Career Opportunities in Fluid Power
Fluid power jobs are all around you if you know where to look. In addition to the numerous opportunities at companies that manufacture fluid power components, the industry also has a major downstream economic impact. It is estimated that the top industries that depend on fluid power represent thousands of companies in the United States, employing more than 935,000 people.
Learn more about the industries served by fluid power and the possible positions within them below.
Common Job Titles in Fluid Power
Sales Engineer
Salary: $116,950*
Job Outlook-2032: 63,400
Education: Bachelor’s Degree
Description: Sales engineers sell complex scientific and technological products or services to businesses. They must have extensive knowledge of the products’ parts and functions and must understand the scientific processes that make these products work.
Manufacturing Sales Representative
Salary: $73,080*
Job Outlook-2032: 1,701,400
Education: Bachelor’s Degree
Description: Manufacturing sales representatives sell goods for wholesalers or manufacturers to businesses, government agencies, and other organizations. They contact customers, explain product features, answer any questions that their customers may have, and negotiate prices.
Customer Service Representative
Salary: $39,680*
Job Outlook-2032: 2,805,800
Education: High School or on-the-job training
Description: Customer service representatives interact with customers to handle complaints, process orders, and provide information about an organization’s products and services.
Industrial Machinery Mechanic
Salary: $61,170*
Job Outlook-2032: 503,300
Education: High School
Description: Industrial machinery mechanics maintain and repair factory equipment and other industrial machinery, such as conveying systems, production machinery, and packaging equipment.
Mechanical Engineer
Salary: $99,510*
Job Outlook-2032: 323,900
Education: Bachelor’s Degree
Description: Mechanical engineering is one of the broadest engineering disciplines. Mechanical engineers design, develop, build, and test mechanical and thermal sensors and devices, including tools, engines, and machines.
Machinist
Salary: $53,180*
Job Outlook-2032: 303,000
Education: High School or on-the-job training
Description: Machinists set up and operate a variety of computer-controlled and mechanically controlled machine tools to produce precision metal parts, instruments, and tools.
Mechanical Engineering Technician
Salary: $64,020*
Job Outlook-2032: 40,700
Education: Associate’s Degree
Description: Mechanical engineering technicians help mechanical engineers design, develop, test, and manufacture mechanical devices, including tools, engines, and machines. They may make sketches and rough layouts, record and analyze data, make calculations and estimates, and report their findings.
*Salaries represent median pay in 2023
Source: All statistics from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics