Production Occupations
BLS May 2025 wages Peer-group outlier SOC 51-9141

Semiconductor Processing Technicians

Median pay sits 31% below the mid peer in Production Occupations (neighbors include Nuclear Power Reactor Operators, Timing Device Assemblers and Adjusters, Tool and Die Makers, Model Makers, Metal and Plastic).

Full salary details → About this data

Same-major-group titles next to Semiconductor Processing Technicians: Nuclear Power Reactor Operators ($123K) , Timing Device Assemblers and Adjusters ($63K) , Tool and Die Makers ($64K) , Model Makers, Metal and Plastic ($63K) . Hash-ordered per card so residual SOC siblings do not share an identical peer sentence.

What Semiconductor Processing Technicians publish as work

O*NET task statements for SOC 51-9141 - occupation-level descriptions, not every employer's posting. Sibling cards diverge here because the task set is entity-keyed.

  1. 1. Manipulate valves, switches, and buttons, or key commands into control panels to start semiconductor processing cycles
  2. 2. Maintain processing, production, and inspection information and reports
  3. 3. Inspect materials, components, or products for surface defects and measure circuitry, using electronic test equipment, precision measurin…
  4. 4. Set, adjust, and readjust computerized or mechanical equipment controls to regulate power level, temperature, vacuum, and rotation speed…
  5. 5. Etch, lap, polish, or grind wafers or ingots to form circuitry and change conductive properties, using etching, lapping, polishing, or gr…
  6. 6. Clean semiconductor wafers using cleaning equipment, such as chemical baths, automatic wafer cleaners, or blow-off wands
  7. 7. Study work orders, instructions, formulas, and processing charts to determine specifications and sequence of operations
  8. 8. Load semiconductor material into furnace
  9. 9. Monitor operation and adjust controls of processing machines and equipment to produce compositions with specific electronic properties, u…
  10. 10. Load and unload equipment chambers and transport finished product to storage or to area for further processing
  11. 11. Count, sort, and weigh processed items
  12. 12. Calculate etching time based on thickness of material to be removed from wafers or crystals

Semiconductor Processing Technicians: O*NET ranks Operations Monitoring first

Importance-ranked O*NET profile for SOC 51-9141 - lead skill Operations Monitoring at 3.6 ; lead knowledge Production and Processing. Sibling cards diverge here even when peer titles overlap.

Top skills

  1. 1. Operations Monitoring 3.6
  2. 2. Reading Comprehension 3.4
  3. 3. Critical Thinking 3.4
  4. 4. Active Listening 3.3
  5. 5. Monitoring 3.3
  6. 6. Quality Control Analysis 3.3
  7. 7. Speaking 2.9
  8. 8. Social Perceptiveness 2.9

Knowledge areas

  1. 1. Production and Processing 3.9
  2. 2. English Language 3.8
  3. 3. Public Safety and Security 3.4
  4. 4. Computers and Electronics 3.4
  5. 5. Education and Training 3.3
  6. 6. Chemistry 3.2
Pay vs Production Occupations peers
-31%
vs mid peer median $74,450
This role $51,430/yr
$51K
National median
↑ +11%
Growth 2024-2034
3,900
Annual openings
31,460
Estimated US jobs
Nuclear Power Reactor Operators
Highest-pay peer · $123K

Typical Entry and Preparation Assignments

Entry education High school diploma or equivalent

Top Paying States for Semiconductor Processing Technicians

1. Oregon $63,330
2. Georgia $48,580
3. Massachusetts $51,410
4. North Carolina $56,160
5. Arizona $78,940
6. Minnesota $57,780
7. New York $49,400
8. Florida $62,330
9. Colorado $52,360
10. Washington $58,710

Other Production Occupations titles

  1. 1. Tool and Die Makers $64,050
  2. 2. Model Makers, Metal and Plastic $63,340
  3. 3. Timing Device Assemblers and Adjusters $62,620
  4. 4. Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators $78,620
  5. 5. Power Plant Operators $102,040
  6. 6. Nuclear Power Reactor Operators $122,890

Among Production Occupations peers on this card, Semiconductor Processing Technicians sits 31% below the mid peer median ($74,450). Its own median is $51,430.

Employment Projections expect +11% change between 2024 and 2034 (much faster than average vs baseline 3.1%). About 3,900 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: Oregon at $63,330. The table records differences without proving causes. Highest-pay peer shown here: Nuclear Power Reactor Operators at $122,890. Compare the same statistic in the relevant local wage area before treating the national median as a personal benchmark; OEWS excludes employer benefits.

Semiconductor Processing Technicians pay-rank #30 in Production Occupations

Among 105 detailed Production Occupations with a published OEWS median, Semiconductor Processing Technicians is pay-rank #30, the upper third of that major group. The order is ROW_NUMBER on national median (title as tiebreak), not a worker-level percentile.

Other upper-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.

Semiconductor Processing Technicians pays 31% below its major-group peer median. See the state map and the peers closest to (and furthest from) this line.

Semiconductor Processing Technicians salary map

State, metro, and percentile for SOC 51-9141

Oregon · top state for Semiconductor Processing Technicians

$63K published median

Georgia · #2 state pay

$49K · behind Oregon

Nuclear Power Reactor Operators

Highest-pay peer vs Semiconductor Processing Technicians · $123K

Timing Device Assemblers and Adjusters

Lower-pay peer beside Semiconductor Processing Technicians · $63K

Compare Semiconductor Processing Technicians

Head-to-head OEWS medians with another SOC
Compare Semiconductor Processing Technicians with another occupation →

Peer-comparison next reads

Compare Semiconductor Processing Technicians

Against another occupation

Nuclear Power Reactor Operators card

Top peer in this major group

Frequently Asked Questions

Which Production Occupations titles sit near Semiconductor Processing Technicians at the top of the pay table? ▼
Semiconductor Processing Technicians is pay-rank #30 of 105 detailed Production Occupations with an OEWS median, upper third. Nearest upper-third titles: Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters ($51K), Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders ($52K), Pourers and Casters, Metal ($52K), Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators ($51K). Rank is ROW_NUMBER on national median.
What do semiconductor processing technicians do day to day? ▼
O*NET lists published task statements for Semiconductor Processing Technicians. Leading ones include: Manipulate valves, switches, and buttons, or key commands into control panels to start semiconductor processing cycles; Maintain processing, production, and inspection information and reports; Inspect materials, components, or products for surface defects and measure circuitry, using electronic test equipment, precision measurin…; Set, adjust, and readjust computerized or mechanical equipment controls to regulate power level, temperature, vacuum, and rotation speed…. These are occupation-level task descriptions, not every employer's job description.
Which O*NET skills rank highest for semiconductor processing technicians? ▼
For SOC 51-9141, O*NET importance scores lead with Operations Monitoring (3.6), Reading Comprehension (3.4), Critical Thinking (3.4), Active Listening (3.3). Knowledge areas emphasize Production and Processing, English Language, Public Safety and Security. These are occupation-level profiles, not a hiring checklist for every employer.
What is the OEWS national median for Semiconductor Processing Technicians? ▼
May 2025 OEWS reports $51,430 as the national median for Semiconductor Processing Technicians. The published 10th-90th range is $37,690 to $82,540. Beside Nuclear Power Reactor Operators ($122,890), this is the occupation-level national figure, not a local offer.
What employment change does BLS publish for Semiconductor Processing Technicians? ▼
The 2024-2034 projection for Semiconductor Processing Technicians is +11%. Projected annual openings: about 3,900. Relative to the current all-occupations baseline of 3.1%: much faster than average.
What typical entry education does BLS assign to Semiconductor Processing Technicians? ▼
BLS assigns High school diploma or equivalent as the typical-education-needed-for-entry category for Semiconductor Processing Technicians. These are occupation-level labels, not every employer's hiring rule.
Which three states show the highest OEWS medians for Semiconductor Processing Technicians? ▼
Oregon ($63,330), Georgia ($48,580), Massachusetts ($51,410) 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 Semiconductor Processing Technicians card
  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS / OES) - national median and percentiles for SOC 51-9141. bls.gov/oes
  • O*NET OnLine - task and skill statements for Semiconductor Processing Technicians. 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