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Carwash Maintenance Technician

basic mechanical × basic electrical × a little welding, in an industry nobody thinks of

Express tunnel car washes have spread across the US, and every one of them is a small factory: conveyors, pumps, air compressors, hydraulics, reverse-osmosis water and controls. When something breaks, the wash makes no money, so chains pay for people who can fix it fast. A single-site tech starts around $21 an hour. Traveling and regional service techs make $65–100k, often with a company truck. One technician with welding school, a year on generators and Navy experience reports clearing $100k. Almost nobody grows up wanting this job, which is exactly why it pays.

Method

  1. Get basic maintenance experienceAny maintenance helper job, welding course or military mechanical background counts.
  2. Apply to wash chains and equipment companiesSearch 'car wash maintenance technician' or 'car wash field service technician'.
  3. Learn the equipmentConveyors, pumps, compressors, RO and water reclaim; maker courses such as Sonny's CarWash College speed it up.
  4. Go regionalTraveling or regional service tech covering several sites is where pay reaches $65–100k.
Watch out:No official pay statistics exist for this exact job; numbers come from job postings and worker reports. Entry jobs at a single site can pay only ~$20/hr. Weekend call-outs and wet, cold work are part of it.

Pay, licensing and demand vary by state, city and timing. Figures are averaged and partly approximate. Skill levels follow each skill's milestones (see Skills). Sources: Indeed: Tommy's Express maintenance technician pay (2026); Glassdoor: Mister Car Wash maintenance technician pay (2026); Indeed car wash field service technician postings (2026); r/skilledtrades carwash technician report, Oct 2026. Something off? Suggest a fix