51 Series · SOC 51-9194
Etchers and Engravers Salary
National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).
- $43,310
- Median / year
- $63,360
- Top 10% earn
- -0.7%
- Growth '23–'33
- 7,750
- US workers
Etchers and Engravers earn a median of $43,310 per year.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $43,310, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $32,210 (10th percentile) to $63,360 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 7,750 US workers. Vermont pays the most ($65,380), since pay varies by state and metro area.
The pay verdict
Etchers and Engravers earn a median of $43,310, putting them among the lower-paid US occupations and higher than 17% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Production, it ranks #75 of 105 by median pay. Employment is projected to fall 0.7% by 2033.
- $43,310
- Median annual wage
- Top 83%
- of 825 US occupations with published wages
- #75 of 105
- in Production
- 2.0×
- 90th-to-10th pay spread
Highest-paying state: Vermont at $65,380. Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent.
Etchers and Engravers (SOC 51-9194) pays a national median of $43,310 per year according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey released in May 2025. Full-range compensation stretches from $32,210 at the 10th percentile to $63,360 at the 90th, with a mean of $46,320 indicating a right-skew where top earners pull the average above the midpoint. An estimated 7,750 Americans work in this occupation across 37 reporting states and 45 metro areas.
BLS Employment Projections forecast a -0.7% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which the agency classifies as declining relative to the 5% all-occupations baseline. About 900 openings are projected per year, combining new positions with replacement needs from retirements and occupation-switchers. Typical entry-level preparation is High school diploma or equivalent and moderate-term on-the-job training of on-the-job training. The BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) and Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII) produce a workplace-safety grade of B for this role, with a fatality rate of 3.5 per 100,000 and injury rate of 3.2 per 100.
Geographic variation matters as much as the headline median. Vermont pays the highest state median at $65,380, which is +51% above the national figure. The top metro is Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ at $64,630 - metro premiums typically reflect higher cost of living, industry concentration, or specialized employer demand. When using this page for negotiation or career planning, pair the national median with the state and metro rows below, remember that BLS wages exclude benefits, bonuses, and overtime, and revisit after each May OEWS release since percentiles shift with cost-of-living cycles and industry demand. See our methodology for exactly how these figures are sourced, computed, and verified.
Median Salary
$43,310
per year
Median Hourly
$20.82/hr
per hour
Mean Salary
$46,320
average
Employment
7,750
jobs nationwide
How does this pay compare nationally?
Where Etchers and Engravers pay sits nationally
Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median
$43,310 Bottom 17% higher than 17% of 825 US occupations
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025
Does this job pay well and grow?
Each dot is a 51-series occupation, placed by projected 2024–2034 growth and median pay. The highlighted dot is Etchers and Engravers; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).
Among 23 51-series occupations with growth data, Etchers and Engravers sits on the slower-growing side at -0.7% growth and $43,310 median pay.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).
Job Outlook (2024–2034)
Projected Growth
-0.7%
Declining
Annual Openings
900
per year (projected)
Typical Education
High school diploma or equivalent
On-the-Job Training
Moderate-term on-the-job training
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034
Workplace Safety
All safety ratings →Safe
Safety Grade (BLS 2023)
Fatality Rate
3.5/100K
Injury Rate
3.2/100
Danger Index
14.6/100
Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) & Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII), 2023
Career Intelligence
Skills, knowledge, and tasks most important for Etchers and Engravers roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.
Top Skills
Knowledge Areas
Key Tasks
- ▸ 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, etching powder, or light-sensitive enamel.
- ▸ Engrave and print patterns, designs, etchings, trademarks, or lettering onto flat or curved surfaces of a wide variety of metal, glass, plastic, or paper items, using hand tools or hand-held power tools.
- ▸ Prepare etching chemicals according to formulas, diluting acid with water to obtain solutions of specified concentration.
- ▸ Use computer software to design patterns for engraving.
- ▸ Examine sketches, diagrams, samples, blueprints, or photographs to decide how designs are to be etched, cut, or engraved onto workpieces.
- ▸ Expose workpieces to acid to develop etch patterns such as designs, lettering, or figures.
- ▸ Adjust depths and sizes of cuts by adjusting heights of worktables, or by adjusting machine-arm gauges.
- ▸ Measure and compute dimensions of lettering, designs, or patterns to be engraved.
- ▸ Neutralize workpieces to remove acid, wax, or enamel, using water, solvents, brushes, or specialized machines.
Source: O*NET Online, National Center for O*NET Development. Data represents typical importance ratings for this occupation.
Salary Range
Annual Salary Distribution
Hourly Rate Distribution
10th Percentile
$32,210
25th Percentile
$37,400
Median
$43,310
75th Percentile
$53,050
90th Percentile
$63,360
Salary by State
Highest Paying States
View all 37 states →
| # | State | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vermont | $65,380 | +51% above national |
| 2 | Rhode Island | $63,250 | +46% above national |
| 3 | Arizona | $59,940 | +38% above national |
| 4 | New Jersey | $58,000 | +34% above national |
| 5 | Maryland | $53,680 | +24% above national |
| 6 | Kansas | $52,000 | +20% above national |
| 7 | New York | $51,540 | +19% above national |
| 8 | Massachusetts | $50,710 | +17% above national |
| 9 | Ohio | $50,430 | +16% above national |
| 10 | Wisconsin | $50,290 | +16% above national |
| 11 | Pennsylvania | $47,790 | +10% above national |
| 12 | Maine | $47,520 | +10% above national |
| 13 | Arkansas | $46,780 | +8% above national |
| 14 | California | $46,480 | +7% above national |
| 15 | Minnesota | $46,280 | +7% above national |
| 16 | Connecticut | $45,050 | +4% above national |
| 17 | Indiana | $44,360 | +2% above national |
| 18 | Washington | $43,680 | +1% above national |
| 19 | Illinois | $43,450 | same as national |
| 20 | Michigan | $43,180 | same as national |
| 21 | Iowa | $42,950 | 1% below national |
| 22 | Idaho | $42,640 | 2% below national |
| 23 | Florida | $42,110 | 3% below national |
| 24 | Colorado | $40,800 | 6% below national |
| 25 | South Dakota | $40,590 | 6% below national |
| 26 | Georgia | $40,190 | 7% below national |
| 27 | Virginia | $39,360 | 9% below national |
| 28 | North Carolina | $39,270 | 9% below national |
| 29 | Tennessee | $38,230 | 12% below national |
| 30 | Missouri | $37,990 | 12% below national |
| 31 | Oregon | $37,780 | 13% below national |
| 32 | Kentucky | $36,540 | 16% below national |
| 33 | Oklahoma | $35,890 | 17% below national |
| 34 | Louisiana | $32,880 | 24% below national |
| 35 | Texas | $31,180 | 28% below national |
| 36 | Alabama | $31,030 | 28% below national |
| 37 | South Carolina | $28,300 | 35% below national |
Salary by Metro Area
Highest Paying Metros
View all 45 metro areas →
| # | Metro Area | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $64,630 | +49% above national |
| 2 | Columbus, OH | $63,860 | +47% above national |
| 3 | Cleveland, OH | $62,580 | +44% above national |
| 4 | Green Bay, WI | $60,720 | +40% above national |
| 5 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $58,020 | +34% above national |
| 6 | Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $57,770 | +33% above national |
| 7 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $56,470 | +30% above national |
| 8 | Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $52,980 | +22% above national |
| 9 | Springfield, MA | $51,000 | +18% above national |
| 10 | Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $50,810 | +17% above national |
| 11 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $50,710 | +17% above national |
| 12 | Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | $49,800 | +15% above national |
| 13 | Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | $48,800 | +13% above national |
| 14 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $48,190 | +11% above national |
| 15 | Memphis, TN-MS-AR | $47,880 | +11% above national |
| 16 | Rochester, NY | $47,380 | +9% above national |
| 17 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $46,970 | +8% above national |
| 18 | Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $46,280 | +7% above national |
| 19 | Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | $46,180 | +7% above national |
| 20 | Madison, WI | $46,170 | +7% above national |
| 21 | Northern Indiana nonmetropolitan area | $45,780 | +6% above national |
| 22 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $45,520 | +5% above national |
| 23 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $45,250 | +4% above national |
| 24 | Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | $45,050 | +4% above national |
| 25 | Pittsburgh, PA | $44,110 | +2% above national |
| 26 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $43,880 | +1% above national |
| 27 | Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | $43,310 | same as national |
| 28 | Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $43,070 | 1% below national |
| 29 | Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | $42,960 | 1% below national |
| 30 | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $42,310 | 2% below national |
| 31 | Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI | $41,790 | 4% below national |
| 32 | Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $41,710 | 4% below national |
| 33 | Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | $41,630 | 4% below national |
| 34 | Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $41,600 | 4% below national |
| 35 | Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $41,530 | 4% below national |
| 36 | St. Louis, MO-IL | $39,870 | 8% below national |
| 37 | Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $39,600 | 9% below national |
| 38 | Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $37,780 | 13% below national |
| 39 | Tulsa, OK | $37,660 | 13% below national |
| 40 | Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $37,310 | 14% below national |
| 41 | Western North Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $37,260 | 14% below national |
| 42 | Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $36,960 | 15% below national |
| 43 | Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $35,940 | 17% below national |
| 44 | Knoxville, TN | $35,820 | 17% below national |
| 45 | Oklahoma City, OK | $35,250 | 19% below national |
Similar Occupations in the Same Category
Other roles in SOC major group 51 (production) with comparable pay and career paths.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a Etchers and Engravers make? ▼
What state pays Etchers and Engravers the most? ▼
What education do you need to become a Etchers and Engravers? ▼
How dangerous is being a Etchers and Engravers? ▼
Is Etchers and Engravers a good career? ▼
How does Etchers and Engravers pay vary by state? ▼
Which metro areas pay the most for Etchers and Engravers? ▼
What to do with this data
How to use Etchers and Engravers pay figures in a real decision
- For an experienced offer, anchor on the 75th percentile (about $53,050/year), not the median. The median marks the middle worker; the upper quartile is the realistic target with strong experience. Salary calculator
- Location moves pay significantly: Vermont leads at $65,380/year for this role. Weigh state pay against local cost of living before relocating or negotiating remote. Pay by state
- Compare this occupation against similar roles before you decide, so you are reading the pay band in context rather than in isolation. Compare jobs
These are BLS survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. Your pay depends on experience, employer, exact role, and location.
Every figure on WageDex is rendered directly from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, no number is typed in by an editor. This occupation's figures are computed directly from the BLS OEWS and Employment Projections datasets, nothing is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of May 2025.
This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or career advice. Actual pay for a specific role, employer, or offer may differ from these national/state figures, consult a qualified career counselor, recruiter, or financial advisor before making decisions based on this data.