51 Series · SOC 51-9141
Semiconductor Processing Technicians Salary
National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).
- $51,430
- Median / year
- $82,540
- Top 10% earn
- +10.9%
- Growth '23–'33
- 31,460
- US workers
Semiconductor Processing Technicians earn a median of $51,430 per year.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $51,430, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $37,690 (10th percentile) to $82,540 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 31,460 US workers. Arizona pays the most ($78,940), since pay varies by state and metro area.
The pay verdict
Semiconductor Processing Technicians earn a median of $51,430, putting them below the typical US occupation and higher than 37% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Production, it ranks #30 of 105 by median pay. Employment is projected to grow 10.9% by 2033.
- $51,430
- Median annual wage
- Top 63%
- of 825 US occupations with published wages
- #30 of 105
- in Production
- 2.2×
- 90th-to-10th pay spread
Highest-paying state: Arizona at $78,940. Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent.
Semiconductor Processing Technicians (SOC 51-9141) pays a national median of $51,430 per year according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey released in May 2025. Full-range compensation stretches from $37,690 at the 10th percentile to $82,540 at the 90th, with a mean of $60,180 indicating a right-skew where top earners pull the average above the midpoint. An estimated 31,460 Americans work in this occupation across 20 reporting states and 16 metro areas.
BLS Employment Projections forecast a +10.9% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which the agency classifies as much faster than average relative to the 5% all-occupations baseline. About 3,900 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. Arizona pays the highest state median at $78,940, which is +53% above the national figure. The top metro is Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ at $78,940 - 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
$51,430
per year
Median Hourly
$24.73/hr
per hour
Mean Salary
$60,180
average
Employment
31,460
jobs nationwide
How does this pay compare nationally?
Where Semiconductor Processing Technicians pay sits nationally
Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median
$51,430 Bottom 37% higher than 37% 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 Semiconductor Processing Technicians; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).
Among 23 51-series occupations with growth data, Semiconductor Processing Technicians sits on the faster-growing side at +10.9% growth and $51,430 median pay.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).
Job Outlook (2024–2034)
Projected Growth
+10.9%
Much faster than average
Annual Openings
3,900
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 Semiconductor Processing Technicians roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.
Top Skills
Knowledge Areas
Key Tasks
- ▸ 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 measuring instruments, microscope, and standard procedures.
- ▸ Set, adjust, and readjust computerized or mechanical equipment controls to regulate power level, temperature, vacuum, and rotation speed of furnace, according to crystal growing specifications.
- ▸ Etch, lap, polish, or grind wafers or ingots to form circuitry and change conductive properties, using etching, lapping, polishing, or grinding equipment.
- ▸ Clean semiconductor wafers using cleaning equipment, such as chemical baths, automatic wafer cleaners, or blow-off wands.
- ▸ Study work orders, instructions, formulas, and processing charts to determine specifications and sequence of operations.
- ▸ Load semiconductor material into furnace.
- ▸ Monitor operation and adjust controls of processing machines and equipment to produce compositions with specific electronic properties, using computer terminals.
- ▸ Load and unload equipment chambers and transport finished product to storage or to area for further processing.
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
$37,690
25th Percentile
$45,640
Median
$51,430
75th Percentile
$65,010
90th Percentile
$82,540
Salary by State
Highest Paying States
Lowest Paying States
View all 20 states →
| # | State | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arizona | $78,940 | +53% above national |
| 2 | Oregon | $63,330 | +23% above national |
| 3 | Florida | $62,330 | +21% above national |
| 4 | Washington | $58,710 | +14% above national |
| 5 | Minnesota | $57,780 | +12% above national |
| 6 | North Carolina | $56,160 | +9% above national |
| 7 | Colorado | $52,360 | +2% above national |
| 8 | Massachusetts | $51,410 | same as national |
| 9 | New York | $49,400 | 4% below national |
| 10 | Georgia | $48,580 | 6% below national |
| 11 | California | $48,030 | 7% below national |
| 12 | New Hampshire | $47,710 | 7% below national |
| 13 | Maryland | $47,610 | 7% below national |
| 14 | Maine | $47,270 | 8% below national |
| 15 | Connecticut | $47,000 | 9% below national |
| 16 | Pennsylvania | $46,430 | 10% below national |
| 17 | Utah | $40,760 | 21% below national |
| 18 | Arkansas | $40,610 | 21% below national |
| 19 | Texas | $38,440 | 25% below national |
| 20 | Nevada | $37,290 | 27% below national |
Salary by Metro Area
Highest Paying Metros
View all 16 metro areas →
| # | Metro Area | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $78,940 | +53% above national |
| 2 | Manchester-Nashua, NH | $63,740 | +24% above national |
| 3 | Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $62,810 | +22% above national |
| 4 | Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $62,320 | +21% above national |
| 5 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $59,110 | +15% above national |
| 6 | Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $57,780 | +12% above national |
| 7 | Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $55,170 | +7% above national |
| 8 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $54,280 | +6% above national |
| 9 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $50,820 | 1% below national |
| 10 | Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $48,580 | 6% below national |
| 11 | Portland-South Portland, ME | $47,270 | 8% below national |
| 12 | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $47,200 | 8% below national |
| 13 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $46,340 | 10% below national |
| 14 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $40,770 | 21% below national |
| 15 | Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | $40,620 | 21% below national |
| 16 | Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $38,440 | 25% 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
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What to do with this data
How to use Semiconductor Processing Technicians pay figures in a real decision
- For an experienced offer, anchor on the 75th percentile (about $65,010/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: Arizona leads at $78,940/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.