Elevator Installer / Repair.
St. Louis.
$74,000
median salary, 10% below the national average
$56,000 to $97,000. Updated for 2026.
The numbers.
Everything you need to negotiate with confidence.
St. Louis is 10% cheaper than the national average. For Elevator Installer / Repairs, that shakes out to a median of $74,000, with the full range spanning $56,000 to $97,000. Elevator mechanics consistently rank among the highest-paid trades due to the extensive apprenticeship, licensing requirements, and safety-critical nature of the work. Know the range before you walk in.
Salary range
Tap to place your salary
How St. Louis compares
St. Louis, MO
$74,000
Cost of living: 10% below average
National Average
$82,000
St. Louis is $8,000 below
What you should know
Here is what the Elevator Installer / Repair market actually looks like in St. Louis. St. Louis offers one of the most affordable major metro areas in the country, with a strong base in healthcare, financial services, and manufacturing. The region's anchor employers include Boeing, Centene, and Washington University's medical campus. A growing biotech and plant sciences corridor centered on the Cortex Innovation District is attracting new investment and talent. Elevator mechanics consistently rank among the highest-paid trades due to the extensive apprenticeship, licensing requirements, and safety-critical nature of the work. Technicians specializing in modernization of older hydraulic and traction systems earn top rates. Union IUEC membership provides some of the strongest wage and benefit packages in the entire construction industry.
Elevator apprentices start at $40,000 to $50,000 during their four year program. Journeyman mechanics earn $62,000 to $90,000, while adjusters and modernization specialists reach $85,000 to $115,000. Elevator consultants and construction supervisors command $110,000 to $150,000 at major elevator companies. In St. Louis, cost of living sits near the national average, so the numbers you see are roughly what you keep.
Base salary is not the full picture. IUEC union benefits are among the best in any trade, adding $25,000 to $40,000 annually in health insurance, pension, and annuity contributions. Overtime is common during new construction pushes and can add $10,000 to $20,000 per year. And on the tax side: missouri's top income tax rate is about 4.8%, and St. Louis City adds a 1% earnings tax. The low base cost of living means your after tax salary still stretches further than in most metros. When someone quotes you $74,000, ask what the total package looks like. The gap between base and total comp is where real money hides.
On negotiation: Emphasize your willingness to work in person at Cortex or the BJC campus. St. Louis employers offer higher packages for candidates who commit to the local innovation hubs. The range for Elevator Installer / Repairs in St. Louis runs from $56,000 to $97,000. That is not a narrow window. Where you land inside it depends almost entirely on whether you negotiate and how well you prepare.
Top industries in St. Louis
Negotiating in St. Louis
Emphasize your willingness to work in person at Cortex or the BJC campus. St. Louis employers offer higher packages for candidates who commit to the local innovation hubs.