How to become a home appliance repairer
Repair, adjust, or install all types of electric or gas household appliances, such as refrigerators, washers, dryers, and ovens.
Steps to get there
Most employers expect usually requires a high school diploma or ged, though some occupations may not..Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training.
What home appliance repairers do
- Trace electrical circuits, following diagrams, and conduct tests with circuit testers and other equipment to locate shorts and grounds.
- Provide repair cost estimates, and recommend whether appliance repair or replacement is a better choice.
- Respond to emergency calls for problems such as gas leaks.
- Service and repair domestic electrical or gas appliances, such as clothes washers, refrigerators, stoves, and dryers.
- Reassemble units after repairs are made, making adjustments and cleaning and lubricating parts as needed.
- Test and examine gas pipelines and equipment to locate leaks and faulty connections, and to determine the pressure and flow of gas.
Skills that matter most
- Critical Thinking
- Speaking
- Active Listening
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Learning
- Monitoring
- Writing
- Mathematics
Is home appliance repairer a good career?
On the numbers, this job is close to the average across occupations. Median pay is 0% above the all-occupation median. Whether it fits you depends on the work itself, the schooling you are willing to do and where you want to live.
Where it pays most
- Massachusetts $70,750
- New York $65,190
- Alaska $63,950
- Connecticut $62,380
- Minnesota $61,360
Home Appliance Repairers salary by state and city
Sources: O*NET® 31.0 (CC BY 4.0, USDOL/ETA) and BLS Employment Projections 2025–35. Pay: BLS OEWS May 2025.