# Computer, Automated Teller, and Office Machine Repairers

US SOC code 49-2011. Markdown version of https://futurehistory.earth/timeline/49-2011

Also called: Computer repair technician, ATM technician, Field service technician, Office machine technician, Copier repair technician.

## In brief

In May 2025, [BLS](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm25nat.zip) counted **65,600** US computer, automated teller, and office machine repairers, with median pay of **$47,810** a year. Of the BLS counts since 2003, the highest was **144,370**, in May 2003. The earliest figure here is [an estimate](https://www.referenceforbusiness.com/industries/Service/Computer-Maintenance-Repair.html) of **40,000** from 1960, not measured the same way as today's count. The last full technology era in this work: Windows-based ATMs and networked copiers, 2000 to 2020. The networked-machine era reduced the frequency of on-site visits for software-resolvable issues while increasing the technical complexity required for the physical visits that remained.

## What the sources say

### Official outlook

BLS projects employment to decline 3% from 2025 to 2035. Source: [BLS Employment Projections 2025-35](https://data.bls.gov/projections/nationalMatrix?queryParams=49-2011&ioType=o).

### AI exposure studies

- **20.4%** of this job's tasks are exposed to large language models. Not a forecast of job losses. [Eloundou and others, 2023](https://github.com/openai/GPTs-are-GPTs/blob/main/data/occ_level.csv)

Data as of BLS OEWS May 2025; BLS Employment Projections 2025-35. BLS publishes these counts as yearly survey snapshots and cautions against reading them as a precise trend. In May 2021 BLS changed how it estimates these counts (a model-based method using three years of survey data) and moved fully to the 2018 occupation codes, so part of a change across 2021 can come from the method rather than the work.

## Computer, Automated Teller, and Office Machine Repairers employment and pay by year

- On record since: 1900
- Latest US employment: 65,600 (May 2025). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 [3]
- Latest US median pay: $47,810 (May 2025). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 [5]
- Outlook: -3% by 2035. Source: BLS Employment Projections 2025-35 [20]

### All 26 years of cited US data

| Year | US employment | Annual pay (median unless marked) | Source |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1960 | 40,000 (estimate) | n/a | Est., Reference for Business [1] |
| 1980 | 100,000 (estimate) | n/a | Est., ERIC [2] |
| 1997 | 148,000 (estimate) | $32,000 (estimate) | Est., Reference for Business [1] |
| 2003 | 144,370 | $33,780 | BLS OEWS May 2003 [3] |
| 2004 | 141,350 | $35,150 | BLS OEWS May 2004 [3] |
| 2005 | 138,210 | $36,060 | BLS OEWS May 2005 [3] |
| 2006 | 139,770 | $36,480 | BLS OEWS May 2006 [3] |
| 2007 | 132,750 | $37,100 | BLS OEWS May 2007 [3] |
| 2008 | 122,400 | $37,810 | BLS OEWS May 2008 [3] |
| 2009 | 111,600 | $37,620 | BLS OEWS May 2009 [3] |
| 2010 | 110,320 | $37,280 | BLS OEWS May 2010 [3] |
| 2011 | 111,690 | $36,360 | BLS OEWS May 2011 [3] |
| 2012 | 113,480 | $36,620 | BLS OEWS May 2012 [3] |
| 2013 | 110,850 | $36,390 | BLS OEWS May 2013 [3] |
| 2014 | 110,940 | $36,560 | BLS OEWS May 2014 [3] |
| 2015 | 106,100 | $36,840 | BLS OEWS May 2015 [3] |
| 2016 | 102,170 | $37,100 | BLS OEWS May 2016 [3] |
| 2017 | 100,580 | $37,710 | BLS OEWS May 2017 [3] |
| 2018 | 102,810 | $38,480 | BLS OEWS May 2018 [3] |
| 2019 | 98,260 | $39,530 | BLS OEWS May 2019 [3] |
| 2020 | 91,930 | $41,090 | BLS OEWS May 2020 [3] |
| 2021 | 86,420 | $40,970 | BLS OEWS May 2021 [3] |
| 2022 | 81,440 | $44,910 | BLS OEWS May 2022 [3] |
| 2023 | 77,580 | $45,760 | BLS OEWS May 2023 [3] |
| 2024 | 73,010 | $46,860 | BLS OEWS May 2024 [3] |
| 2025 | 65,600 | $47,810 | BLS OEWS May 2025 [3] |

## Sources (79)

### Employment series

1. [Reference for Business -- SIC 7378 Computer Maintenance and Repair (industry history; mechanics and repairers growth from 140,000 in 1910 to 2,520,000 in 2000)](https://www.referenceforbusiness.com/industries/Service/Computer-Maintenance-Repair.html), Reference for Business / Encyclopedia of Business
2. [ERIC -- ED158111: Office Machine and Computer Occupations, Occupational Outlook Handbook 1978-79 Edition (occupation documented as distinct growing category by BLS)](https://eric.ed.gov/?q=computer+AND+industry+AND+outlook&id=ED158111), US Department of Labor / BLS via ERIC
3. BLS OEWS, national cross-industry estimates (flat file), Bureau of Labor Statistics. Editions: [2003](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm03nat.zip), [2004](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm04nat.zip), [2005](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm05nat.zip), [2006](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm06nat.zip), [2007](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm07nat.zip), [2008](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm08nat.zip), [2009](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm09nat.zip), [2010](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm10nat.zip), [2011](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm11nat.zip), [2012](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm12nat.zip), [2013](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm13nat.zip), [2014](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm14nat.zip), [2015](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm15nat.zip), [2016](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm16nat.zip), [2017](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm17nat.zip), [2018](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm18nat.zip), [2019](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm19nat.zip), [2020](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm20nat.zip), [2021](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm21nat.zip), [2022](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm22nat.zip), [2023](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm23nat.zip), [2024](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm24nat.zip), [2025](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm25nat.zip)

### Wage series

4. [Reference for Business -- SIC 7378: median annual salary for computer repairers slightly over $32,000 in the late 1990s; top earners $50,000+](https://www.referenceforbusiness.com/industries/Service/Computer-Maintenance-Repair.html), Reference for Business / Encyclopedia of Business
5. BLS OEWS, national cross-industry estimates (flat file), Bureau of Labor Statistics. Editions: [2003](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm03nat.zip), [2004](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm04nat.zip), [2005](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm05nat.zip), [2006](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm06nat.zip), [2007](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm07nat.zip), [2008](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm08nat.zip), [2009](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm09nat.zip), [2010](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm10nat.zip), [2011](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm11nat.zip), [2012](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm12nat.zip), [2013](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm13nat.zip), [2014](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm14nat.zip), [2015](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm15nat.zip), [2016](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm16nat.zip), [2017](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm17nat.zip), [2018](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm18nat.zip), [2019](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm19nat.zip), [2020](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm20nat.zip), [2021](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm21nat.zip), [2022](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm22nat.zip), [2023](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm23nat.zip), [2024](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm24nat.zip), [2025](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm25nat.zip)

### Tool eras

6. [ERIC -- ED158111: Office Machine and Computer Occupations (BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook 1978-79 ed.): documents the office machine mechanic as an established BLS occupation category](https://eric.ed.gov/?q=computer+AND+industry+AND+outlook&id=ED158111), US Department of Labor / BLS via ERIC
7. [Xerox 914 Wikipedia -- introduced September 16, 1959; rental model with service contracts; first 914 training class November 1960 in Rochester](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xerox_914), Wikipedia
8. [Xerox Nostalgia -- 914 first tech rep account: "the first tech rep on a 914"; first official training class in Rochester November 1960](https://xeroxnostalgia.com/xerox-914/), Xerox Nostalgia (former Xerox employees)
9. [HISTORY -- "First U.S. ATM opens for business, September 2, 1969": Chemical Bank, Rockville Centre, New York; Docuteller machine developed by Donald Wetzel](https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/september-2/first-atm-opens-for-business), HISTORY
10. [NCR Atleos -- A History of ATM Innovation: NCR 770 launched 1977; 100,000 ATMs globally by 1984; Citibank $100M NYC investment 1977](https://www.ncratleos.com/insights/a-history-of-atm-innovation), NCR Atleos
11. [IEEE Spectrum -- "How the IBM PC Won, Then Lost, the Personal Computer Market": IBM PC launched August 12, 1981; transformed personal computing and created large repair ecosystem](https://spectrum.ieee.org/how-the-ibm-pc-won-then-lost-the-personal-computer-market), IEEE Spectrum
12. [Reference for Business -- SIC 7378: computer industry grew from under 2,000 units in 1960 to 7 million units and $44 billion by 1990; repair employment grew 67% between 1995 and late 1990s](https://www.referenceforbusiness.com/industries/Service/Computer-Maintenance-Repair.html), Reference for Business
13. [PR Newswire -- "CompTIA A+ Certification Marks 20th Anniversary" (1993 launch; first vendor-neutral IT certification for break-fix PC repairmen; covered Windows 3.1, MS-DOS, 14.4kbps modems)](https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/comptia-a-certification-marks-20th-anniversary-199348691.html), CompTIA / PR Newswire
14. [DEX Imaging -- AI in Printers and Copiers 2025: Xerox Remote Services uses predictive analytics to anticipate support needs; copier vendors have offered remote diagnostics since the early 2000s](https://www.deximaging.com/the-current-state-of-ai-in-printers-and-copiers-benefits-use-cases-and-real-world-applications/), DEX Imaging
15. [DesignCoral -- "Is the Computer Repair Industry on the Decline?": US electronics and computer repair industry contracted 1.2% per year between 2010 and 2015](https://designcoral.com/article/is-the-computer-repair-industry-on-the-decline/), DesignCoral
16. [NCR Atleos -- 5.8 million ATM uptime hours added in 2025 via AI-driven Intelligent Dispatch, Intelligent Diagnostics, and CARE fleet management; 23% YoY improvement in revisit/retrip/outlier metrics](https://investor.ncratleos.com/news-events/press-releases/detail/176/ncr-atleos-delivers-5-8-million-hours-of-atm-availability-to-customers-through-advanced-service-innovation-and-continuous-improvement), NCR Atleos
17. [Diebold Nixdorf -- DN AllConnect Data Engine: IoT + ML predictive diagnostics for 150,000+ ATMs; auto root-cause analysis prescribes fix, skill level, and parts before dispatch](https://www.dieboldnixdorf.com/en-us/banking/portfolio/services/maintenance-services/data-driven-service-model/), Diebold Nixdorf
18. [Neuron7 -- NCR Atleos case study: 50% reduction in support cases, 92% accuracy, 13% reduction in revisits; AI levels playing field for new technicians vs. 10-year veterans](https://www.neuron7.ai/customers/ncr-atleos), Neuron7
19. [BLS National Employment Matrix -- 49-2011 projected decline -0.9% (2024-2034): 79,100 to 78,400; self-employed segment -13.1%](https://data.bls.gov/projections/nationalMatrix?queryParams=49-2011&ioType=o), Bureau of Labor Statistics

### Forecasts and exposure studies

20. [BLS Employment Projections 2025-35, National Employment Matrix: 49-2011 Computer, automated teller, and office machine repairers (2025: 72.1 thousand; 2035: 69.9 thousand; -3.0%)](https://data.bls.gov/projections/nationalMatrix?queryParams=49-2011&ioType=o), Bureau of Labor Statistics
21. [Eloundou, Manning, Mishkin & Rock (2023), "GPTs are GPTs", occupation-level exposure data occ\_level.csv (O\*NET-SOC 49-2011.00, human-rated β 0.204)](https://github.com/openai/GPTs-are-GPTs/blob/main/data/occ_level.csv), OpenAI

### Historical notes

22. [Xerox 914 Wikipedia -- introduced September 16, 1959; rental with service contracts; first tech training class November 1960 in Rochester](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xerox_914), Wikipedia
23. [HISTORY -- "First U.S. ATM opens for business, September 2, 1969": Chemical Bank, Rockville Centre, NY; Docuteller developed by Donald Wetzel](https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/september-2/first-atm-opens-for-business), HISTORY
24. [IEEE Spectrum -- "How the IBM PC Won, Then Lost, the Personal Computer Market": IBM PC launched August 12, 1981 at $1,565 base price; PC industry grew from 900,000 units ($16B) in 1980 to 7M units ($44B) by 1990](https://spectrum.ieee.org/how-the-ibm-pc-won-then-lost-the-personal-computer-market), IEEE Spectrum
25. [PR Newswire -- "CompTIA A+ Certification Marks 20th Anniversary": A+ launched 1993; first vendor-neutral IT certification for break-fix PC repairmen; revolutionized the field](https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/comptia-a-certification-marks-20th-anniversary-199348691.html), CompTIA / PR Newswire
26. [ATM Marketplace -- "Timeline: The ATM's history": references WannaCry and Windows XP ATM vulnerability as a notable security event in ATM service history](https://www.atmmarketplace.com/news/timeline-the-atms-history/), ATM Marketplace
27. [NCR Atleos -- Press release: 5.8 million ATM uptime hours added in 2025; 23% YoY improvement in revisit/retrip/outlier metrics via Intelligent Dispatch, Intelligent Diagnostics, and CARE](https://investor.ncratleos.com/news-events/press-releases/detail/176/ncr-atleos-delivers-5-8-million-hours-of-atm-availability-to-customers-through-advanced-service-innovation-and-continuous-improvement), NCR Atleos

### Predecessors & successors

28. [ERIC -- ED158111: Office Machine and Computer Occupations (BLS OOH 1978-79): documents the pre-PC office machine mechanic as the occupational predecessor](https://eric.ed.gov/?q=computer+AND+industry+AND+outlook&id=ED158111), US Department of Labor / BLS via ERIC
29. [Encyclopedia.com -- Computer and Office Machine Repairer: employers favored candidates with 1-2 years of electronics training at a technical school or while in the armed services](https://www.encyclopedia.com/economics/news-and-education-magazines/computer-and-office-machine-repairer), Encyclopedia.com

### Present-day analysis

- [O\*NET 30.3 -- Computer, Automated Teller, and Office Machine Repairers (49-2011.00)](https://www.onetonline.org/link/summary/49-2011.00), accessed 2026-06-05
- [BLS OEWS 2024 -- 49-2011: 79,100 employed, median wage $46,860/yr, projected -1% 2024-2034](https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes492011.htm), accessed 2026-06-05
- [NCR Atleos -- 5.8 million ATM uptime hours added in 2025 via AI-driven Intelligent Dispatch, Intelligent Diagnostics, and CARE fleet management; 23% YoY improvement across revisit/retrip/outlier metrics](https://investor.ncratleos.com/news-events/press-releases/detail/176/ncr-atleos-delivers-5-8-million-hours-of-atm-availability-to-customers-through-advanced-service-innovation-and-continuous-improvement), accessed 2026-06-05
- [Diebold Nixdorf -- DN AllConnect Data Engine: IoT + ML predictive diagnostics for 150,000+ connected ATMs; auto root-cause analysis prescribes fix, skill level, and parts before dispatch](https://www.dieboldnixdorf.com/en-us/banking/portfolio/services/maintenance-services/data-driven-service-model/), accessed 2026-06-05
- [Neuron7 -- NCR Atleos case study: 50% reduction in support cases, 92% accuracy, 13% reduction in revisits; AI levels playing field for new technicians vs. 10-year veterans](https://www.neuron7.ai/customers/ncr-atleos), accessed 2026-06-05
- [Eloundou et al. 2024 -- GPTs are GPTs (Science)](https://arxiv.org/abs/2303.10130), accessed 2026-06-05

How to read these figures: https://futurehistory.earth/methodology. Every figure links to its own source; gaps stay gaps.