Musical Instrument Repairers and Tuners Job Outlook
The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects employment of musical instrument repairers and tuners to grow 1.9% from 2025 to 2035 (about 100 more jobs), with about 600 openings a year, and the May 2025 median pay of $46,420 a year ranks 632nd of 825 occupations.
- Projected change
- +1.9%
- Openings a year
- 600
- Median pay
- $46,420
- Pay rank
- 632nd of 825
Is employment of musical instrument repairers and tuners growing or shrinking?
Growing: BLS projects employment of musical instrument repairers and tuners to rise 1.9% (about 100 more jobs) from 2025 to 2035, slower than the 3.5% projected across all occupations. That is slower than the +5.4% summed from BLS's employment levels across the 51 installation, maintenance, and repair occupations with a projection. That change ranks 496th of 830 projected occupations.
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Employment, 2025 | 6,000 |
| Employment, 2035 | 6,100 |
| Projected change | +1.9% |
| Openings a year | 600 |
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035. A projection is a BLS estimate, not a count. The 6,000 jobs here differ from the 5,380 on the salary page because Employment Projections also counts the self-employed and a wider set of workers, while OEWS counts wage and salary jobs in May 2025. BLS published these projections on August 27, 2026; checked November 10, 2026. Confirm any figure in the BLS Employment Projections tables.
BLS's reasons for this projection are at the Occupational Outlook Handbook. State projections are at Projections Central; projections by industry are left to BLS. Education, licensing and work context at O*NET.
How many job openings are there each year?
About 600 openings a year, from job growth and from workers leaving the occupation, the 726th most of 830 occupations. About 98% of them replace workers who change occupations or leave the labor force; the rest come from the 10 jobs added in an average year.
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035.
How does pay for musical instrument repairers and tuners rank?
The median of $46,420 a year ranks 632nd of 825 occupations with a published median. It sits in the lower half of occupations on both pay and openings.
Source: BLS OEWS national file, May 2025. Wage and salary jobs only; the self-employed are not counted. OEWS pay excludes overtime, shift differentials and non-production bonuses. Ranks count only the occupations with that published figure: 830 for projected change, 830 for openings, 825 for median pay, which is why the totals differ.
What does it take to start?
- Typical entry-level education: high school diploma or equivalent.
- Typical on-the-job training: apprenticeship.
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035, education and training assignments.
How do related jobs compare on outlook?
| Occupation | Change | Openings a year | Median pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electric Motor, Power Tool, and Related Repairers | +4.4% | 1,400 | $56,210 |
| Watch and Clock Repairers | -0.3% | 100 | $67,230 |
| Motorboat Mechanics and Service Technicians | +4.9% | 2,600 | $57,550 |
| Control and Valve Installers and Repairers, Except Mechanical Door | +4.3% | 3,600 | $74,340 |
| Camera and Photographic Equipment Repairers | -15.5% | 100 | $52,720 |
| Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines | +6.7% | 15,000 | $65,510 |
| Timing Device Assemblers and Adjusters | -6.1% | 0 | $62,620 |
| Coil Winders, Tapers, and Finishers | -4.0% | 1,200 | $48,220 |
Related occupations from O*NET; projections from BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035; pay from BLS OEWS, May 2025.