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
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
9K
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
3.5%
Quits Rate
1.4%
Manufacturing openings ticked up to 462K (+19K) in March, with the rate at 3.5%. Hires rose to 310K. The sector has stabilized after late-2025 softening.
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.
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.
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