How To Become An Elevator Mechanic: What It Is and Career Path

What is an elevator mechanic and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

What goes up must come down, and when a person makes it to the third, fourth, or even twenty-fifth floor, they NEED an accessible way to get back to ground-level! Elevator mechanics are at the center of the transportation system of a building. They help oversee and maintain not only the elevators, but also other similar mediums such as, escalators, dumbwaiters, and moving walkways, among others. As an elevator mechanic, you will aid in the installation, assembly, maintenance, and repairs of in-building transportation devices.

You will be perform tasks like overseeing the installation of elevators, mechanical walkways, and escalators and their electrical systems. You will test these devices and carry out regular safety checks, as well as maintain and order compenent parts to keep these machines fully functional. And while an elevator malfunction might make a great TV sitcome scene, your building wants elevators to ALWAYS move up and down. In the off-chance of mechanical failures and malfunctions, you will be the first call to fix the issue and get passengers onto safe ground.

Essential skills required as a successful elevator mechanic include communication, physical stamina, problem solving, reading and interpretation of blueprints and manuals, and flexibility.

No formal educational requirements are needed for this position, but a high school diploma or a GED will offer candidates some preference. Moreover, relevant mechanical certifications and proven work experience in a related position will be extremely advantageous. The average hourly pay for this position is $27.64, which amounts to more than $57,000 annually.

ScoreElevator MechanicUS Average

Salary

6.2

Avg. Salary $79,797

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level

8.4

Growth Rate 3%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity

2.4

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.32%

Asian 3.74%

Black or African American 4.19%

Hispanic or Latino 17.13%

Unknown 6.54%

White 68.08%

Gender

female 2.03%

male 97.97%

Age - 44

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 44

Stress Level

8.4

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity Level

9.1

Complexity Level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance

5.1

Work Life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become an elevator mechanic

Explore elevator mechanic education requirements

Most common elevator mechanic degrees

High School Diploma

37.2 %

Associate

27.3 %

Bachelor's

17.4 %

Start to develop specific elevator mechanic skills

Skills	Percentages
Traction	16.71%
Switches	11.62%
Electric Motors	9.44%
Hand Tools	8.34%
Safety Regulations	6.20%

Complete relevant elevator mechanic training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 4-10 years on post-employment, on-the-job training. New elevator mechanics learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as an elevator mechanic based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real elevator mechanic resumes.

Research elevator mechanic duties and responsibilities

Install safety and control devices, cables, pulleys, drive, rails, motors, and elevator cars.
Perform routine and complex repairs to electrical systems and controls, motors, switches, relays, and hydraulics.
Gain access to remove detective parts using hoists, ladders and hand tools while using the proper safety PPE.
Preform installation, repairs and preventive maintenance to traction and hydraulic elevators, escalators and material lifts.

Prepare your elevator mechanic resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your elevator mechanic resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on an elevator mechanic resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose From 10+ Customizable Elevator Mechanic Resume templates

Build a professional Elevator Mechanic resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your Elevator Mechanic resume.

Apply for elevator mechanic jobs

Now it's time to start searching for an elevator mechanic job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

Browse job boards for relevant postings
Consult your professional network
Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
Watch out for job scams

How do elevator mechanics rate their job?

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Elevator Mechanic reviews

A zippia user wrote a review on Mar 2020

Cons

Overtimes and 40 hours a week

Pros

Camarada or Comaraderie the ablitly to work at a good job and support a family and relatives