Elevator Maintenance recruiters serving Grand Rapids.
Elevator and escalator installers and repairers in Grand Rapids earn a $133,080 median, 21% above the national figure, and about 80 of them work in the metro. BLS counts 31 business locations of nonresidential building-equipment contractors across the metro. Below: local pay for every role we staff, the state licensing rules that apply and the nearby markets competing for the same people.
Positions we recruit for in Grand Rapids.
BLS counts about 510 people working in the occupations behind these roles across the Grand Rapids metro, the largest group being construction and building inspectors (about 250). Relative to the size of the local economy, elevator and escalator installers and repairers are less concentrated here than nationally (location quotient 0.92). Local headcount and pay for each role are below; role descriptions are on the Elevator Maintenance hub.
Elevator Mechanic / Installer
Sample job description →Grand Rapids: 80 employed · $133,080 median, 12th-highest of 49 metros
Elevator Service Technician
Elevator Maintenance Technician
QEI-Certified Inspector
Grand Rapids: 250 employed · $71,490 median, 54th-highest of 112 metros
Escalator Technician
Elevator Modernization Technician
Elevator Project Manager
Grand Rapids: 1,290 employed · $102,370 median, 88th-highest of 111 metros
Elevator Service Dispatcher / Coordinator
Grand Rapids: 860 employed · $49,400 median, 56th-highest of 111 metros
Elevator Estimator
Grand Rapids: 1,100 employed · $76,030 median, 74th-highest of 111 metros
Elevator Controls / Electronics Technician
Grand Rapids: 180 employed · $60,360 median, 93rd-highest of 107 metros
What Elevator Maintenance roles earn in Grand Rapids.
In the Grand Rapids metro, the median wage for elevator and escalator installers and repairers is $133,080 a year, 21% above the $109,910 national median. Most earn between $48,140 and $152,240. Of the other roles listed, construction and building inspectors earn the most locally, at a $71,490 median.
| Role | Grand Rapids median | Typical range | National median | vs. national | Employed locally |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elevator Mechanic / Installer · Elevator Service Technician · Elevator Maintenance TechnicianElevator and Escalator Installers and Repairers (47-4021) | $133,080 | $48,140–$152,240 | $109,910 | +21% | 80 |
| QEI-Certified InspectorConstruction and Building Inspectors (47-4011) | $71,490 | $45,170–$94,870 | $74,690 | −4% | 250 |
| Elevator Project ManagerConstruction Managers (11-9021) | $102,370 | $61,910–$167,650 | $114,990 | −11% | 1,290 |
| Elevator Service Dispatcher / CoordinatorDispatchers (43-5032) | $49,400 | $30,930–$83,130 | $50,340 | −2% | 860 |
| Elevator EstimatorCost Estimators (13-1051) | $76,030 | $49,790–$117,320 | $78,740 | −3% | 1,100 |
| Elevator Controls / Electronics TechnicianElectrical and Electronics Repairers, Commercial and Industrial Equipment (49-2094) | $60,360 | $43,480–$78,240 | $74,090 | −19% | 180 |
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Grand Rapids metro. Range is 10th to 90th percentile; management and office roles are metro-wide.
How Grand Rapids's elevator maintenance market has changed since 2018.
The number of nonresidential building-equipment contractors in Grand Rapids rose from 26 in 2018 to 31 in 2023, up 19%, ahead of the 8% national rise.
| Measure | 2018 | 2023 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nonresidential building-equipment contractors: business locations | 26 | 31 | +19% |
| Nonresidential building-equipment contractors: employment | – | 275 | – |
| Nonresidential building-equipment contractors: average annual pay | – | $98,900 | – |
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, private employers, annual averages. A dash means BLS did not publish the figure.
Free Elevator Maintenance hiring resources.
Definitive Guide to Elevator Maintenance · 2026 Elevator Maintenance Salary Guide · 3-Step Interview Guide for Elevator Maintenance
Grand Rapids runs 8% fewer elevator maintenance workers per job than the country as a whole — below the national concentration. A thinner local pool means the people you want are already working, and usually for someone who would rather keep them.
Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 , Elevator and Escalator Installers and Repairers. Metro-wide figures for the base occupation; the wage table above is role-specific and commercial.
How Grand Rapids's elevator maintenance market compares
Among the 47 metros we cover with published BLS figures, Grand Rapids ranks 37th for headcount, 12th for median pay and 32nd for concentration for elevator and escalator installers and repairers.
| Metro | Employed | Median pay | Concentration | Commercial employers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Detroit | 280 | $106,610 | 0.97 | 85 |
| Grand Rapids | 80 | $133,080 | 0.92 | 31 |
BLS OEWS occupation figures and QCEW business-location counts; a dash means not published.
What this means for hiring:For elevator maintenance employers in Grand Rapids, the pool is about the national norm for its size and local employers are adding people, so expect competing offers on experienced candidates and keep the process short.
Sources: BLS QCEW 2023 annual averages and BLS OEWS May 2025, Grand Rapids metro. Employers are counted by business location.
Elevator Maintenance licensing in Michigan.
Michigan issues separate elevator journeyperson and elevator contractor licenses. A journeyperson needs three years of continuous elevator construction or service experience and a passing exam, and a contractor needs five years of experience and a passing exam. The same state rules apply in Detroit, so candidates licensed there can work in Grand Rapids without re-qualifying.
Licensing authority: Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA), Bureau of Construction Codes. Confirm current rules with the agency.
Nearby markets competing for Grand Rapids talent.
The closest metro we cover is Milwaukee, about 115 miles away, with roughly 140 elevator and escalator installers and repairers (1.8 times Grand Rapids's 80). Chicago pays the most nearby, a $146,580 median, 10% above Grand Rapids. That is the number any Grand Rapids offer is competing with when experienced people weigh a move. Chicago has the deepest pool within reach, so a search for senior roles here usually extends there.
| Metro | Distance | Employed | Median pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grand Rapids | – | 80 | $133,080 |
| Milwaukee | 113 mi | 140 | $78,110 |
| Chicago | 127 mi | 850 | $146,580 |
| Detroit | 140 mi | 280 | $106,610 |
| Madison | 189 mi | – | – |
| Indianapolis | 222 mi | 50 | $116,520 |
BLS OEWS, May 2025; straight-line miles.
Frequently asked - Elevator Maintenance hiring in Grand Rapids.
What do elevator and escalator installers and repairers earn in Grand Rapids?
BLS puts the Grand Rapids median for elevator and escalator installers and repairers at $133,080 a year, 21% above the $109,910 national median. That ranks 12th of 49 metros with published figures, in the top quarter. Pay is bunched together here, $48,140 to $152,240 across the 10th to 90th percentile, so small differences in an offer are noticed. No other Michigan metro we cover pays more for this work (Detroit: $106,610).
Is it hard to hire elevator and escalator installers and repairers in Grand Rapids?
It is about average. Elevator and escalator installers and repairers are as common in Grand Rapids as they are nationally (location quotient 0.92), with about 80 in the metro. The 31 nonresidential building-equipment contractors here average about 8.9 employees per location. With 19% more of those firms than in 2018, more employers are competing for the same crews.
Which elevator maintenance roles pay the most in Grand Rapids?
Of the roles we recruit for, Elevator Mechanic / Installer pays the most in Grand Rapids, a $133,080 median. Elevator Controls / Electronics Technician is the lowest-paid field role at $60,360. Relative to national pay, Elevator Mechanic / Installer is the strongest-paying role here (21% above). Elevator Controls / Electronics Technician trails national pay the most (19% below).
How many nonresidential building-equipment contractors operate in Grand Rapids?
BLS counted 31 nonresidential building-equipment contractors in Grand Rapids in 2023, employing about 275 people between them. Up from 26 in 2018, a 19% increase against 8% growth nationally. That averages 8.9 people per location. They pay about the national average of $96,086. BLS counts elevator contractors under nonresidential building-equipment contractors.
Which nearby metros compete with Grand Rapids for elevator and escalator installers and repairers?
The closest metros we cover with published figures are Milwaukee (113 miles, about 140, $78,110 median), Chicago (127 miles, about 850, $146,580 median) and Detroit (140 miles, about 280, $106,610 median). Milwaukee has the larger pool, so it is the first place to look for senior people willing to move. Chicago pays 10% more, which is where Grand Rapids employers tend to lose people.
The seat is open. The pipeline should not be.
31 nonresidential building-equipment contractors in Grand Rapids are drawing on the same 80 elevator and escalator installers and repairers. Let's get your next hire lined up first.
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