Elevator Maintenance recruiters serving Nashville.
Nashville has 77% more elevator and escalator installers and repairers per job than the country as a whole, about 300 in the metro. BLS counts 80 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 Nashville.
BLS counts about 1,460 people working in the occupations behind these roles across the Nashville metro, the largest group being construction and building inspectors (about 790). Relative to the size of the local economy, elevator and escalator installers and repairers are far more concentrated here than nationally (location quotient 1.77). Local headcount and pay for each role are below; role descriptions are on the Elevator Maintenance hub.
Elevator Mechanic / Installer
Sample job description →Nashville: 300 employed · $105,290 median, 32nd-highest of 49 metros
Elevator Maintenance Technician
QEI-Certified Inspector
Nashville: 790 employed · $61,310 median, 99th-highest of 112 metros
Escalator Technician
Elevator Modernization Technician
Elevator Project Manager
Nashville: 2,460 employed · $122,190 median, 29th-highest of 111 metros
Elevator Service Dispatcher / Coordinator
Nashville: 1,290 employed · $49,680 median, 48th-highest of 111 metros
Elevator Estimator
Nashville: 1,570 employed · $81,300 median, 28th-highest of 111 metros
Elevator Controls / Electronics Technician
Nashville: 370 employed · $63,930 median, 79th-highest of 107 metros
What Elevator Maintenance roles earn in Nashville.
Elevator and escalator installers and repairers in Nashville earn a median $105,290, 4% under the $109,910 national figure, and 32nd of 49 metros. Pay runs $63,160 at the tenth percentile to $124,440 at the ninetieth. The best-paid role below is electrical and electronics repairers, commercial and industrial equipment, at $63,930 against $74,090 nationally.
| Role | Nashville 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) | $105,290 | $63,160–$124,440 | $109,910 | −4% | 300 |
| QEI-Certified InspectorConstruction and Building Inspectors (47-4011) | $61,310 | $44,910–$93,270 | $74,690 | −18% | 790 |
| Elevator Project ManagerConstruction Managers (11-9021) | $122,190 | $73,550–$195,040 | $114,990 | +6% | 2,460 |
| Elevator Service Dispatcher / CoordinatorDispatchers (43-5032) | $49,680 | $36,030–$69,210 | $50,340 | −1% | 1,290 |
| Elevator EstimatorCost Estimators (13-1051) | $81,300 | $47,400–$127,770 | $78,740 | +3% | 1,570 |
| Elevator Controls / Electronics TechnicianElectrical and Electronics Repairers, Commercial and Industrial Equipment (49-2094) | $63,930 | $45,680–$98,030 | $74,090 | −14% | 370 |
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Nashville metro. Range is 10th to 90th percentile; management and office roles are metro-wide. A metro ranking counts only the metros where BLS publishes that occupation.
How Nashville's elevator maintenance market has changed since 2018.
The number of nonresidential building-equipment contractors in Nashville rose from 64 in 2018 to 80 in 2023, up 25%, ahead of the 8% national rise. Headcount at those firms went up 17%, to about 952 people. Average annual pay there went from $76,283 to $80,073 (+5%), slower than the 20% national increase.
| Measure | 2018 | 2023 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nonresidential building-equipment contractors: business locations | 64 | 80 | +25% |
| Nonresidential building-equipment contractors: employment | 816 | 952 | +17% |
| Nonresidential building-equipment contractors: average annual pay | $76,283 | $80,073 | +5% |
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
Nashville runs 77% more elevator maintenance workers per job than the country as a whole — well above the national concentration. More per job means more people to reach, and more employers reaching 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 Nashville's elevator maintenance market compares
Among the 47 metros we cover with published BLS figures, Nashville ranks 17th for headcount, 32nd for median pay and 10th for concentration for elevator and escalator installers and repairers. That puts it among the deepest elevator maintenance labor markets in the country.
| Metro | Employed | Median pay | Concentration | Commercial employers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nashville | 300 | $105,290 | 1.77 | 80 |
| Memphis | – | – | – | 40 |
| Knoxville | – | – | – | 38 |
| Chattanooga | – | – | – | 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 Nashville, the pool is deep and still growing, so the constraint is competition rather than supply. Move fast on good candidates, because another local firm is probably talking to them too.
Sources: BLS QCEW 2023 annual averages and BLS OEWS May 2025, Nashville metro. Employers are counted by business location.
Elevator Maintenance licensing in Tennessee.
Tennessee does not issue a state elevator mechanic or elevator constructor license for individuals. The state regulates the equipment through permits and required inspections, and it licenses the inspectors: inspections must be made by inspectors licensed under T.C.A. 68-121-110, who must obtain certification to the QEI standard within twelve months of licensure under Rule 0800-03-04-.07. Company-level licensing runs through the separate Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors, which has classification BC-17 for elevators, escalators and dumbwaiters. When hiring a mechanic, screen on NEIEP or equivalent apprenticeship completion, union journeyman status and employer work history, and treat QEI as relevant only for inspector roles. The same state rules apply in Memphis, Knoxville and Chattanooga, so candidates licensed there can work in Nashville without re-qualifying.
Licensing authority: Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development, Elevator and Amusement Device Safety Unit. Confirm current rules with the agency.
Nearby markets competing for Nashville talent.
The closest metro we cover is Huntsville, about 100 miles away. Nashville pays more than every metro we cover within reach ($105,290 median), which helps when recruiting people in from Louisville at $42,670. Nashville is the largest market for this work in the region, so nearby metros tend to recruit from here rather than the other way round.
| Metro | Distance | Employed | Median pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nashville | – | 300 | $105,290 |
| Huntsville | 100 mi | – | – |
| Chattanooga | 113 mi | – | – |
| Louisville | 155 mi | – | $42,670 |
| Knoxville | 161 mi | – | – |
| Birmingham | 183 mi | 90 | $103,700 |
BLS OEWS, May 2025; straight-line miles.
What else is competing for Nashville crews.
Not elevator maintenance work. These are the capital projects big enough to pull the same crews into Nashville in the months you are trying to fill a seat, each with the status its own market page reports.
- BNA "New Horizon" expansion - Central Core Enhancement$3B programCentral Core work through December 2027
Rebuilding the terminal hub connecting baggage claim, ticketing, garages, and security. Phased work inside an operating airport - night shifts, tight sequencing, and a premium on live-facility experience.
- Healthcare systems capital programsMulti-hundred-million, phasedOngoing through 2029
Nashville is the headquarters city of the US hospital industry, and regional systems build continuously. Med-gas plumbers and ICRA-trained mechanical crews are persistently short.
- New Nissan Stadium$2.1BCompleting early 2027
An enclosed venue anchoring 550 acres of East Bank redevelopment. Now deep in MEP, systems, and finish phases - the highest-headcount portion of a stadium build. Large-venue superintendents and specialty systems crews are fully committed here.
Showing 3 of 6 projects tracked in this metro. The Nashville market page lists them all.
What credentials matter for elevator maintenance, and what kills offers in Nashville.
The 4 credentials that gate the work and the 4 things that most often end an elevator maintenance offer are the same in every market, kept in one place: Elevator Maintenance credentials and offer risks, each linked to the body that issues it. What is local is the licensing rule above and the pay further up this page.
Frequently asked - Elevator Maintenance hiring in Nashville.
What do elevator and escalator installers and repairers earn in Nashville?
BLS puts the Nashville median for elevator and escalator installers and repairers at $105,290 a year, 4% below the $109,910 national median. That ranks 32nd of 49 metros with published figures, in the middle of the pack. Most of the market sits between $63,160 and $124,440, a 2.0x gap and a moderate spread, so a few thousand dollars over the median buys real experience.
Is it hard to hire elevator and escalator installers and repairers in Nashville?
Not by national standards. Elevator and escalator installers and repairers make up 77% more of the Nashville workforce than they do nationally, about 300 people. The 80 nonresidential building-equipment contractors here average about 12 employees per location. With 25% more of those firms than in 2018, more employers are competing for the same crews.
Which elevator maintenance roles pay the most in Nashville?
Of the roles we recruit for, Elevator Project Manager pays the most in Nashville, a $122,190 median (BLS measures that occupation across all industries in the metro). Among field roles the top earner is Elevator Mechanic / Installer at $105,290, 14% below it. QEI-Certified Inspector is the lowest-paid field role at $61,310. Relative to national pay, Elevator Project Manager is the strongest-paying role here (6% above). QEI-Certified Inspector trails national pay the most (18% below).
How many nonresidential building-equipment contractors operate in Nashville?
BLS counted 80 nonresidential building-equipment contractors in Nashville in 2023, employing about 952 people between them. Up from 64 in 2018, a 25% increase against 8% growth nationally. That averages 12 people per location. They pay an average of $80,073, 17% below the $96,086 national average for the same kind of employer. BLS counts elevator contractors under nonresidential building-equipment contractors.
Which nearby metros compete with Nashville for elevator and escalator installers and repairers?
The closest metros we cover with published figures are Louisville (155 miles, $42,670 median), Birmingham (183 miles, about 90, $103,700 median) and Atlanta (215 miles, about 510, $83,500 median). Atlanta has the larger pool, so it is the first place to look for senior people willing to move. Nashville out-pays Louisville and Atlanta, an advantage when recruiting from there.
Plenty of people. Few of them looking.
Nashville has one of the deeper pools of elevator and escalator installers and repairers we cover, but the best of them are already working. Let's find the ones ready to move.
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