Assembling your view…
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Real salary distribution from 288 tracked cities across 46 states. Compare entry-level, median, and senior compensation — then adjust for cost of living.
For Elevator Installer/Repairers weighing a relocation, this page is the starting point. The national median salary for Elevator Installer/Repairers in 2026 is $115,225, with entry-level positions averaging $82,962 and senior roles reaching $163,620. But those numbers flatten a reality with enormous geographic variation — Sunnyvale pays a median of $209,880, while other markets fall well below the national average. We tracked 288 cities to build the complete picture.
Elevator Installer/Repairer falls within the Construction & Trades sector, specifically in Construction. The typical education path involves Apprenticeship. The career outlook? High demand. Work style is building site — which means location flexibility varies, and so does the premium different markets are willing to pay. Cost-adjusted, this occupation outearns its reputation.
$127,710 separates the highest and lowest-paying cities. A Elevator Installer/Repairer in Sunnyvale, California earns a median of $209,880 — $127,710 more than their counterpart in Toledo, Ohio ($82,170). That gap alone is more than many cities' annual rent. In the right market, this is a six-figure career path.
Breaking down the numbers: entry-level Elevator Installer/Repairers average $82,962, the median sits at $115,225, and senior earners pull in $163,620. That $80,658 gap represents the full earning trajectory of this career. The median is $34,858 above the national median household income of $80,367 — meaning even a mid-career professional in this field outearns the typical American household.
Entry-level numbers tell a different story: The top 3 paying cities (Sunnyvale, Santa Clara, Irvine) average $196,020 — while the bottom 3 (Toledo, Detroit, Akron) average $82,830. That $113,190 gap means choosing the right city could be the equivalent of a major promotion. For early-career professionals, the geographic pay premium is worth the math.
A Elevator Installer/Repairer in Sunnyvale, California earns a median of $209,880 — $127,710 more than their counterpart in Toledo, Ohio ($82,170). That gap alone is more than many cities' annual rent.
The national average entry-level (P10) salary for Elevator Installer/Repairer is $82,962, while senior-level (P90) earners average $163,620. That $80,658 trajectory represents the earning growth a career in this field can deliver.
California pays the highest average median salary for Elevator Installer/Repairers at $139,071 across 61 tracked cities. The gap between #1 and #5 (New Jersey at $122,265) is $16,806.
At the 90th percentile, Elevator Installer/Repairers pull in an average of $163,620. In the top-paying markets, that figure climbs even higher — making this one of the more lucrative career trajectories in its field.
| Country | Coverage | Entry (P10) | Median | Senior (P90) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 288 | $82,962 | $115,225 | $163,620 |
| United Kingdom | 27 | £45,600 | £63,333 | £89,932 |
| Canada | 21 | CA$72,068 | CA$100,094 | CA$142,134 |
| Australia | 13 | A$89,364 | A$124,117 | A$176,247 |
| Sweden | 24 | 493,577 kr | 685,523 kr | 973,443 kr |
| State | Cities | Entry (P10) | Median | Senior (P90) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | 61 | $100,131 | $139,071 | $197,480 |
| Massachusetts | 4 | $96,763 | $134,393 | $190,837 |
| Hawaii | 1 | $96,228 | $133,650 | $189,783 |
| District of Columbia | 1 | $89,100 | $123,750 | $175,725 |
| New Jersey | 4 | $88,031 | $122,265 | $173,616 |
| Washington | 8 | $86,338 | $119,914 | $170,278 |
| New York | 5 | $81,259 | $112,860 | $160,261 |
| Rhode Island | 1 | $81,259 | $112,860 | $160,261 |
| Florida | 22 | $80,644 | $112,005 | $159,047 |
| Colorado | 11 | $79,250 | $110,070 | $156,299 |
| New Hampshire | 1 | $79,121 | $109,890 | $156,044 |
| Nevada | 5 | $78,978 | $109,692 | $155,763 |
| Arizona | 12 | $78,586 | $109,148 | $154,989 |
| Oregon | 5 | $78,408 | $108,900 | $154,638 |
| Idaho | 3 | $78,170 | $108,570 | $154,169 |
| Connecticut | 5 | $77,553 | $107,712 | $152,951 |
| Utah | 4 | $77,339 | $107,415 | $152,530 |
| Virginia | 7 | $76,066 | $105,647 | $150,019 |
| South Carolina | 3 | $75,082 | $104,280 | $148,078 |
| Alaska | 1 | $74,844 | $103,950 | $147,609 |
| Illinois | 5 | $73,989 | $102,762 | $145,922 |
| North Carolina | 9 | $72,151 | $100,210 | $142,298 |
| New Mexico | 3 | $71,280 | $99,000 | $140,580 |
| Montana | 1 | $71,280 | $99,000 | $140,580 |
| Tennessee | 6 | $71,042 | $98,670 | $140,111 |
| Texas | 40 | $70,692 | $98,183 | $139,420 |
| Minnesota | 2 | $70,568 | $98,010 | $139,175 |
| Wisconsin | 2 | $70,211 | $97,515 | $138,472 |
| Georgia | 6 | $69,973 | $97,185 | $138,003 |
| Pennsylvania | 3 | $69,854 | $97,020 | $137,768 |
| Kansas | 4 | $69,498 | $96,525 | $137,066 |
| Michigan | 6 | $69,260 | $96,195 | $136,597 |
| Kentucky | 2 | $68,429 | $95,040 | $134,957 |
| Maryland | 1 | $68,429 | $95,040 | $134,957 |
| Nebraska | 2 | $67,716 | $94,050 | $133,551 |
| South Dakota | 1 | $67,716 | $94,050 | $133,551 |
| Oklahoma | 4 | $65,934 | $91,575 | $130,037 |
| North Dakota | 1 | $65,578 | $91,080 | $129,334 |
| Louisiana | 4 | $64,687 | $89,843 | $127,577 |
| Missouri | 4 | $64,687 | $89,843 | $127,576 |
| Alabama | 5 | $64,437 | $89,496 | $127,084 |
| Indiana | 3 | $63,439 | $88,110 | $125,116 |
| Arkansas | 1 | $63,439 | $88,110 | $125,116 |
| Iowa | 2 | $62,726 | $87,120 | $123,710 |
| Ohio | 6 | $62,608 | $86,955 | $123,476 |
| Mississippi | 1 | $59,875 | $83,160 | $118,087 |
The state salary map for Elevator Installer/Repairers: California at $139,071, Massachusetts at $134,393, Hawaii at $133,650 lead the pack. The bottom tier — Mississippi ($83,160), Ohio ($86,955), Iowa ($87,120) — shows how regional economics reshape compensation. Across all 46 states with data, the state-level spread alone is $55,911.
When you adjust the top-paying cities for cost of living, the ranking reshuffles. Sunnyvale ($209,880 nominal, 212 cost index) delivers $99,000 in purchasing power — maintaining its lead even after cost adjustment. This is the metric that matters for anyone considering a geo-based career move.
Raw salary divided by the local cost index — this shows where your paycheck buys the most.
| # | City | Nominal Salary | Cost Index | Adjusted Salary | Est. Take-Home |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sunnyvale California | $209,880 | 212 | $99,000 | $121,062 |
| 2 | Santa Clara California | $196,020 | 198 | $99,000 | $114,541 |
| 3 | Irvine California | $182,160 | 184 | $99,000 | $107,237 |
| 4 | San Francisco California | $179,190 | 181 | $99,000 | $105,602 |
| 5 | Carlsbad California | $176,220 | 178 | $99,000 | $103,967 |
| 6 | San Jose California | $175,230 | 177 | $99,000 | $103,422 |
| 7 | Fremont California | $175,230 | 177 | $99,000 | $103,422 |
| 8 | Berkeley California | $171,270 | 173 | $99,000 | $101,242 |
| 9 | Costa Mesa California | $171,270 | 173 | $99,000 | $101,242 |
| 10 | Huntington Beach California | $167,310 | 169 | $99,000 | $99,062 |
Career economics for Elevator Installer/Repairers: entry level averages $82,962, mid-career hits $115,225, and experienced professionals reach $163,620. That's a 2.0× multiplier from start to peak. The path typically requires Apprenticeship, and the work is building site. The outlook: high demand. That salary-to-cost ratio is genuinely competitive.
The weighted national median salary for Elevator Installer/Repairers is $115,225 in 2026, based on BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics across 288 U.S. metro areas. Entry-level (10th percentile) averages $82,962, while experienced professionals at the 90th percentile average $163,620.
The highest-paying city for Elevator Installer/Repairers is Sunnyvale, California with a median salary of $209,880. The top 3 cities are Sunnyvale ($209,880), Santa Clara ($196,020), Irvine ($182,160). Note: high-paying cities often have higher costs of living — check the cost-adjusted rankings above for purchasing power.
The lowest median Elevator Installer/Repairer salary in our data is in Toledo, Ohio at $82,170. However, lower-paying cities often have significantly lower costs of living, which can offset the pay gap. Always compare salary data alongside local cost of living.
Entry-level Elevator Installer/Repairers (10th percentile) average $82,962 nationally. This varies by city — in the highest-paying markets, entry-level pay can be close to $151,114. Experience, certifications, and employer type all influence starting salary.
At the 90th percentile (senior level), Elevator Installer/Repairers average $163,620 nationally — $80,658 more than entry-level. In top-paying cities, senior Elevator Installer/Repairers can earn up to $298,030.
The top-paying states for Elevator Installer/Repairers are California ($139,071 median), Massachusetts ($134,393 median), Hawaii ($133,650 median). State averages are computed across all tracked cities in each state, weighted equally.
The typical education path for a Elevator Installer/Repairer involves Apprenticeship. The field is in the Construction & Trades sector (Construction), and the career outlook is high demand. Work style is typically building site.
With a national median of $115,225 and representation across 288 metro areas, Elevator Installer/Repairer offers above-average earning potential compared to national household income. The $80,658 gap between entry and senior pay shows room for salary growth. Industry outlook: high demand.
All salary data on this page is sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program, which surveys employers across U.S. metropolitan areas. We present 10th percentile (entry), 50th percentile (median), and 90th percentile (senior) pay benchmarks. Cost-of-living adjustments use our core database of 288 cities.
Salary data is sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program, which surveys employers across U.S. metropolitan and non-metropolitan areas. We present the 10th percentile (entry-level), 50th percentile (median), and 90th percentile (senior) pay benchmarks.
Cost-of-living adjustments use Livably's core index derived from Zillow rent data, Census income surveys, and regional BLS price data. Take-home pay estimates apply simplified federal brackets, 7.65% FICA, and state income tax rates from the Tax Foundation.
State and national averages are computed as simple means across all tracked cities with data for this occupation. Rankings are updated monthly as new BLS releases become available.