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Become a elevator constructor

Elevator construction apprenticeships in Metro Detroit

Install and repair elevators, escalators and lifts in towers, hospitals and stadiums. Elevator constructors earn a median $51.25 an hour in the Detroit metro ($106,610 a year). The Department of Labor lists 1 registered sponsor for the trade in the six counties.

median an hour
$51.25
registered sponsors
1
registered term
3 to 4 years
working here
280
How to apply Training centers

The pay ladder

Elevator constructors in the Detroit metro

  1. Top of the trade 90th percentile, about $136,660 a year full time $68.33
  2. Senior hand 75th percentile, about $135,600 a year full time $67.80
  3. Journeyworker median, about $102,500 a year full time $51.25
  4. A few years in 25th percentile, about $60,820 a year full time $30.41
  5. Starting out 10th percentile, about $47,920 a year full time $23.96

BLS, May 2025. Apprentices start on their program's own scale and climb toward these rungs.

Wayne Oakland Macomb St. Clair Livingston Lapeer
Numbers match the training centers listed on this page; centers a few miles apart share a number. County lines from the U.S. Census Bureau; center addresses from the Department of Labor's RAPIDS records.

Training centers

Where elevator constructors train

1 Detroit

County by county

Elevator construction apprenticeships in each county

How to apply

How to become a elevator constructor apprentice

  1. Check the requirements

    Most programs ask for a high school diploma or GED, a valid driver's license and proof of age; federal rules set the minimum age at 16, and many trades ask for 18.

    Elevator Constructors Local 36 requirements

  2. Take the entry test

    Many programs ask for the ACT WorkKeys or another entrance test; Michigan's apprenticeship office tells applicants to brush up on math first.

    Michigan LEO advice

  3. Apply in the window

    Union programs take applications in set windows. Watch the training center's own site and apply early.

    Apply at Elevator Constructors Local 36

  4. Get ready while you wait

    Your Michigan Works! agency helps with test prep, pre-apprenticeship classes and the work boots.

    Find your Michigan Works! agency

  5. Start work, earn raises

    The Department of Labor's registered elevator constructor standards run 6,800 to 8,500 hours on the job, 3 to 4 years, with a raise as each period is done.

    Elevator construction apprenticeships

Outlook

Jobs for elevator constructors in the next ten years

Michigan expects 690 elevator constructors by 2034 (up 3.1% from 2024), with about 50 openings a year as people retire and move on. Nationally, BLS projects up 5.7% from 2025 to 2035; it lists apprenticeship as the usual training.

Sponsors

Registered elevator construction sponsors in Metro Detroit

  • Elevator Constructors Local 36 Detroit Union

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Keep going

Careers, jobs and training

Questions

What people ask

How much do elevator constructors make in Metro Detroit?

The median is $51.25 an hour ($106,610 a year) in the Detroit metro, from $23.96 at the 10th percentile to $68.33 at the 90th (BLS, May 2025).

How long is a elevator constructor apprenticeship?

The Department of Labor's registered elevator constructor standards run 6,800 to 8,500 hours of on-the-job learning, 3 to 4 years, plus classes.

Where do elevator constructors train near Detroit?

Elevator Constructors Local 36 (IUEC Local 36 and NEIEP) in Detroit.

How many elevator construction apprenticeship programs are there?

RAPIDS lists 1 registered sponsors based in the six counties: Wayne County 1.

What do I need to apply?

Most programs ask for a high school diploma or GED, a valid driver's license and proof of age; federal rules set the minimum age at 16, and many trades ask for 18.

Sources

Where these numbers come from

  • Programs and sponsors: U.S. Department of Labor RAPIDS sponsor records as listed on Apprenticeship.gov, read October 24, 2026. Michigan's registered apprenticeships are kept by the federal Michigan Apprenticeship Office, so RAPIDS is the official list.
  • Pay: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Detroit-Warren-Dearborn metro area (Michigan where the metro figure is not published).
  • Outlook: BLS Employment Projections 2025 to 2035 and Michigan's long-term projections 2024 to 2034.
  • Length: the U.S. Department of Labor's approved apprenticeship occupations, in on-the-job hours.