaningful difference for control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical door, both in pay and concentration of jobs. Among states, California and New York each employ more than 4,000 workers in this field, with California at 4,310 and New York at 4,170, and both offer six-figure median salaries near or above $100,000. Washington has a smaller employment base of 450 but shows a median salary of $102,870. Massachusetts and Colorado offer median salaries of $95,520 and $63,770, respectively, with smaller but notable employment counts. Opportunity scores range from about 56 in Colorado and Washington to more than 67 in California, with Massachusetts and New York also above 65. At the metro level, San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA and New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ stand out with opportunity scores above 77. San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA combines a high opportunity score with the highest listed median salary of $130,800, giving job seekers several high-potential locations to compare.
The typical education requirement for control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical door, is a high school diploma or equivalent. This makes the field accessible to people who want a skilled technical career without needing a college degree as the standard entry point. Within that framework, the skill profile is broad and combines both physical and cognitive strengths. Mechanical skill, fine motor ability, and physical strength and stamina support the hands-on aspects of the work. Being detail oriented is important for accuracy and quality, while customer service skills help in working with clients or end users. Additional strengths in science, computers and information technology, and project management support more complex tasks and coordination. Creativity and innovation, along with leadership, round out the profile, suggesting opportunities to contribute ideas and guide work or teams over time as experience grows within this occupation.
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