If you have years of experience with maintenance work and a knack for management, becoming a maintenance manager might be the next big step in your career. But what’s the average maintenance manager salary? Is the payout worth the extra set of responsibilities?
Whether you’re a recruiter researching average salary estimates or just someone who’s curious about the pay package, keep reading.
In this article, we’ll share:
- What the role entails (typical duties and responsibilities)
- The average maintenance manager salary figures
- The path to become a maintenance manager
Let’s get started.
Who is a Maintenance Manager and What Do They Do?
A maintenance manager, as the job title suggests, is a managerial position that’s involved with planning, supervising, and monitoring maintenance and repair activities of a company.
In a typical chain of command, maintenance managers sit at the top of their departments (usually above maintenance supervisors, who are responsible for directly dealing with the maintenance technicians/workers).
Furthermore, the typical maintenance manager job description also involves creating strategies, implementing policies, and doing everything in their power to keep owned assets in pristine conditions.
All things considered, it wouldn’t be wrong to say they’re similar to operations managers, but with an emphasis on maintenance work.
If you're interested in learning more via video, then watch below. Otherwise, skip ahead.
Typical Duties and Responsibilities of a Maintenance Manager
The duties and responsibilities of a maintenance manager can vary from industry to industry (and even from company to company).
However, typically, they’re responsible for:
- Planning, leading and supervising maintenance initiatives and day-to-day tasks
- Setting up an appropriate budget for the maintenance department
- Coordinating with maintenance supervisors to ensure compliance with safety standards
- Conducting routine inspections to ensure that all assets are in optimal condition
- Recruiting, selecting, and onboarding/training new employees that join the department
- Operating the company’s computerized maintenance management system (CMMS software) to achieve everything
Again, the exact demands may vary, but the aforementioned duties are the usual requirements of the job.
What is the Maintenance Manager Salary in the US?
Judging from all the duties listed above, it’s safe to say that maintenance managers have a lot on their shoulders.
But is it all worth it?
To answer that question, let’s look at the national average of what maintenance managers typically earn – according to the following platforms:
1. Glassdoor
Glassdoor is a well-known platform where employees can share their annual salary reports and honest reviews of their employers.
According to this website, the average base salary for maintenance managers in the United States is $59,149 per year. This is based on over 5,333 salaries.
The salary range starts from $39,000 and goes all the way up to $85,000.
As of now, the platform doesn’t have any compensation data for this job title.
Keep in mind that the figures shared above were calculated using reports received from different employers and people with diverse experience levels.
To narrow down your results and get the most accurate figure, select your industry, size, and years of experience.
2. Indeed
Primarily known as a search engine for jobs, Indeed is also a reliable source to get accurate estimates of pay packages.
As per the salary reports received on Indeed, the average maintenance manager salary is $79,514 (which is a little higher than the figure calculated with the reports received on Glassdoor).
On top of the base salary, a maintenance manager can receive additional compensation of $7,750 per year for overtime.
Furthermore, Indeed suggests that the highest paying US city for this position is Memphis, TN, where maintenance managers can earn a little over $95,024 a year.
3. PayScale
Finally, you can never go wrong with the salary estimates on PayScale – a website that specializes in collecting salary and compensation information from different industries.
According to PayScale data, the average salary for maintenance managers is $73,820 per year.
In addition to the above, they can also earn up to $4,943 in bonuses, $1,400 in commissions, and $2,944 in profit sharing. This brings the total compensation to $83,107.
Furthermore, maintenance managers in Houston, Texas, earn approximately 19% more than the national average (due to cost of living, demand, and other variables).
What’s the Roadmap to Becoming a Maintenance Manager?
Maintenance managers are high in demand, and as you can tell by the figures shared above, they get competitive salaries and are compensated well.
However, becoming a maintenance manager isn’t so easy, since it’s not exactly an entry-level position.
While there’s no set of eligibility criteria that are set in stone or considered universal, there are a few prerequisites that every aspiring maintenance manager (and recruiters) should know.
Here’s that basic roadmap:
- A high school diploma and a bachelor’s degree in engineering, business administration, operations management, or any other relevant field are mandatory. Having a master’s degree isn’t mandatory, but a huge plus.
- Before becoming a manager, you need to first spend at least 5 years as a maintenance technician. Furthermore, having some experience with supervising technicians/workers is a plus. Usually, the route is “Technician > Supervisor > Manager” – however, a technician can directly become a maintenance manager, depending on their special circumstances.
- Certifications in relevant areas such as facility management will give you a significant edge over your peers.
- Last but not least, many employers require candidates to have hands-on experience with computerized maintenance management systems.
Compared to other maintenance-related positions, the role of maintenance manager traditionally requires higher academic qualifications and a certain level of experience.
That’s because the nature of the role demands some formal education and practical experience.
Furthermore, they should have the following skillsets:
- Excellent communication skills
- Leadership abilities
- Eye for detail
- Problem-solving skills
- Time management skills
- Data analytics and reporting
The more skills you have, the better chances you’ll have of succeeding.
Ending Note
All things considered, maintenance managers certainly don’t have easy jobs.
With the fate of the company’s operational efficiency on their shoulders, they need to be on top of their game, go above and beyond to ensure smooth maintenance, and leading the maintenance team from the front.
But at the end of the day, they earn above-average salaries, making the maintenance manager position something to strive for in your career.
Josh is a partner at Maintenance Manager HQ.
