What automation technicians do, what the work pays according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the skills that get you hired, and the US training routes into the role, from community college to apprenticeship.
An automation technician keeps automated production equipment running: conveyors, robot cells, packaging machines and the PLCs, sensors, drives and pneumatics that control them. In the US, the usual entry route is a community or technical college program in mechatronics, industrial maintenance or electro-mechanical technology, or a registered apprenticeship. Employers then add training on their own equipment. O*NET lists “Automation Technician” as a reported job title for electro-mechanical and mechatronics technologists and technicians (O*NET). For that occupation, the BLS reports:
$73,900 median annual wage ($35.53 an hour) in May 2025. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $47,840 and the highest-paid 10% more than $109,890 (BLS).
3% projected employment growth from 2025 to 2035, about as fast as average, with about 1,400 openings a year. Typical entry-level education: an associate's degree (BLS).
Industrial machinery mechanics, the broader maintenance category the role overlaps, had a $64,520 median and 18% projected growth for 2025–35 (BLS).
Figures from the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook and O*NET OnLine, accessed September 28, 2026.
“Between two automation technicians, the one who can read ladder logic earns the premium — everything else being equal.”
Automation technicians are the people who keep production lines moving. When a robot cell faults, a conveyor jams, or a vision system starts rejecting good parts, they are the first response. A shift typically splits between reactive fault-finding and planned preventive maintenance activities.
Reactive work: reading PLC fault registers, checking sensor inputs, inspecting mechanical components, replacing worn actuators or failed sensors, resetting interlocks, and getting the machine back in production. Planned work: following PM schedules for lubrication, belt tension checks, filter replacement, sensor alignment verification, and backup of PLC programs.
Unlike a controls engineer who designs systems, an automation technician works with existing systems. But a technician who can read ladder logic, trace faults through the program, and make small authorized changes is far more useful on a breakdown than one who can only work on the mechanical and electrical hardware.
06:30
Pre-shift: review overnight fault log, check all zones cleared, walk the line
07:45
Respond to robot fault on packing cell — sensor misalignment, realign and test
09:15
PM on conveyor drive: grease bearings, check belt tracking, test E-stop
11:00
Trace intermittent reject fault on vision system — camera lens contamination
13:30
Adjust pick height parameter on gantry robot per setup changeover sheet
15:00
Document morning faults in maintenance log, brief incoming shift
Reading live rung status is the skill that separates a higher-paid automation technician.A structured fault-finding path on the production floor.
Automation technician salary (US)
Automation technician pay and job outlook: BLS data
There is no single federal “automation technician” category. The work, and related controls technician jobs, is counted inside the occupations below. Pay is the May 2025 median annual wage and projections cover 2025 to 2035.
Occupation (BLS)
Median pay, May 2025
Projected change, 2025–35
Source
Electro-mechanical and mechatronics technologists and technicians
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook (wages from the Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey), accessed September 28, 2026. BLS expects the continued adoption of automated manufacturing machinery to create jobs for industrial machinery mechanics. Compare pay and jobs across all 50 states and DC in our automation and PLC technician salary by state table.
The motor control rung behind most line equipment.Discrete I/O — the daily commissioning and repair work.Terminating field wiring to I/O cards correctly.Read inputs, run logic, write outputs — the loop behind every fault.
Automation technician training
How to become an automation technician in the US
There are four realistic US training routes, and most technicians combine two or more. Choose based on whether you need to earn while you learn and what local employers run on their lines.
1
Community or technical college program
Look for mechatronics, industrial maintenance, electro-mechanical or automation technology programs. The BLS notes that associate degree programs and postsecondary certificates for this occupation are offered at vocational–technical schools and community colleges. Check the catalog for PLC courses with a lab section on real controllers.
2
Registered apprenticeship
The U.S. Department of Labor describes Registered Apprenticeship as paid work experience with a mentor, progressive wage increases, classroom instruction and a portable, nationally recognized credential. Search the Apprenticeship Job Finder for industrial maintenance, mechatronics and electrical openings, and see how browser practice fits the classroom side on our PLC apprenticeship training page.
3
Employer and vendor training
Many plants hire maintenance helpers and technicians and then train them on their equipment. Rockwell Automation and Siemens run instructor-led, virtual and self-paced courses on their platforms. These are usually most valuable once an employer is paying and you know which platform you will support.
4
Learn PLC basics online, starting now
Reading ladder logic is the skill that moves an automation technician toward controls work. Use our PLC programming course and browser simulator to learn it without buying vendor software, then show the result with a completion certificate. That certificate comes from an independent platform and is not an accredited credential.
To find programs near you, search CareerOneStop's Local Training Finder for “mechatronics” and “industrial maintenance”. Then target job titles such as Industrial Maintenance Technician, Electromechanical Technician and Controls Technician at food and beverage, packaging and automotive plants. For a full comparison of routes and credentials, see PLC training in the USA.
Related roles
Adjacent careers
PLC Technician — stronger focus on the control system; natural progression from automation technician.
An automation technician maintains and repairs automated production equipment: conveyor systems, robotic cells, packaging machines and assembly lines. Core tasks include preventive maintenance (lubrication, belt tension, sensor alignment), fault-finding when equipment stops, replacing worn or failed components, making basic PLC program changes under a management-of-change process, and documenting maintenance work.
O*NET lists "Automation Technician" as a reported job title for electro-mechanical and mechatronics technologists and technicians. The BLS reports a median annual wage of $73,900 for that occupation in May 2025. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $47,840 and the highest-paid 10% more than $109,890. Industrial machinery mechanics, a broader maintenance category the role overlaps, had a $64,520 median. Pay varies by state, industry and experience.
The BLS lists an associate's degree as the typical entry-level education for electro-mechanical and mechatronics technicians, and says these programs and postsecondary certificates are offered at vocational–technical schools and community colleges. In the US, look for programs in mechatronics, industrial maintenance, electro-mechanical or automation technology, or a registered apprenticeship through apprenticeship.gov. Learn PLC basics alongside the program, then apply for maintenance roles at manufacturing plants, where employers add training on their own equipment.
Not always at entry level, but it matters for advancement. Most automation technician roles expect you to read ladder logic and adjust parameters such as timer setpoints and counter presets. Writing new programs from scratch is usually a controls engineer or senior programmer responsibility. Technicians who can trace a fault through the program are more useful on call and have more routes into controls technician and PLC programmer roles.
In the US, look at ISA's Certified Control Systems Technician (CCST). Level 1 requires at least 5 years of combined education, training and experience, including at least 1 year of related work experience. NCCER's four-level Industrial Maintenance Electrical & Instrumentation curriculum, which includes a PLC module, and vendor training from Rockwell Automation or Siemens are also useful. ISA's Certified Automation Professional (CAP) recognizes professionals with extensive knowledge of automation and controls. Our certificates are completion certificates from an independent platform, not accredited credentials.
The titles overlap heavily. "PLC technician" and "controls technician" imply a stronger focus on the control system: reading and modifying ladder logic, programming terminals, PLC and drive hardware. "Automation technician" implies a broader mechanical and electrical scope, covering pneumatics, hydraulics, robotics and conveyors plus the PLC. Many job descriptions use these titles for the same role, so read the duties, not the title.
Learn PLC skills free — your career advantage.
Browser simulator. Graded machine scenarios. No install.
The candidate can describe the technician signal path, identify a realistic skills gap and demonstrate a bounded maintenance diagnosis with recovery evidence.
Written for apprentices, maintenance workers and career changers evaluating hands-on automation installation, operation, diagnosis and support roles.
System map / 02
NODE 01observable
01
Role scope
The industry, shift pattern, maintenance scope, travel, authorization and experience behind the vacancy.
NODE 02observable
02
Skills map
Job tasks to sensors, wiring, PLC monitoring, HMI, drives, networks, documentation and escalation.
NODE 03observable
03
Core exercise
A sensor-to-output fault diagnosed with predicted readings and a verified recovery.
NODE 04observable
04
Stretch case
Intermittent faults, production pressure, incomplete drawings, restart and temporary-change control.
NODE 05observable
05
Troubleshooting
An electrical, I/O, logic, actuator or process-feedback disagreement located without guessing.
NODE 06observable
06
Portfolio evidence
A portfolio plus supervised physical and target-platform practice matched to local vacancies.
Answer surface / 07
Q01
What is an automation technician?
An automation technician installs, monitors, troubleshoots and maintains sensors, control circuits, PLC I/O, HMI, drives, networks and automated equipment within site authorization.