Home appliance repairers
SOC Code: 49-9031
Home appliance repairers carries a 23% AI exposure score (Medium automation risk), with a median annual wage of $49,410 and +2.6% projected employment growth from 2024 to 2034 (BLS), affecting approximately 37,300 workers. Full task breakdown, skills, and employer data are below.
Proportion of tasks susceptible to AI automation (O*NET analysis)
At 23% AI exposure, Home appliance repairers sits 14 points below the 37.2% average across 832 U.S. occupations - more exposed than 9% of them. It ranks among the more AI-resilient roles in the dataset.
Where Home appliance repairers sits among all occupations
AI-exposure score distribution across 832 U.S. occupations (O*NET task analysis). This occupation is marked in rose.
Home appliance repairers has ai exposure of 23%. Distribution: 1 occupations at 0-10%; 43 occupations at 10-20%; 184 occupations at 20-30%; 332 occupations at 30-40%; 158 occupations at 40-50%; 64 occupations at 50-60%; 29 occupations at 60-70%; 15 occupations at 70-80%; 5 occupations at 80-90%; 1 occupations at 90-100%.
Source: O*NET task data (U.S. Department of Labor); AI-exposure scores are PlainWorkforce's analysis. As of BLS 2024–2034.
Home appliance repairers vs. its occupational neighbors
AI exposure (horizontal) vs projected 2024–2034 growth (vertical) for occupations in the same SOC group. Home appliance repairers is marked in rose; the top-left corner is the most future-proof.
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034 (growth) and O*NET (AI-exposure analysis by PlainWorkforce).
Employment Projections
Occupation Insight
Home appliance repairers (SOC 49-9031) carries an AI exposure score of 23%, placing it in the Medium automation-risk tier. This score is computed from O*NET Database 30.0 task-level analysis, where each task an occupation performs is evaluated against current generative AI, robotic process automation, and machine-learning capabilities. A score below 40% reflects tasks anchored in physical dexterity, unstructured environments, or high-touch human interaction that current AI cannot reliably replicate.
The economic context matters alongside the risk score. BLS counted approximately 37,300 workers in this occupation in 2024, and projects a +2.6% change through 2034 - modest growth that keeps the occupation viable even as tasks evolve. Median annual compensation stands at $49,410, reflecting both skill scarcity and the value employers place on the tasks that remain difficult to automate. Entry typically requires High school diploma or equivalent, plus None of related experience.
For career planners, this profile should be read alongside the task, skill, and knowledge breakdowns below and the list of employers whose workforce composition includes Home appliance repairers. Adjacent occupations shown further down offer lateral moves that preserve industry knowledge while potentially reducing exposure. Pair the AI exposure score with the BLS employment projection and wage percentiles above for a complete career assessment.
Education & Entry Requirements
Top Tasks (O*NET)
- 1. Bill customers for repair work, and collect payment.
- 2. Observe and examine appliances during operation to detect specific malfunctions such as loose parts or leaking fluid.
- 3. Talk to customers or refer to work orders to establish the nature of appliance malfunctions.
- 4. Refer to schematic drawings, product manuals, and troubleshooting guides to diagnose and repair problems.
- 5. Trace electrical circuits, following diagrams, and conduct tests with circuit testers and other equipment to locate shorts and grounds.
- 6. Replace worn and defective parts such as switches, bearings, transmissions, belts, gears, circuit boards, or defective wiring.
- 7. Conserve, recover, and recycle refrigerants used in cooling systems.
- 8. Provide repair cost estimates, and recommend whether appliance repair or replacement is a better choice.
- 9. Disassemble appliances so that problems can be diagnosed and repairs can be made.
- 10. Respond to emergency calls for problems such as gas leaks.
Key Skills Required
- Repairing
- Critical Thinking
- Equipment Maintenance
- Troubleshooting
- Speaking
- Operations Monitoring
- Quality Control Analysis
- Active Listening
- Reading Comprehension
- Complex Problem Solving
Knowledge Areas
- Customer and Personal Service
- Mechanical
- English Language
- Administration and Management
- Administrative
- Computers and Electronics
- Sales and Marketing
- Engineering and Technology
- Mathematics
- Education and Training
Frequently Asked Questions
Will AI replace Home appliance repairers?
Home appliance repairers has an AI exposure score of 23%, indicating a medium level of automation risk. The majority of tasks in this role require human judgment, creativity, or physical presence that AI cannot easily replicate.
What is the job outlook for Home appliance repairers?
According to BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034, Home appliance repairers is projected to grow by 2.6% over the decade. Current employment stands at approximately 37,300 workers.
What skills are needed for Home appliance repairers?
Key skills for Home appliance repairers include Repairing, Critical Thinking, Equipment Maintenance, and others. Typical entry-level education is High school diploma or equivalent.
How much do Home appliance repairers earn?
The median annual wage for Home appliance repairers is $49,410, according to BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2024). Actual earnings vary by location, experience, industry, and employer. The BLS publishes detailed wage percentiles by region in its Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program.
What education is required for Home appliance repairers?
The typical entry-level education for Home appliance repairers is High school diploma or equivalent. Employers generally expect None of related work experience. On-the-job training typically involves Moderate-term on-the-job training. Requirements can vary by employer and specialization.
Which companies employ Home appliance repairers?
Home appliance repairers roles exist across many industries and employers. Workforce composition is estimated from BLS industry-occupation employment distributions matched to SEC-registered public companies.
AI Exposure Rating
Medium automation risk based on 10 analyzed tasks. Most tasks require human judgment and are resistant to automation.
Related Occupations
Career Guides
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Data sources: Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections 2024–2034 and O*NET Database 30.0. Employment figures are rounded. Wage data from BLS Occupational Employment Statistics (OES).