2. Maintenance and repair workers

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• Jobs requiring occasional communication or less: 89.4%
• Median annual wage: $38,300
• Typical education needed: High school diploma or equivalent
• Projected employment growth: 7.9%
• Total employment: 1,384,240

Unlike industrial machinery mechanics, maintenance and repair workers do not specialize in a specific type of machine or industry. Instead, they fix and maintain the physical environment in different buildings, such as schools, apartments, or retail spaces. Duties might include painting, fixing plumbing issues, and maintaining HVAC units. Maintenance and repair workers have the highest total employment on this list.