Industrial Machinery Mechanics Average Salary in District of Columbia
$83,870 average · $83,870 median · BLS OEWS 2025
SOC Code: 49-9041What is this?
This page shows employer-reported wages for Industrial Machinery Mechanics in District of Columbia, drawn from the Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey — median and mean pay, the full percentile distribution, and the industries that employ this occupation locally. Specialization tracks equipment value: industrial machinery, elevator, and aircraft mechanics out-earn general maintenance substantially, and manufacturer certifications gate the best-paid work. Field service roles — traveling to customer sites — typically pay above in-house equivalents. Emerging systems (EV drivetrains, building automation, renewables) currently pay scarcity premiums to early movers.
How much do Industrial Machinery Mechanics make in District of Columbia?
The average industrial machinery mechanics salary in District of Columbia is $83,870 per year. That works out to about $40.32 per hour on average. BLS counts roughly 200 industrial machinery mechanics jobs in District of Columbia.
Mean and median are close, so pay is relatively concentrated around $83,870. Entry-level roles (10th percentile) report about $83,870; experienced workers at the 90th percentile report about $83,870 — a 0% spread from bottom to top. Figures are employer-reported wages from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program — not self-reported survey averages — so they are the right baseline for offers, raises, and relocation decisions in this market.
How Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Careers Are Structured
Repair and maintenance occupations are quietly among the most secure in the labor data: the installed base of machines, vehicles, and building systems guarantees demand, the work resists both automation and offshoring, and the wage distribution sits comfortably above other skilled blue-collar groups.
The wage tables and percentile chart on this page show how industrial machinery mechanics pay is distributed in District of Columbia specifically — and because state-level wages for the same occupation routinely differ by 30% or more, the local figures here are the ones that matter for offers, raises, and relocation decisions in this market.
What Moves Pay in This Field
Specialization tracks equipment value: industrial machinery, elevator, and aircraft mechanics out-earn general maintenance substantially, and manufacturer certifications gate the best-paid work. Field service roles — traveling to customer sites — typically pay above in-house equivalents. Emerging systems (EV drivetrains, building automation, renewables) currently pay scarcity premiums to early movers.
Entry runs through technical school programs, apprenticeships, or military training, with employer-funded certification common once inside. This group rewards deliberate specialization more cleanly than most: each manufacturer certification or systems specialty has a visible wage consequence, making the build-your-own-credential-stack strategy unusually effective.
New to reading wage distributions? Our guide to salary percentiles explains how to place yourself on the chart above, and the negotiation playbook shows how to use these numbers in an actual conversation.
What Do Industrial Machinery Mechanics Do?
Industrial Machinery Mechanics positions belong to the installation, maintenance, and repair field. Repair and maintenance occupations are quietly among the most secure in the labor data: the installed base of machines, vehicles, and building systems guarantees demand, the work resists both automation and offshoring, and the wage distribution sits comfortably above other skilled blue-collar groups.
Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) Code: 49-9041
Industrial Machinery Mechanics pay in District of Columbia
In District of Columbia, industrial machinery mechanics report a median of $83,870 (about $40.32/hour) across roughly 200 jobs. The local pay band runs from about $83,870 at the 10th percentile to $83,870 at the 90th.
Compared with the national distribution, local industry mix and cost of living are the main reasons District of Columbia wages for this occupation sit where they do — toggle Regional Price Parity on this page to see purchasing-power-adjusted pay.
What your paycheck is really worth in District of Columbia
Prices in District of Columbia run 10% above the national average (RPP 109.9). So a nominal salary of $83,870 has the buying power of about $76,314 in national terms.
District of Columbia vs. United States for Industrial Machinery Mechanics
The median industrial machinery mechanics salary in District of Columbia is $83,870, which is +22.9% above the national median of $68,260 (mean pay is +22.4% above the U.S. mean of $68,538). Among 51 states and D.C. with OEWS data, District of Columbia ranks #1 by median wage for this occupation (top tier). District of Columbia accounts for about 0.0% of U.S. industrial machinery mechanics employment in the latest OEWS release.
See every state ranked for this occupation on the best-paying states page, or compare purchasing power on real wages.
Income reality check
The median salary for Industrial Machinery Mechanics in District of Columbia of $83,870 falls in the Comfortable band of this framework - roughly ~12% of the U.S. population and ~7% of the global population sit in this band.
Illustrative relative standing for education only - this ladder is a simplified framework, not an official Census, BLS, or World Bank statistical series. Salary figures on Wage Atlas come from official BLS OEWS data.
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Occupation Report Card
Top Industries for Industrial Machinery Mechanics
| $68,190 | $66,415 | $33 | 90,130 | |
| $66,669 | $62,987 | $32 | 165,260 | |
| $63,301 | $60,743 | $30 | 166,020 |
Related Occupations
SOC: 11-9081 • 88% match | $78,831 | $77,770 | $38 | 210,970 |
SOC: 47-2221 • 89% match | $70,682 | $70,280 | $34 | 337,380 |
SOC: 47-2021 • 93% match | $68,039 | $68,180 | $33 | 302,550 |
SOC: 49-2098 • 89% match | $60,984 | $60,840 | $29 | 510,100 |
| Find Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers Jobs | ||||
| $59,735 | $59,720 | $29 | 291,650 | |
SOC: 51-5113 • 90% match | $44,541 | $44,290 | $21 | 167,430 |
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Industrial Machinery Mechanics in Other States
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Explore More Data for Industrial Machinery Mechanics
Career Advancement Strategy
Salary Boost Strategies
Specialized Certifications
$83,870 → $102,321
Cross-Equipment Training
$83,870 → $98,967
Skills to Develop
Core technical skill with +18% salary impact
Core technical skill with +15% salary impact
Emerging skill with high growth potential
Emerging skill with high growth potential
Leadership skill for career advancement
Leadership skill for career advancement
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Viewing: Industrial Machinery Mechanics (SOC: 49-9041)