In short – yes! Appliance repair is a stable, well-paying career with lots of flexibility and interesting technology to learn. Better yet, whether you prefer being your own boss or working on a team, there’s a career in appliance repair that’s right for you.
The Joys of the Job
A career in appliance repair offers an exciting and rewarding path, providing flexibility and variety. As a technician, you’ll often work independently, solving problems without constant oversight and a boss micromanaging you. The job can give you a flexible work-life balance and the freedom to set your own pace, workload and priorities.
One of the best aspects of appliance repair is the variety of the job. Each day brings new challenges and customers, and every repair feels like a new puzzle to solve. You’ll escape the office and still be on the bleeding edge of new technology. You’re always working in a new place, meeting new people, and providing real help to people who need it.
Because appliance repair isn’t as hard on your body as other trades, it’s a job you can work for your whole career. Many technicians think of appliance repair as a “retirement business,” allowing them to work fewer days while maintaining a steady income.
How Much You Can Earn
Taking up appliance repair is one of the easiest ways to earn more. Your income as an appliance repair technician depends largely on you. Do you want to work for a company or run your own business? Do you want to work hourly or on commission? Do you want to earn even more by providing emergency repairs on worknights, weekends, and holidays?
There’s benefits no matter which way you go. Working for a repair company provides stability, simpler schedules, and benefits. On the other hand, owning your own business allows for greater earning potential but comes with added responsibilities, such as managing expenses and attracting clients.
In 2023, the average salary for appliance repair techs employed by a company was $50,640, with opportunities to quickly progress and earn more money. Thanks to high demand for skilled, trained technicians, many employers even offer bonuses and commissions to attract new hires.
However, your earning potential is higher when you start your own business. Training as an appliance repair tech is an easy on-ramp to being self-employed, where you could make more money, keep your own hours, and not have to answer to any boss. Not to mention the money you’ll save on your OWN appliance repair!
Where you work and the types of appliances you work on can also influence your income. Some areas have more premium brands to repair, while others have so much business you can focus on repairing only refrigerators. In either case, you can charge more for your services or negotiate for better pay. An experienced technician can earn over $100,000 annually, if you’re willing to embrace the challenges of entrepreneurship.
Appliance repair is also a career that will never become obsolete. Just like doctors know there will always be sick people, you can rest assured there will always be appliances that need fixing. In fact, the Bureau of Labor projects that the demand for appliance repair technicians will grow by 21% over the next decade. Over 50 million major household appliances are sold every year in the United States, which is a lot of ovens to break down right before Thanksgiving dinner. Luckily, you’ll be there to get the meal back on track for a lifelong customer.
“What if I try it and don’t like it?”
Starting a new career or teaching yourself a new skill can feel like a big commitment, but the good news is: even if appliance-repair isn’t your long-term passion, the skills you learn are highly transferable.
Many of the specific skills you’ll learn — such as basic electricity, circuitry, reading schematics, troubleshooting, and understanding motor technologies — are used by other tradesmen, like electricians, mechanics, HVAC technicians, and more. These skills form the bedrock of the technical trades, ensuring you won’t be starting from scratch if you decide to shift careers later on. An electrician wiring a house or an HVAC technician repairing a furnace rely on the same principles of electricity and mechanical systems that you’ll master in appliance repair.
Beyond the technical know-how, one of the most valuable takeaways from appliance repair training is knowing how to troubleshoot. As a skilled appliance repair tech, you’ll be more than a parts-changing monkey – you’ll learn how systems work and how to identify the root cause of a problem through logic and systematic thinking. This is a skill that extends far beyond being a technician. Whether you switch to another trade, move into the tech industry, or even enter management, the ability to analyze problems and implement effective solutions is a career asset.
Online appliance repair courses are also a fraction of the price of traditional trade schools or college programs. You can avoid student loans and make back your tuition costs within just a few months of working in the field. This low-risk investment makes it an ideal fit for career-hoppers or anyone hesitant to make a long-term commitment.
If appliance repair isn’t for you, you’ll still walk away with in-demand skills, valuable real-world experience, and a problem-solving mindset that can be applied anywhere. Training to be an appliance repair tech is a flexible and affordable way to advance your career in the world of the technical trades without locking yourself into a single career path forever.