Skills it runs on
The capabilities O*NET rates most important for this occupation — the human ground the work is built on.
See all skills →Home Appliance Repairers
Occupation · SOC 49-9031.00
Repair, adjust, or install all types of electric or gas household appliances, such as refrigerators, washers, dryers, and ovens.
Also called: Appliance Technician (Appliance Tech) · Repair Technician · Service Technician (Service Tech) · Vacuum Repairer · Appliance Mechanic · Appliance Repair Mechanic · Appliance Repair Technician (Appliance Repair Tech) · Appliance Service Technician · Repair Man · Air-Conditioner Window Unit Installer (AC Window Unit Installer) · Air-Conditioner Window Unit Servicer (AC Window Unit Servicer) · Appliance Adjuster
Job family: Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Occupations
Take this to your AI
A source-stamped Markdown brief of this occupation — paste it into an agent, or fetch
/roles/role-49-9031-00/context.md directly.
AI work map
A fast read on where AI already shows up in this occupation, where it stays a copilot, where humans remain in the loop, and what the labor market is doing. Built from observed Claude.ai conversations mapped to O*NET tasks and from published research — measures of usage and exposure, not advice or predictions that the job is going away.
Market signal
Independent published positions, read together — not a forecast.
- About average employment outlook (+2.6% by 2034)
- 3,100 openings/yr
- Moderate AI exposure
- Median pay $49,410/yr
- Work is mostly on-site (not teleworkable)
- 2013 flagged this for computerization (59th); today's AI task-overlap is comparatively low (26th)
26th-percentile task overlap — yet about 3,100 openings a year (+2.6% projected, BLS) . What exposure means →
AI & job outlook
What today's research says about this occupation's exposure to AI, how AI is actually being used in it, and where employment is headed. These are positions within published studies — measures of exposure and usage, not predictions that this job will disappear.
Exposure to current AI
Each study uses its own scale, so the raw scores are not comparable across rows — the percentile (this job's rank among all U.S. occupations with data) is the comparable figure, and sizes the bars.
| Measure | Rank vs all occupations | Percentile | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall AI exposure (Felten et al.) Low | 19th | -1.0 | |
| LLM task exposure, γ (OpenAI / Eloundou) Low | 26th | 0.2 | |
| AI assistant applicability (Microsoft) Moderate | 40th | 0.1 |
OpenAI's exposure study scores tasks three ways: with a language model alone (α 0.1), with simple added tooling (β 0.1), and including AI-powered software (γ 0.2). Higher means more of the job's tasks could be done at least twice as fast — not that they will be automated away.
This job mostly cannot be done remotely (Dingel–Neiman) — its hands-on tasks sit outside what software-based AI reaches.
Historical automation estimate (2013)
A pre-LLM (2013) estimate of how automatable this job is by computerization and robotics. Shown for historical context only — it is not part of any current AI ranking.
Frey–Osborne probability 0.7 · 59th percentile among occupations · Moderate
How AI is actually used in this job
Among measured AI assistant conversations mapped to this occupation (Anthropic Economic Index, 2026-01-15), these task types came up most. These are shares of observed AI conversations — not shares of the job, of worker time, or of what could be automated.
| Refer to schematic drawings, product manuals, and troubleshooting guides to diagnose and repair problems. | 0.5% |
Job outlook
Independent U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics employment projection for 2024–2034 — a labor-market forecast, not an AI-impact forecast.
| Outlook | About average · +2.6% by 2034 |
| Projected annual openings | 3,100 |
| Employment 2024 → 2034 | 37,300 → 38,300 |
“Annual openings” counts new jobs plus replacements for workers who leave the occupation, so it can be large even when growth is modest.
Where this work sits on the global GenAI gradient
The ILO's 2025 global study scores generative-AI exposure on the international ISCO-08 occupation system, not US SOC. Bridged through the published (and approximate, many-to-many) IBS O*NET-SOC ↔ ISCO-08 crosswalk, this US occupation corresponds to the international occupation below. Exposure here means how much of the work's tasks today's AI can attempt — task overlap, not automation, adoption, or jobs lost.
Home Appliance Repairers sits at the 24th percentile of 427
occupations on the global GenAI task-exposure gradient
— exposure rose from 2023 to 2025. Each dot is one occupation; the
ringed one is this work. Exposure is task overlap, not automation or jobs lost.
17% mean task exposure (2025)
24th percentile of 427 placed occupations
+4 pts shift 2023 → 2025
| International occupation (ISCO-08) | Task exposure (2025) | Most tasks fall in |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical Mechanics and Fitters · 7412 | 17% | Not exposed |
Read the whole six-band gradient on the GenAI exposure gradient page. The crosswalk is approximate: a US occupation can map to several international ones, and the ILO scores describe the international occupation, not this exact US role.
Tasks
All 31 tasks O*NET lists for this occupation, ordered by importance. Each links to its own page with AI-exposure and observed-use detail.
- Bill customers for repair work, and collect payment. Core · importance 4.5
- Observe and examine appliances during operation to detect specific malfunctions such as loose parts or leaking fluid. Core · importance 4.5
- Talk to customers or refer to work orders to establish the nature of appliance malfunctions. Core · importance 4.4
- Refer to schematic drawings, product manuals, and troubleshooting guides to diagnose and repair problems. Core · importance 4.4
- Trace electrical circuits, following diagrams, and conduct tests with circuit testers and other equipment to locate shorts and grounds. Core · importance 4.4
- Replace worn and defective parts such as switches, bearings, transmissions, belts, gears, circuit boards, or defective wiring. Core · importance 4.4
- Conserve, recover, and recycle refrigerants used in cooling systems. Supplemental · importance 4.4
- Provide repair cost estimates, and recommend whether appliance repair or replacement is a better choice. Core · importance 4.3
- Disassemble appliances so that problems can be diagnosed and repairs can be made. Core · importance 4.3
- Respond to emergency calls for problems such as gas leaks. Core · importance 4.3
- Service and repair domestic electrical or gas appliances, such as clothes washers, refrigerators, stoves, and dryers. Core · importance 4.3
- Reassemble units after repairs are made, making adjustments and cleaning and lubricating parts as needed. Core · importance 4.2
- Record maintenance and repair work performed on appliances. Core · importance 4.2
- Test and examine gas pipelines and equipment to locate leaks and faulty connections, and to determine the pressure and flow of gas. Core · importance 4.2
- Light and adjust pilot lights on gas stoves, and examine valves and burners for gas leakage and specified flame. Core · importance 4.1
- Instruct customers regarding operation and care of appliances, and provide information such as emergency service numbers. Core · importance 4.1
- Contact supervisors or offices to receive repair assignments. Core · importance 4.0
- Maintain stocks of parts used in on-site installation, maintenance, and repair of appliances. Core · importance 4.0
- Level refrigerators, adjust doors, and connect water lines to water pipes for ice makers and water dispensers, using hand tools. Core · importance 4.0
- Observe and test operation of appliances following installation, and make any initial installation adjustments that are necessary. Core · importance 4.0
- Install gas pipes and water lines to connect appliances to existing gas lines or plumbing. Supplemental · importance 4.0
- Set appliance thermostats, and check to ensure that they are functioning properly. Core · importance 3.8
- Install appliances such as refrigerators, washing machines, and stoves. Core · importance 3.8
- Level washing machines and connect hoses to water pipes, using hand tools. Core · importance 3.8
- Take measurements to determine if appliances will fit in installation locations, performing minor carpentry work when necessary to ensure proper installation. Supplemental · importance 3.6
- Clean and reinstall parts. Core · importance 3.6
- Clean, lubricate, and touch up minor defects on newly installed or repaired appliances. Core · importance 3.6
- Measure, cut, and thread pipe, and connect it to feeder lines and equipment or appliances, using rules and hand tools. Supplemental · importance 3.4
- Assemble new or reconditioned appliances. Supplemental · importance 3.2
- Disassemble and reinstall existing kitchen cabinets, or assemble and install prefabricated kitchen cabinets and trim in conjunction with appliance installation. Supplemental
- Hang steel supports from beams or joists to hold hoses, vents, and gas pipes in place. Supplemental
Work activities
- Disassemble equipment for maintenance or repair.
- Collect payments for goods or services.
- Test electrical circuits or components for proper functioning.
- Repair worn, damaged, or defective mechanical parts.
- Replace worn, damaged, or defective mechanical parts.
- Read work orders or descriptions of problems to determine repairs or modifications needed.
- Confer with customers or users to assess problems.
- Clean equipment, parts, or tools to repair or maintain them in good working order.
- Reassemble equipment after repair.
- Adjust equipment to ensure optimal performance.
- Maintain repair or maintenance records.
- Estimate costs for labor or materials.
- Advise others on issues related to repairs, installation, or equipment design.
- Maintain inventories of materials, equipment, or products.
- Observe equipment in operation to detect potential problems.
- Test mechanical equipment to ensure proper functioning.
- Read technical information needed to perform maintenance or repairs.
- Train customers in the use of products.
- Assemble mechanical components or machine parts.
- Lubricate equipment to allow proper functioning.
- Dispose of hazardous materials.
- Level machines or equipment.
- Connect hoses to equipment or piping.
- Inspect systems to determine if they are operating properly.
- Install piping for installation or maintenance activities.
- Travel to work sites to perform installation, repair or maintenance work.
- Install home appliances.
- Confer with coworkers to resolve equipment problems.
- Inspect gas systems or components to identify leaks or other potential hazards.
- Cut materials according to specifications or needs.
- Measure distances or dimensions.
Knowledge, skills & abilities
O*NET importance rating, from 1 (not important) to 5 (extremely important).
Knowledge
Transferable skills
| Repairing | 3.9 | |
| Equipment Maintenance | 3.6 | |
| Troubleshooting | 3.6 | |
| Operations Monitoring | 3.5 | |
| Quality Control Analysis | 3.5 | |
| Complex Problem Solving | 3.1 | |
| Service Orientation | 3.0 | |
| Equipment Selection | 3.0 | |
| Installation | 3.0 | |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.0 | |
| Time Management | 3.0 |
Abilities
| Arm-Hand Steadiness | 3.9 | |
| Oral Expression | 3.8 | |
| Problem Sensitivity | 3.8 | |
| Manual Dexterity | 3.8 | |
| Finger Dexterity | 3.8 | |
| Near Vision | 3.8 | |
| Oral Comprehension | 3.6 | |
| Information Ordering | 3.3 | |
| Visualization | 3.3 | |
| Extent Flexibility | 3.3 | |
| Written Comprehension | 3.1 | |
| Deductive Reasoning | 3.1 | |
| Written Expression | 3.0 | |
| Fluency of Ideas | 3.0 | |
| Inductive Reasoning | 3.0 | |
| Flexibility of Closure | 3.0 | |
| Selective Attention | 3.0 |
Essential skills
| Critical Thinking | 3.8 | |
| Speaking | 3.5 | |
| Active Listening | 3.4 | |
| Reading Comprehension | 3.1 |
Skills in demand
Skills employers ask for in job postings for this occupation (Lightcast), with whether each is a common or specialized skill.
Tools & technology
| Example | Category | |
|---|---|---|
| Microsoft Excel | Spreadsheet software | Hot technology |
| Microsoft Office software | Office suite software | Hot technology |
| Microsoft Outlook | Electronic mail software | Hot technology |
| Microsoft Windows | Operating system software | Hot technology |
| Microsoft Word | Word processing software | Hot technology |
| dESCO ESC | Data base user interface and query software | |
| Intac International Wintac | Data base user interface and query software | |
| Parts database software | Data base user interface and query software | |
| RazorSync | Data base user interface and query software | |
| Route mapping software | Route navigation software | |
| ServiceMax | Data base user interface and query software | |
| Web browser software | Internet browser software |
Work context
How characteristic each condition is of the job, on O*NET's 1–5 context scale (higher = more present in day-to-day work). Each condition links to how it varies across all occupations.
How to get in
- Job zone
- Zone 2 — Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed
- Education
- Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
- Typical entry-level education
- High school diploma or equivalent · BLS, the typical path — not a requirement
- Related experience
- 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.
- Preparation level
- SVP (Below 6.0) — total schooling plus on-the-job experience.
What to study: Mechanic and Repair Technologies/Technicians . Fields of study crosswalked to this occupation (NCES CIP–SOC), not a requirement.
Education of current workers
Share of people in this occupation at each level of education.
| High School Diploma | 69.0% | |
| Post-Secondary Certificate | 20.3% | |
| Less than a High School Diploma | 7.6% | |
| Associate's Degree (or other 2-year degree) | 3.1% |
Interests & work styles
The interests and personal qualities O*NET associates with people who do this work.
Career interests (Holland / RIASEC)
| Realistic | 7.0 | |
| Conventional | 4.8 | |
| Investigative | 2.3 | |
| Social | 1.6 |
Interest areas
| Mechanics/Electronics | 6.5 | |
| Physical/Manual Labor | 5.0 | |
| Engineering | 3.8 | |
| Personal Service | 1.8 | |
| Construction/Woodwork | 1.7 | |
| Information Technology | 1.6 | |
| Sales | 1.6 |
Work styles
| Dependability | 3.0 | |
| Attention to Detail | 2.3 | |
| Cautiousness | 2.1 | |
| Integrity | 1.7 | |
| Perseverance | 1.6 |
Wages & employment
U.S. · annual wages (BLS OEWS)
| 10th percentile | $33,280 |
| 25th percentile | $40,280 |
| Median (50th) | $49,410 |
| 75th percentile | $61,750 |
| 90th percentile | $77,800 |
| People employed | 31,940 |
Industries that employ this occupation
Where these workers are employed, by number of jobs (national, BLS OEWS). Pay shown is the occupation's national median, not industry-specific.
| Industry | Workers | National median pay |
|---|---|---|
| Other Services (except Public Administration) · Sector | 13,520 | $50,070 |
| Retail Trade · Sector | 12,050 | $46,790 |
| Wholesale Trade · Sector | 3,330 | $49,970 |
| Construction · Sector | 880 | $58,240 |
| Plumbing, Heating, and Air-Conditioning Contractors · National industry | 410 | $55,560 |
| Real Estate and Rental and Leasing · Sector | 360 | $42,120 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises · Sector | 350 | $76,260 |
| Manufacturing · Sector | 280 | $60,500 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services · Sector | 280 | $46,740 |
| Transportation and Warehousing · Sector | 190 | $50,120 |
| Educational Services · Sector | 100 | $52,600 |
| Other Building Equipment Contractors · National industry | 80 | $46,520 |
Where this work is most concentrated
Industries where this occupation is far more common than in the economy as a whole. The location quotient is how many times more concentrated it is here (a value of 5 means five times its economy-wide share).
| Industry | Concentration | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Other Services (except Public Administration) · Sector | 14.74× | 13,520 |
| Retail Trade · Sector | 3.73× | 12,050 |
| Wholesale Trade · Sector | 2.66× | 3,330 |
| Plumbing, Heating, and Air-Conditioning Contractors · National industry | 1.56× | 410 |
| Real Estate and Rental and Leasing · Sector | 0.73× | 360 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises · Sector | 0.6× | 350 |
| Construction · Sector | 0.52× | 880 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services · Sector | 0.15× | 280 |
Related occupations
Part of the Construction career cluster.
- Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers · 49-9021.00 Compare →
- Electric Motor, Power Tool, and Related Repairers · 49-2092.00 Compare →
- Industrial Machinery Mechanics · 49-9041.00 Compare →
- Cleaners of Vehicles and Equipment · 53-7061.00 Compare →
- Control and Valve Installers and Repairers, Except Mechanical Door · 49-9012.00 Compare →
- Outdoor Power Equipment and Other Small Engine Mechanics · 49-3053.00 Compare →
- Electrical and Electronics Installers and Repairers, Transportation Equipment · 49-2093.00 Compare →
- Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics · 49-3023.00 Compare →
- Engine and Other Machine Assemblers · 51-2031.00 Compare →
- Electronic Equipment Installers and Repairers, Motor Vehicles · 49-2096.00 Compare →
- Helpers--Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers · 49-9098.00 Compare →
- Maintenance and Repair Workers, General · 49-9071.00 Compare →
Side-by-side comparisons place two occupations’ pay, preparation, skills, and AI exposure on the same page — same data, same scale, no forecast.
What you can do with this
Options the data surfaces for Home Appliance Repairers — not advice or a forecast. Each is a real cross-link you can follow into the evidence.
Skills that travel
Capabilities this work builds that are used across many other occupations.
Adjacent roles
Occupations O*NET rates as related — the nearby moves on the map.
- Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers Compare →
- Electric Motor, Power Tool, and Related Repairers Compare →
- Industrial Machinery Mechanics Compare →
- Cleaners of Vehicles and Equipment Compare →
- Control and Valve Installers and Repairers, Except Mechanical Door Compare →
Paths in
How people typically prepare for this work.
- High school diploma or equivalent · typical entry level
- Job zone 2 — Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed · preparation tier
- Mechanic and Repair Technologies/Technicians · field of study
Zoom out
On the global GenAI exposure gradient this work sits around the 24th percentile of 427 international occupations.
Write a report on thisheadline · factoids · citation
Home Appliance Repairers show 26th-percentile AI task overlap — and about 3,100 annual U.S. openings
- Home Appliance Repairers rank in the 26th percentile (Low band) for AI task overlap across U.S. occupations — a measure of how much of the work today's AI can attempt, not how much is automated.Eloundou et al. (GPTs are GPTs) + Felten AIOE
- The occupation is projected to see about 3,100 U.S. job openings per year (2024–34), counting growth and replacement — a labor-demand projection made independently of AI.BLS Employment Projections 2024–34
- BLS projects employment to be about average (+2.6%) from 2024 to 2034.BLS Employment Projections 2024–34
- Median annual pay is $49,410, across about 31,940 U.S. workers.BLS OEWS (May 2024)
Copy the whole kit
Home Appliance Repairers show 26th-percentile AI task overlap — and about 3,100 annual U.S. openings • Home Appliance Repairers rank in the 26th percentile (Low band) for AI task overlap across U.S. occupations — a measure of how much of the work today's AI can attempt, not how much is automated. (Eloundou et al. (GPTs are GPTs) + Felten AIOE) • The occupation is projected to see about 3,100 U.S. job openings per year (2024–34), counting growth and replacement — a labor-demand projection made independently of AI. (BLS Employment Projections 2024–34) • BLS projects employment to be about average (+2.6%) from 2024 to 2034. (BLS Employment Projections 2024–34) • Median annual pay is $49,410, across about 31,940 U.S. workers. (BLS OEWS (May 2024)) Source: Singulariki — "Home Appliance Repairers". https://singulariki.com/roles/role-49-9031-00 Note: AI task overlap measures what today's AI can attempt, not automation, job loss, or a forecast.
AssetsShare imageMethodology & sourcesPress & newsroomThe newsroom
Every line is built only from figures this page already shows and cites. AI task overlap means what today's AI can attempt — not automation, job loss, or a forecast.
Sources for this page
Every figure above traces to a named public dataset and the exact release below — not hand-written opinion. See the full methodology for what each measure does and does not mean.
- O*NET 30.3 U.S. Department of Labor / National Center for O*NET Development
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2024 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
- BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
- Anthropic Economic Index v4 (2026-01-15) + v2 (2025-03-27) Anthropic
- Microsoft “Working with AI” working-with-ai Microsoft Research
- “GPTs are GPTs” (Eloundou et al.) arXiv 2303.10130 OpenAI / academic
- AI Occupational Exposure (AIOE) Felten, Raj & Seamans academic
- ILO / Gmyrek et al. GenAI exposure gradient 2025 International Labour Organization
- IBS O*NET-SOC ↔ ISCO-08 occupation crosswalk 2022 Institute for Structural Research (IBS)
- Frey & Osborne (2013) frey-osborne-automation academic
- Dingel & Neiman (2020) dingel-neiman-workathome academic
Data compiled June 2, 2026. Figures are estimates, not advice.
Cite this page
Plain
Singulariki. "Home Appliance Repairers." Singulariki: a source-backed encyclopedia of work. Built from O*NET 30.3; BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2024; BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034; Anthropic Economic Index v4 (2026-01-15) + v2 (2025-03-27); Microsoft “Working with AI” working-with-ai; “GPTs are GPTs” (Eloundou et al.) arXiv 2303.10130; AI Occupational Exposure (AIOE) Felten, Raj & Seamans; ILO / Gmyrek et al. GenAI exposure gradient 2025; IBS O*NET-SOC ↔ ISCO-08 occupation crosswalk 2022; Frey & Osborne (2013) frey-osborne-automation; Dingel & Neiman (2020) dingel-neiman-workathome. Accessed June 7, 2026. https://singulariki.com/roles/role-49-9031-00
APA
Singulariki. (2026). Home Appliance Repairers. Singulariki: a source-backed encyclopedia of work. Retrieved June 7, 2026, from https://singulariki.com/roles/role-49-9031-00
BibTeX
@misc{singulariki-role-49-9031-00,
title = {Home Appliance Repairers},
author = {{Singulariki}},
year = {2026},
note = {O*NET 30.3; BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2024; BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034; Anthropic Economic Index v4 (2026-01-15) + v2 (2025-03-27); Microsoft “Working with AI” working-with-ai; “GPTs are GPTs” (Eloundou et al.) arXiv 2303.10130; AI Occupational Exposure (AIOE) Felten, Raj & Seamans; ILO / Gmyrek et al. GenAI exposure gradient 2025; IBS O*NET-SOC ↔ ISCO-08 occupation crosswalk 2022; Frey & Osborne (2013) frey-osborne-automation; Dingel & Neiman (2020) dingel-neiman-workathome. Accessed June 7, 2026},
url = {https://singulariki.com/roles/role-49-9031-00}
} Citations name the underlying public dataset releases — they reflect what this page is built from, not just the URL.