Match a machine's error log
On ATM jobs, match the machine's error log with the service app to decide where to inspect.
Career profile
Computer, ATM, and Office Machine Repairer
Machine repairers diagnose office equipment, computers and automated teller machines (ATMs), then replace parts.
Take a printer that keeps jamming. Your job is to pin down which part is failing, fix it, and then make sure the fix worked.
A day in the life
Replace a worn printer part
Take apart the printer with hand tools, inspect its moving parts and replace any worn or damaged piece.
Install new computers and machines
Connect new computers or office machines, install their software and make sure each one runs properly.
Close out the repair record
Log the fault and fix clearly so coworkers can answer later questions, then tell the customer the result.
Quick facts
Some college; no degree typical
United States · 2025
$47,810 a year
United States · May 2025
3% projected decline
United States · 2025–2035
Quick orientation
Preparation, pay & outlook
Preparation
Some college; no degree typicalShort-term training on the job is typical. Individual employers set their entry requirements.
Pay
$47,810 a yearNational median, equivalent to $22.99 an hour.
Outlook
3% projected declineAbout 6,100 openings a year are projected despite declining total employment.
Fit, tradeoffs & changing tools
You might like this if…
- You like testing possible causes until a problem makes sense.
- You can explain a repair without making someone feel foolish.
- You are willing to write useful notes after the hands-on work.
Things to weigh
- Field service can mean long stretches of driving and working outdoors in bad weather.
- Retail repair may include nights, weekends, and holidays, with customers waiting for updates.
Where AI may help
Some connected ATM systems analyze machine data to suggest a likely fix and needed parts before a technician arrives.
What people still lead
You still carry out physical repairs and decide when a problem needs escalation.
What we can’t predict yet
How much diagnosis shifts to automated systems remains uncertain; the balance between investigating faults and carrying out suggested repairs may change.
Pay in context
Earnings
The national median is $47,810 a year, or $22.99 an hour. That describes the middle of the workforce, not a starting offer.
The national spread
In May 2025, the lowest-paid 10% earned $35,910 or less annually; the highest-paid 10% earned $71,730 or more. These are wage percentiles, not beginner and experienced pay scales.
Workplace type matters
In May 2023, annual mean pay was $43,540 in electronics and appliance retail and $51,090 at professional and commercial equipment wholesalers. These older industry averages show variation, not current offers or a guaranteed raise from switching workplaces.
Openings in a shrinking occupation
Employment is projected to fall 3% from 2025 to 2035, while about 6,100 openings per year are projected. Openings and growth measure different things; a declining occupation can still have jobs to fill.
Getting started
Learn basic ATM service after hiring
- What the route involves
- Train in the field on basic repairs and the employer’s service procedures.
- What it can lead to
- Entry ATM service work, with harder faults escalated to other technicians.
- What to check
- Some employers accept no prior ATM experience but require a high school diploma or equivalent, a valid driver’s license, and reliable transportation.
Study computer servicing
The Mt. San Antonio College example takes one semester and 12 units.
- What the route involves
- Take courses in computer servicing, operating systems, and troubleshooting. Mt. San Antonio College’s Computer Networking Technology Fundamentals certificate follows this route.
- What it can lead to
- Preparation for entry computer service technician work and further study in computer networking.
You can enter through employer training or build computer repair skills in a college certificate program.
After entry
Career paths
This starts where the entry routes leave off: early work, growing capability, and advancement or specialization.
Get established
Learn service procedures and when to escalate an unfamiliar fault.
Build diagnostic confidence
Use continuing training and repair experience to tackle less familiar computer problems and explain your recommendations.
Teach newer repairers
Take on training responsibilities, showing newer technicians how to approach repairs.
Where you can work
Retail computer repair
Work inside a store with other technicians, helping customers in person and by phone. Repair notes and handoffs keep requests moving between coworkers.
- Indoors
- Shift work
ATM field service
Travel between customer sites, using a service app and keeping track of spare parts. Machines may be indoors or outdoors.
- Field work
- Travel
- Indoors
- Outdoors
Try it
See whether the job clicks before you commit to the path.
Find the manufacturer’s troubleshooting guide for a printer you can observe. Pick one symptom, such as paper not feeding, and write a short work note: what you would ask the user, what the guide says to check, and how you would confirm success. Notice whether you enjoy turning a vague complaint into a testable problem.
Stay safe: Keep this a reading and observation exercise; do not open service panels or handle internal parts.
Sources
- O*NET OnLine. Computer, Automated Teller, and Office Machine Repairers. Accessed 2026-10-03.
- O*NET OnLine / U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. California Wages: 49-2011.00 — United States comparison tables. Accessed 2026-10-03.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Table 1.2 Occupational projections, 2025–35, and worker characteristics, 2025. Accessed 2026-10-03.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. May 2023 Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates: Computer, Automated Teller, and Office Machine Repairers. Accessed 2026-10-03.
- NCR Atleos. Field Service Technician I (entry level) — Atlanta, GA (Marietta), R1154275. Accessed 2026-10-03.
- Best Buy. Geek Squad Advanced Repair Technician — Tacoma, Washington, 1046726BR. Accessed 2026-10-03.
- Mt. San Antonio College. Computer Networking Technology Fundamentals (Certificate M0682). Accessed 2026-10-03.
- Diebold Nixdorf. ATM Maintenance Services Powered by Data-Driven Intelligence. Accessed 2026-10-03.