How much should I pay a etchers and engravers in 2026?

A competitive 2026 offer for Etchers and Engravers is $43,306 to $53,061 (market median to the 75th percentile). BLS ECI shows manufacturing wages growing about 3.3% a year, so budget a similar annual increase to stay at market.

Is a salary competitive for a etchers and engravers?

Compare it to the BLS OEWS range: below $37,398 is below market, $43,306 to $53,061 is competitive, and above $53,061 is above market for Etchers and Engravers.

How is etchers and engravers pay changing in 2026?

Median pay for this role rose 7.0% between the May 2024 and May 2025 BLS surveys, outpacing the 3.3% wage growth of Manufacturing (BLS ECI). Manufacturing is running a 3.7% job-openings rate with quits at 1.5% (BLS JOLTS). The openings rate has drifted up from 3.4% to 3.7% over the past quarter.

Etchers and Engravers Salary - BLS OEWS Wage Benchmarks

SOC 51-9194 · National · May 2025 OEWS Data

Median Annual Salary

$43,306

$20.82/hr

Verified BLS OEWS data · Updated May 18, 2026

Is this a competitive Etchers and Engravers salary in 2026?

Based on BLS OEWS wage percentiles, JOLTS June 2026 demand signals, and ECI Q2 2026 wage growth.

Check a salary or offer:$Competitive · ~P50

P10$32K

P25$37K

P50$43K

P75$53K

P90$63K

Drag the dot or type an amount above.

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Demand: STABLE. Demand is stable -- manufacturing openings are at 3.7% (JOLTS, June 2026). A standard market: pay near the median, no urgency premium needed.

📈

Merit budget: Wages in manufacturing are rising about 3.3% a year (BLS ECI, Q2 2026). Budget a 2.9-3.4% merit increase to hold this role at market.

Our read

For a competitive 2026 offer, target $43,306 to $53,061 (market median to the 75th percentile). Anchor on the median.

Figures are market benchmarks from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics; apply professional judgment before making pay decisions.

How Etchers and Engravers pay is moving in 2026

Trend, demand, and spread context from BLS OEWS, JOLTS, and ECI

Pay trend

Median pay for this role rose 7.0% between the May 2024 and May 2025 BLS surveys, outpacing the 3.3% wage growth of Manufacturing (BLS ECI).

Hiring demand · STABLE

Manufacturing is running a 3.7% job-openings rate with quits at 1.5% (BLS JOLTS). The openings rate has drifted up from 3.4% to 3.7% over the past quarter.

Pay spread

Top earners (P90) make about 2.0 times what entry-level (P10) workers make in this role. That spread is in the typical range for U.S. occupations; standard 80% to 120% pay bands around the median work well.

What changed recently

Aug 4, 2026JOLTS June 2026: sector openings eased to 3.7%, with nondurable goods driving the pullback. Quits steady at 1.5%.
Jul 31, 2026ECI Q2 2026: sector wages growing 3.3% per year, holding steady.

Commentary is generated from published BLS figures (OEWS May 2025 vs May 2024, JOLTS June 2026, ECI Q2 2026) and refreshed each release. It is interpretation, not a BLS product.

Source: BLS OEWS · Published May 15, 2026

Next refresh: May 2027

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The national median salary for Etchers and Engravers is $43,306 per year ($20.82/hr) according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025. The middle 50% of earners make between $37,398 and $53,061 annually. Top earners at the 90th percentile reach $63,357 per year. There are approximately 7,750 etchers and engravers employed in the United States.

About This Role

BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018

Engrave or etch metal, wood, rubber, or other materials. Includes such workers as etcher-circuit processors, pantograph engravers, and silk screen etchers. Photoengravers are included in “Prepress Technicians and Workers” (51-5111).

Career Outlook

BLS Employment Projections · 2024-2034

10-year growth

-0.7%

Little or no change

Annual openings

900

per year, on avg

Workforce today

as of 2024

Why those openings exist

0% from new growth100% from people leaving the role

Most openings come from replacement, not growth. Retention matters more than recruiting here.

Typical entry requirements

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

Experience

None

On-the-job training

Moderate-term on-the-job training

Industry Wage Breakdown

Top 5 industries by employment · median annual wage, sector-specific

Industry	Workforce	Median Pay
Other Miscellaneous Retailers NAICS 459900	1K	$37,740
Other Miscellaneous Manufacturing NAICS 339900	1K	$43,690
Coating, Engraving, Heat Treating, and Allied Activities NAICS 332800	910	$45,520
Nonmetallic Mineral Product Manufacturing NAICS 327000	570	$39,690
Printing and Related Support Activities NAICS 323100	380	$44,320

Wage range across top 5 industries: $37,740 to $45,520 (21% spread)

Wage Percentiles

Hourly & annualized (2,080 hours)

Percentile	Hourly Rate	Annual Salary
P10	$15.49	$32,219
P25	$17.98	$37,398
P50MEDIAN	$20.82	$43,306
P75	$25.51	$53,061
P90	$30.46	$63,357

Market Context Signal

JOLTS · manufacturing sector

Stable

Openings Rate

3.7%

Quits Rate

1.5%

Manufacturing openings eased to 481K (-36K) in June, rate 3.7%, with nondurable goods driving the pullback (-55K). Quits held at 1.5%. The sector remains stable.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average etchers and engravers salary?

The national median salary for Etchers and Engravers is $43,306 per year ($20.82/hr) according to BLS OEWS May 2025 data. The middle 50% earn between $37,398 and $53,061 annually.

How much do top-earning etchers and engravers make?

The 90th percentile salary for Etchers and Engravers is $63,357 per year ($30.46/hr). The 75th percentile is $53,061 per year.

What is the entry-level salary for etchers and engravers?

Entry-level Etchers and Engravers (10th percentile) earn approximately $32,219 per year ($15.49/hr). The 25th percentile is $37,398 per year.

Related Salary Data

Compare with other occupations

Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators51-2090$45K/yr First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers51-1011$74K/yr Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers51-9061$49K/yr Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers51-4121$54K/yr Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders51-9111$43K/yr Browse all 770+ occupations →

Etchers and Engravers Salary by State

Top 5 states by employment

California1,040 workers Texas630 workers New York520 workers Michigan390 workers Wisconsin390 workers

About This Data

Wage figures on this page come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025 release. OEWS surveys roughly 1.1 million establishments annually. It is the most comprehensive employer-reported wage dataset in the United States.

P10 through P90 percentiles represent the wage distribution across all surveyed employers (not self-reported by workers). Geographic adjustments use BLS-derived cost multipliers calibrated from regional wage variation.

Wages are estimates. Individual compensation depends on experience, education, employer size, industry, and negotiation. Use this as benchmark context, not absolute ground truth.

Next OEWS release: May 2027Verify on BLS.gov →

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