Trade Schools
Appliances are found in every home and many industrial settings.
These items break and need to be repaired, but not many people understand how to repair these appliances.
Obtaining training that enables you to become an appliance repair technician will enable you to work steadily.
Not only can you make a decent living doing this, but if you specialize, the greater your salary will be.
Let’s explore what it takes to become a successful appliance repair technician.
Earn your accredited, affordable Appliance Repair career diploma online with Penn Foster in as little as 2 months!
Steps To Becoming an Appliance Repair Technician
1. Diploma or GED
The first thing you will need to do is complete your high school education by obtaining a diploma or GED.
During this time, make sure this is an area you want to enter.
Concentrate on math classes, as this is something you will need throughout your career.
2. Vocational or Trade School
Most vocational and trade schools offer courses in at least basic appliance repair.
Some even offer classes to help you further specialize.
It isn’t necessary to go to a school in your home area, as many online options are available.
3. Additional Training if Needed
Basic Appliance Repair is a good field, but being able to specialize gives you a greater opportunity.
Specializations such as electronics, plumbing, electricity, and refrigeration all need advanced training.
It is at this time that you should also determine whether you want to remain a general repair technician or specialize in home, commercial, or Smart appliance repair.
These may require additional training.
4. Apprenticeship
The best way to get hands-on training is to work with an established repair business or even a licensed technician to get apprenticeship benefits.
This type of training not only allows for hands-on experience but also exposes you to the tricks of the trade that a course may not provide.
5. Certificate/License
While a license isn’t required in most states for a general appliance repair technician, it doesn’t hurt to get a certificate that is nationally recognized.
The most recognized appliance repair certification for repair technicians is the National Appliance Service Technician Certification (NASTeC), offered through the International Society of Certified Electronics Technicians (ISCET).
The NASTeC offers four different levels of certification:
- Cooking
- Refrigeration and air conditioning (requires EPA certification)
- Laundry and dishwashing
- Universal technician (includes cooking, laundry and dishwashing, refrigeration, and air conditioning)
To earn NASTeC certification, you need to pass a basic exam and one of three specialty exams.
The exams are multiple-choice and cost anywhere from $50 to $185.
The exams cover everything from parts and safety to communication and personal behavior, which is especially useful for those new to the appliance repair industry.
NASTec offers the following exams for certification:
- Basic exam: 80 questions
- Specialty exams for washer, dryer, dishwasher, disposer, and trash: 40 questions
- Compactor certification exam: 40 questions
- Range/oven and microwave oven certification exam: 40 questions
- Refrigerator/freezer, room air conditioner, and dehumidifier certification examination: 40 questions
7. Up-to-date Training/Personal Skills to Develop
Appliances are consistently changing.
As an appliance repair technician, you will need to take classes throughout your career to keep your skills in line with the best in the field.
You will also need to develop certain personal traits if you do not already possess them.
You will need good customer service skills, great communication skills, a basic knowledge of computers, the ability to solve problems, and critical thinking skills.
Licensing Requirements to Become an Appliance Repair Technician
Licensing requirements vary from one state to the next.
This means that you will have to do your homework and find out what the requirements are in your state.
It never hurts, however, to get your license or at least a certificate.
Getting your certificate through NASTeC will allow you to find work nearly everywhere in the country.
Online Training Programs to Become an Appliance Repair Technician
1. Master Samurai Tech
At Master Samarai Tech, you have the chance to get just the education you need, whether it is a general repair course or you want to expand the knowledge you already have.
The General Appliance Repair course will cost $795 and is designed to take anywhere from 40-80 hours.
You choose how fast you want to learn.
The tuition can be paid all at once or broken up into monthly payments for those on a budget.
The Basic course covers how all appliances work, tools and test equipment, basic electricity, troubleshooting, basic gas, appliance parts, and motors.
This school also offers advanced courses in Refrigerators, Ovens/Ranges, Washers/Dryers, Dishwashers, and Advanced Troubleshooting.
You have the option to bundle these all together for a discounted rate of $2145.
2. Penn Foster
Penn Foster’s accredited program teaches you everything you need to know to repair washers, dryers, ovens, cooktops, microwaves, dishwashers, refrigerators, and freezers.
The course is self-paced and will take anywhere from two to six months.
The cost is $939.
You are also given the option of purchasing your beginner tool kit at a discounted rate.
The course at Penn Foster includes 18 exams and eight units.
It is also worth 22.2 continuing education credits.
The subjects covered are terminology, tools, electricity, electrical circuits, electronics, gas components, and refrigerators, among others.
3. Cornerstone Appliance Training
At CornerStone Appliance Training, you have options.
You study at your own pace, and you can take the basic appliance repair course, take the course to start a repair business, or combine the two courses for a discounted price.
The Basic Appliance Repair course costs $695.
It is designed to be completed in 4-6 weeks if you study full-time (40-60 hours) or 8-10 weeks if you study part-time (50-90 hours).
The class consists of nine modules or sixty units.
If you choose to take a combination course in appliance repair and start an appliance business, it will cost $1195.
Subjects you will learn are the fundamentals of appliance repair, tools and test equipment, basic electricity, basic electronics, efficient troubleshooting, basic gas, and appliance parts.
You will then need to pass the final exam in order to get your certificate.
There are bonuses included with this course.
You will be mailed a hard copy of the 1000+ page troubleshooting manual.
You will also receive an appliance blue book pricing guide, and both a parts list (for essential parts to always keep on hand) and a tools list.
Salary of an Appliance Repair Technician
The salary you can expect as an appliance repair technician will depend on several factors.
The salary will vary from one state to the next and even from one city to the next.
The money you make will change depending on whether you work for an established company or own your own.
It will also change as your experience and specialization change.
That said, the average salary for beginning appliance repair technicians across the country is $48,621 a year.
Alaska technicians make the most, starting at $25.52 per hour, or $53,077 annually.
Repair technicians in Florida make the least on average at $15.94 per hour.
That is an annual income of $33,156.
These are beginning wages.
The upper limit is open to how much work you can do and what prices your area can withstand you charging.
U.S. Average Salary: $53580
Salary Information by State
| State | Employed | Avg. Annual Salary | Avg. Hourly Pay | Top 10% Annual Salary | Bottom 10% Annual Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 200 | $42,130 | $20.26 | $62,980 | $23,570 |
| Alaska | 70 | $52,840 | $25.41 | $76,960 | $33,870 |
| Arizona | 920 | $53,290 | $25.62 | $80,380 | $36,470 |
| Arkansas | 250 | $43,070 | $20.71 | $72,250 | $28,600 |
| California | 2,460 | $55,630 | $26.75 | $80,550 | $37,520 |
| Connecticut | 390 | $56,610 | $27.22 | $79,580 | $36,310 |
| Delaware | 110 | $51,260 | $24.64 | $59,300 | $35,600 |
| Florida | 2,840 | $48,850 | $23.49 | $64,190 | $29,120 |
| Georgia | 930 | $49,700 | $23.89 | $67,430 | $29,830 |
| Hawaii | 230 | $59,020 | $28.38 | $67,540 | $49,960 |
| Idaho | 410 | $47,160 | $22.67 | $61,460 | $34,710 |
| Illinois | 1,410 | $60,770 | $29.22 | $97,070 | $45,180 |
| Indiana | 990 | $47,070 | $22.63 | $64,970 | $29,030 |
| Iowa | 390 | $45,970 | $22.10 | $62,880 | $28,930 |
| Kansas | 280 | $45,460 | $21.86 | $65,190 | $20,800 |
| Kentucky | 220 | $46,390 | $22.30 | $59,240 | $32,180 |
| Louisiana | 350 | $42,260 | $20.32 | $69,690 | $25,860 |
| Maine | 210 | $49,390 | $23.74 | $62,940 | $33,890 |
| Maryland | 390 | $54,730 | $26.31 | $91,970 | $34,860 |
| Massachusetts | 650 | $68,070 | $32.73 | $86,690 | $49,250 |
| Michigan | 1,010 | $53,370 | $25.66 | $76,260 | $35,460 |
| Minnesota | 610 | $57,590 | $27.69 | $76,550 | $38,870 |
| Mississippi | 130 | $35,930 | $17.27 | $48,200 | $22,260 |
| Missouri | 920 | - NA - | - NA - | - NA - | - NA - |
| Montana | 150 | $42,000 | $20.19 | $49,190 | $32,980 |
| Nebraska | 320 | $47,770 | $22.96 | $74,130 | $27,040 |
| Nevada | 210 | $57,280 | $27.54 | $68,470 | $39,520 |
| New Hampshire | 160 | $54,530 | $26.21 | $70,580 | $35,170 |
| New Jersey | 1,370 | $64,120 | $30.83 | $103,090 | $38,410 |
| New Mexico | 130 | $42,770 | $20.56 | $64,990 | $27,130 |
| New York | ** | $57,460 | $27.63 | $83,630 | $35,360 |
| North Carolina | 1,270 | $48,270 | $23.21 | $75,670 | $27,990 |
| North Dakota | 140 | $50,740 | $24.39 | $75,610 | $28,850 |
| Ohio | 600 | $54,510 | $26.21 | $81,680 | $38,120 |
| Oklahoma | 380 | $40,560 | $19.50 | $55,860 | $23,850 |
| Oregon | 740 | $56,230 | $27.03 | $78,790 | $38,910 |
| Pennsylvania | 830 | $51,440 | $24.73 | $63,470 | $37,790 |
| Rhode Island | ** | $62,400 | $30.00 | $77,580 | $48,970 |
| South Carolina | 480 | $47,150 | $22.67 | $75,880 | $29,710 |
| South Dakota | 150 | $47,240 | $22.71 | $63,350 | $26,710 |
| Tennessee | 750 | $50,660 | $24.36 | $70,520 | $34,710 |
| Texas | 2,690 | $49,160 | $23.63 | $76,560 | $31,680 |
| Utah | 250 | $41,440 | $19.92 | $64,190 | $24,750 |
| Vermont | 60 | $61,840 | $29.73 | $89,620 | $45,680 |
| Virginia | 1,030 | $64,870 | $31.19 | $91,520 | $36,060 |
| Washington | 660 | $54,570 | $26.24 | $70,420 | $39,920 |
| West Virginia | 70 | $35,730 | $17.18 | $47,210 | $28,770 |
| Wisconsin | 380 | $48,240 | $23.19 | $62,980 | $33,020 |
| Wyoming | 140 | $47,570 | $22.87 | $63,540 | $36,240 |
| Puerto Rico | ** | $27,490 | $13.22 | $31,730 | $19,940 |
* Employment conditions in your area may vary.
