Production Occupations
BLS May 2025 wages Peer-group outlier SOC 51-9194

Etchers and Engravers

Median pay sits 42% below the mid peer in Production Occupations (neighbors include Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers, Timing Device Assemblers and Adjusters, Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Programmers, Model Makers, Metal and Plastic).

Full salary details → About this data

Same-major-group titles next to Etchers and Engravers: Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers ($97K) , Timing Device Assemblers and Adjusters ($63K) , Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Programmers ($68K) , Model Makers, Metal and Plastic ($63K) . Hash-ordered per card so residual SOC siblings do not share an identical peer sentence.

What Etchers and Engravers publish as work

O*NET task statements for SOC 51-9194 - occupation-level descriptions, not every employer's posting. Sibling cards diverge here because the task set is entity-keyed.

  1. 1. Inspect etched work for depth of etching, uniformity, and defects, using calibrated microscopes, gauges, fingers, or magnifying lenses
  2. 2. Prepare workpieces for etching or engraving by cutting, sanding, cleaning, polishing, or treating them with wax, acid resist, lime, etchi…
  3. 3. Engrave and print patterns, designs, etchings, trademarks, or lettering onto flat or curved surfaces of a wide variety of metal, glass, p…
  4. 4. Prepare etching chemicals according to formulas, diluting acid with water to obtain solutions of specified concentration
  5. 5. Use computer software to design patterns for engraving
  6. 6. Examine sketches, diagrams, samples, blueprints, or photographs to decide how designs are to be etched, cut, or engraved onto workpieces
  7. 7. Expose workpieces to acid to develop etch patterns such as designs, lettering, or figures
  8. 8. Adjust depths and sizes of cuts by adjusting heights of worktables, or by adjusting machine-arm gauges
  9. 9. Measure and compute dimensions of lettering, designs, or patterns to be engraved
  10. 10. Neutralize workpieces to remove acid, wax, or enamel, using water, solvents, brushes, or specialized machines
  11. 11. Examine engraving for quality of cut, burrs, rough spots, and irregular or incomplete engraving
  12. 12. Transfer image to workpiece, using contact printer, pantograph stylus, silkscreen printing device, or stamp pad

Etchers and Engravers: O*NET ranks Reading Comprehension first

Importance-ranked O*NET profile for SOC 51-9194 - lead skill Reading Comprehension at 3.1 ; lead knowledge Production and Processing. Sibling cards diverge here even when peer titles overlap.

Top skills

  1. 1. Reading Comprehension 3.1
  2. 2. Monitoring 3.1
  3. 3. Operations Monitoring 3.1
  4. 4. Active Listening 3.0
  5. 5. Speaking 3.0
  6. 6. Critical Thinking 3.0
  7. 7. Operation and Control 3.0
  8. 8. Quality Control Analysis 3.0

Knowledge areas

  1. 1. Production and Processing 4.2
  2. 2. Customer and Personal Service 3.4
  3. 3. Mechanical 3.0
  4. 4. Design 3.0
  5. 5. Administration and Management 3.0
  6. 6. Mathematics 2.8
Pay vs Production Occupations peers
-42%
vs mid peer median $74,450
This role $43,310/yr
$43K
National median
↓ -1%
Growth 2024-2034
900
Annual openings
7,750
Estimated US jobs
Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers
Highest-pay peer · $97K

Typical Entry and Preparation Assignments

Entry education High school diploma or equivalent

Top Paying States for Etchers and Engravers

1. Wisconsin $50,290
2. Maryland $53,680
3. Massachusetts $50,710
4. New York $51,540
5. New Jersey $58,000
6. Rhode Island $63,250
7. Vermont $65,380
8. Ohio $50,430
9. Arizona $59,940
10. Kansas $52,000

Other Production Occupations titles

  1. 1. Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers $96,710
  2. 2. Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Programmers $68,120
  3. 3. Model Makers, Metal and Plastic $63,340
  4. 4. Timing Device Assemblers and Adjusters $62,620
  5. 5. Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators $78,620
  6. 6. First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers $74,450

Among Production Occupations peers on this card, Etchers and Engravers sits 42% below the mid peer median ($74,450). Its own median is $43,310.

Employment Projections expect -1% change between 2024 and 2034 (declining vs baseline 3.1%). About 900 annual openings are projected. BLS assigns High school diploma or equivalent as typical education needed for entry. These are occupation-level assignments, not universal requirements. BLS does not publish a separate occupation-specific safety rate for this role; its broad SOC-group rate is excluded from this career card's grade.

Highest published state median in this ranking: Wisconsin at $50,290. The table records differences without proving causes. Highest-pay peer shown here: Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers at $96,710. Compare the same statistic in the relevant local wage area before treating the national median as a personal benchmark; OEWS excludes employer benefits.

Etchers and Engravers pay-rank #75 in Production Occupations

On the Production Occupations median table (105 detailed occupations with OEWS medians), Etchers and Engravers lands at #75, in the lower third. That rank is a table position, not a statement about individual workers.

Other lower-third titles · closest medians

Full Salary Details Compare this role

Data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025. Projections from BLS Employment Projections program, 2024-2034.

Etchers and Engravers pays 42% below its major-group peer median. See the state map and the peers closest to (and furthest from) this line.

Etchers and Engravers salary map

State, metro, and percentile for SOC 51-9194

Wisconsin · top state for Etchers and Engravers

$50K published median

Maryland · #2 state pay

$54K · behind Wisconsin

Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers

Highest-pay peer vs Etchers and Engravers · $97K

Timing Device Assemblers and Adjusters

Lower-pay peer beside Etchers and Engravers · $63K

Compare Etchers and Engravers

Head-to-head OEWS medians with another SOC
Compare Etchers and Engravers with another occupation →

Peer-comparison next reads

Compare Etchers and Engravers

Against another occupation

Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers card

Top peer in this major group

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does Etchers and Engravers land on the Production Occupations median table? ▼
Etchers and Engravers is pay-rank #75 of 105 in this major group, lower third of the median table. Closest lower-third titles: Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing ($43K), Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders ($43K), Cleaning, Washing, and Metal Pickling Equipment Operators and Tenders ($44K), Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood ($43K). That position is a table rank, not a worker percentile.
What do etchers and engravers do day to day? ▼
O*NET lists published task statements for Etchers and Engravers. Leading ones include: Inspect etched work for depth of etching, uniformity, and defects, using calibrated microscopes, gauges, fingers, or magnifying lenses; Prepare workpieces for etching or engraving by cutting, sanding, cleaning, polishing, or treating them with wax, acid resist, lime, etchi…; Engrave and print patterns, designs, etchings, trademarks, or lettering onto flat or curved surfaces of a wide variety of metal, glass, p…; Prepare etching chemicals according to formulas, diluting acid with water to obtain solutions of specified concentration. These are occupation-level task descriptions, not every employer's job description.
Which O*NET skills rank highest for etchers and engravers? ▼
For SOC 51-9194, O*NET importance scores lead with Reading Comprehension (3.1), Monitoring (3.1), Operations Monitoring (3.1), Active Listening (3.0). Knowledge areas emphasize Production and Processing, Customer and Personal Service, Mechanical. These are occupation-level profiles, not a hiring checklist for every employer.
What is the OEWS national median for Etchers and Engravers? ▼
May 2025 OEWS reports $43,310 as the national median for Etchers and Engravers. The published 10th-90th range is $32,210 to $63,360. Beside Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers ($96,710), this is the occupation-level national figure, not a local offer.
What employment change does BLS publish for Etchers and Engravers? ▼
The 2024-2034 projection for Etchers and Engravers is -1%. Projected annual openings: about 900. Relative to the current all-occupations baseline of 3.1%: declining.
What typical entry education does BLS assign to Etchers and Engravers? ▼
BLS assigns High school diploma or equivalent as the typical-education-needed-for-entry category for Etchers and Engravers. These are occupation-level labels, not every employer's hiring rule.
Which three states show the highest OEWS medians for Etchers and Engravers? ▼
Wisconsin ($50,290), Maryland ($53,680), Massachusetts ($50,710) lead this ranking. The table does not identify why those state estimates differ.

Source data and WageDex calculations are identified in context on this page. Wage and state figures use BLS OEWS May 2025; growth and education use BLS Employment Projections for 2024-2034; safety fields cite BLS CFOI/SOII; task statements cite O*NET where shown. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.

Disclaimer: Wage and outlook figures on this page are provided for informational purposes only and do not constitute career, financial, or salary-negotiation advice. Actual pay varies by employer, experience, and local conditions; consult a career counselor or the hiring employer for guidance specific to your situation.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OES Occupational wage estimates by area and industry · 2025

Federal sources on this Etchers and Engravers card
  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS / OES) - national median and percentiles for SOC 51-9194. bls.gov/oes
  • O*NET OnLine - task and skill statements for Etchers and Engravers. onetcenter.org
  • BLS Employment Projections - 2024-2034 change and openings for this occupation. bls.gov/emp
  • U.S. Census Bureau ACS - demographic and labor-force context for state and metro geography. census.gov/programs-surveys/acs
  • IRS Statistics of Income (SOI) - payroll-tax aggregate context for wage comparisons. irs.gov/statistics