Explore by Career/Installation, Maintenance, and Repair
Outdoor Power Equipment and Other Small Engine Mechanics
Diagnose, adjust, repair, or overhaul small engines used to power lawn mowers, chain saws, recreational sporting equipment, and related equipment.
- Median pay
- $46,560
- per year
- 10-year outlook
- +2.5%
- Stable
- Typical entry
- High school diploma or equivalent
Key skills
- Equipment Maintenance
- Repairing
- Troubleshooting
- Operations Monitoring
- Critical Thinking
- Equipment Selection
- Operation and Control
- Active Listening
What they do
- Record repairs made, time spent, and parts used.
- Test and inspect engines to determine malfunctions, to locate missing and broken parts, and to verify repairs, using diagnostic instruments.
- Dismantle engines, using hand tools, and examine parts for defects.
- Repair and maintain gasoline engines used to power equipment such as portable saws, lawn mowers, generators, and compressors.
- Adjust points, valves, carburetors, distributors, and spark plug gaps, using feeler gauges.
- Repair or replace defective parts such as magnetos, water pumps, gears, pistons, and carburetors, using hand tools.
- Perform routine maintenance such as cleaning and oiling parts, honing cylinders, and tuning ignition systems.
- Reassemble engines after repair or maintenance work is complete.
- Replace motors.
- Obtain problem descriptions from customers, and prepare cost estimates for repairs.
Majors that lead here
No mapped majors yet.
Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS, Employment Projections) and O*NET, used under CC BY 4.0.