What apprenticeships are available for maintenance technicians in California?

In California, registered apprenticeships are administered through the California Division of Apprenticeship Standards - Registered Apprenticeship, which works with employers and trade union locals to register programs. See the apprenticeship section above for office contact details.

How to Become a Maintenance Technician in California (2026)

Q: How much do maintenance technicians earn in California?

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS data (May 2025), maintenance technicians in California earned a median annual wage of approximately $57,000. Employment concentration in California is roughly 0.80 of the national average, meaning fewer workers per capita than the U.S. as a whole.

Q: What is the job outlook for maintenance technicians in California?

California currently employs approximately 143,060 workers, and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 3.8% national employment change for this occupation from 2024 to 2034.

Updated June 8, 2026 | TradeCareerPath Editorial Team

California employs about 143,060 maintenance technicians earning a median $57,000 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Most maintenance technicians train through a trade school program or a registered apprenticeship before entering the field in California.

Compare Maintenance Technician Schools in California

BOC Score, tuition, graduation rate, and median graduate earnings from federal IPEDS and U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard data. Tuition is the published annual figure for the latest reported year and excludes room, board, books and fees. Earnings are reported across all programs at the school (all majors), not a single trade. Distance is measured from the page's primary location.
#	School	BOC Score (0–100)	Tuition (published, per year)	Median grad earnings (all majors)	Graduation rate	Online	Distance
1	Ventura College	61.1	$1,426 in-state / $9,615 out-of-state	$51,753	38%	—	82 mi
2	College of the Canyons	60.9	$1,166 in-state / $10,958 out-of-state	$64,248	45%	—	89 mi
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3	Cuesta College	55.2	$1,350 in-state / $11,010 out-of-state	$57,231	48%	Yes*	83 mi
4	Lemoore College	55.0	$1,384 in-state / $10,954 out-of-state	$43,402	49%	Yes*	62 mi
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5	College of the Sequoias	47.3	$1,394 in-state / $9,038 out-of-state	$44,147	39%	—	63 mi
6	San Joaquin Valley College-Visalia	45.3	Contact school for pricing	$42,211	36%	Yes*	63 mi
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7	Porterville College	44.8	$1,438 in-state / $11,308 out-of-state	$36,940	34%	Yes*	51 mi
8	Reedley College	41.6	$1,334 in-state / $10,154 out-of-state	$42,644	42%	—	81 mi
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9	San Joaquin Valley College-Bakersfield	39.0	Contact school for pricing	$42,211	58%	—	26 mi
10	Bakersfield College	24.0	$1,430 in-state / $11,300 out-of-state	$51,238	21%	—	31 mi
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Schools closest to the page's primary location are gathered first, then ranked by BOC Score; distance from the page's primary location is shown for reference. The BOC Score is an independent measure of school outcomes (graduation, earnings, net price, retention) expressed as a 0–100 percentile within each school's peer group; higher is better and advertising never affects it. *Online availability refers to coursework; hands-on trade training is completed in person. Read the full methodology.

California employs approximately 143,060 maintenance technicians according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, with a median annual wage of $57,000 ¹. Nationally, maintenance technician employment is projected to grow 3.8% from 2024 to 2034, with about 159,800 openings per year ². This page covers how to become a Maintenance Technician in California, including requirements, training programs, and salary data.

At a Glance

Training paths: trade school, community college, or apprenticeship
Typical timeline: 1 to 5 years depending on the path
Median wage (California): $57,000 per year ¹

Quick Answers About How to Become a Maintenance Technician in California

How to become a Maintenance Technician in California? Complete a training program or apprenticeship, gain work experience, and meet any state or employer requirements for maintenance technicians in California.

How long does it take? Most paths into the maintenance technician field take 1 to 5 years, depending on whether you complete a trade school program, a registered apprenticeship, or a combination of both.

What do maintenance technicians earn in California? The median annual wage for maintenance technicians in California is $57,000 according to BLS data. Entry-level wages start around $38,810 and experienced professionals can earn $82,710 or more ¹.

How to Become a Maintenance Technician in California

Finish high school or earn a GED. Most California training programs and registered apprenticeships require a high school diploma or GED to enroll.
Complete a training program or apprenticeship. Enroll in an approved trade school program or a registered apprenticeship in California that combines classroom instruction with supervised hands-on hours.
Gain supervised work experience. Build documented on-the-job hours under a qualified supervisor; confirm the exact total currently required with the licensing board.
Meet state and employer requirements. Confirm any registration, certification, or employer requirements that apply to maintenance technicians in California before you start working.

Steps and hour totals vary by credential level; confirm current requirements with the state board before you apply.

Maintenance Technician Apprenticeship Information in California

Apprenticeships combine paid on-the-job training with classroom instruction and typically last 3 to 5 years. California’s apprenticeship program is administered by the California Division of Apprenticeship Standards - Registered Apprenticeship ³.

Contact Information:

Office: California Division of Apprenticeship Standards - Fresno Region
Phone: (559) 445-5431
Email: [email protected]

Maintenance Technician Wages by Metro Area in California

Maintenance and Repair Workers, General Wages by Metro Area in California

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics ( OES data), maintenance and repair workers, general wages in California vary by metro area.

Metro Area	Employment	Median Annual Wage	Avg. Annual Wage	Entry Level (10th pctile)	Experienced (90th pctile)
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim	47,890	$56,520	$58,390	$38,510	$79,360
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont	18,550	$63,630	$69,420	$45,970	$98,140
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario	13,720	$53,560	$57,510	$37,840	$80,870
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad	12,350	$54,530	$58,010	$38,060	$79,520
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom	7,980	$56,570	$57,580	$37,460	$79,920
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara	7,750	$63,220	$69,440	$46,680	$99,430
Fresno	3,590	$51,450	$54,790	$35,880	$77,320
Stockton-Lodi	2,740	$59,590	$61,810	$39,950	$83,230
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura	2,700	$54,570	$57,560	$38,210	$79,460
Bakersfield-Delano	2,490	$50,800	$57,240	$36,940	$81,490
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara	1,980	$52,780	$57,030	$38,280	$79,150
Santa Rosa-Petaluma	1,930	$58,170	$61,330	$42,230	$83,870
Modesto	1,660	$59,650	$61,030	$40,320	$82,100
Salinas	1,550	$50,760	$56,090	$37,070	$79,110
Visalia	1,450	$50,580	$54,420	$36,090	$78,400
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles	1,280	$49,400	$54,980	$36,570	$78,090
Vallejo	1,190	$61,400	$65,110	$42,160	$92,890
Merced	930	$56,700	$57,240	$36,400	$78,310
Santa Cruz-Watsonville	880	$50,000	$55,660	$38,470	$79,110
Napa	830	$61,860	$64,900	$44,920	$88,850
Chico	720	$52,040	$56,820	$37,340	$80,440
Redding	690	$47,820	$53,620	$36,980	$79,080
Hanford-Corcoran	520	$59,200	$59,060	$41,380	$80,800
El Centro	500	$47,870	$53,330	$36,590	$75,120
Yuba City	380	$55,100	$56,560	$38,030	$76,820

Wages reflect survey data and vary based on experience, credentials, employer, and local market conditions. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May .

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the job outlook for maintenance technicians in California? California currently employs approximately 143,060 maintenance technicians ¹. Nationally, maintenance technician employment is projected to grow 3.8% from 2024 to 2034 ².

What training programs are available in California? Options include trade schools, community colleges, and apprenticeship programs. Use the school finder above to search for programs in California. You can also contact the California Division of Apprenticeship Standards - Registered Apprenticeship for apprenticeship opportunities.

How much do maintenance technicians earn in California compared to the national average? The median annual wage for maintenance technicians in California is $57,000, which is $8,380 above the national median of $48,620 according to BLS data ¹.

In California

Best Trade Schools in California (2026)

Top local programs

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Citations

About this guide: Researched and written by the TradeCareerPath Editorial Team. Our editorial team researches and sources every trade school and career guide using federal labor and education data, including BLS OEWS and Employment Projections, DOL apprenticeship records, IPEDS, College Scorecard, and state licensing boards. We follow the editorial standards documented at /editorial-policy/.

References

Bureau of Labor Statistics - Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics: https://www.bls.gov/oes/ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎
Bureau of Labor Statistics - Employment Projections: https://www.bls.gov/emp/ ↩︎ ↩︎
California Division of Apprenticeship Standards - Registered Apprenticeship: https://www.dir.ca.gov/databases/das/aigstart.asp ↩︎

Data sources

Figures on this page are sourced from the federal and state datasets below. Methodology: how we rank and source data.

Data	Provider	Vintage
Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)	U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics	May 2025
Employment Projections	U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics	2024-2034
Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System	National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)	2024
College Scorecard (school-level outcomes)	U.S. Department of Education	latest release
College Scorecard (field-of-study earnings)	U.S. Department of Education	latest release (updated 2026-06-12)
Occupational licensing requirements	CareerOneStop (U.S. Department of Labor)	latest release (updated 2026-02-22)
Registered apprenticeship programs	CareerOneStop / Apprenticeship.gov (U.S. Department of Labor)	latest release (updated 2025-10-25)
O*NET occupation profiles (skills, tasks, tools, job zones)	U.S. Department of Labor (O*NET / Employment & Training Admin.)	O*NET 29.1 (updated 2026-06-13)