Career comparison
Control Valve Technician vs. Industrial Maintenance Technician
Side-by-side pay, training, growth and day-to-day duties to help you choose between two related careers.
Control valve technicians earn more at the median ($74,340 vs. $64,520), while control valve technicians usually get to work faster (Months to years of training of training). Control valve technicians install, test and repair the valves that control flow in plants and pipelines. Industrial maintenance technicians keep factory machinery running with mechanical, electrical and PLC troubleshooting.
Pay data: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Outlook: BLS 2025–35 · Checked October 15, 2026
| Control Valve Technician | Industrial Maintenance Technician | |
|---|---|---|
| Median pay | $74,340 ($35.74/hr) | $64,520 ($31.02/hr) |
| Pay range (10th–90th) | $45,910 – $112,500 | $46,120 – $95,170 |
| Job growth, 2025–35 | +4.3% (about as fast as average) | +17.8% (much faster than average) |
| Openings per year | 3,600 | 44,400 |
| Typical entry education | High school diploma or equivalent | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Training time | Months to years of training | 1–4 years |
| Key credential | Manufacturer valve training | CMRT (SMRP) |
| Work setting | Technicians work in plants, shops and along pipelines.. | Technicians work in manufacturing plants, warehouses, food processing facilities and utilities. |
What each job does
Control Valve Technician
- Install valves
- Repair valves
- Calibrate actuators
- Test regulators
- Maintain gas meters
Industrial Maintenance Technician
- Perform preventive and predictive maintenance on equipment
- Troubleshoot mechanical, electrical, hydraulic and pneumatic problems
- Repair or replace bearings, belts, motors, pumps and gearboxes
- Read schematics, prints and PLC ladder logic
- Align shafts and adjust machinery
How they’re similar
Both careers involve hands-on work, problem-solving, and indoor work. They sit in different fields, energy & utilities and mechanics, maintenance & manufacturing, but share transferable skills such as problem-solving and problem-solving under pressure.
Which should you choose?
Choose control valve technician if…
- I like mechanical work
- I like precision
- I solve problems
Choose industrial maintenance technician if…
- I like figuring out how machines work and why they break
- I’m comfortable with both mechanical and electrical work
- I can stay calm when production is down
Still torn? Take the Control Valve Technician fit quiz and the Industrial Maintenance Technician fit quiz, or the full Career Match Quiz.
Quick comparisons
Which pays more, control valve technician or industrial maintenance technician?
Control Valve Technicians earn more at the median: $74,340 versus $64,520 for industrial maintenance technicians, based on BLS May 2025 data.
Which takes less time to train for?
Control Valve Technicians typically train faster (Months to years of training) than industrial maintenance technicians (1–4 years).
Which career has better job growth?
BLS projects industrial maintenance technicians to grow +17.8% from 2025–35, compared with +4.3% for control valve technicians.