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Engraver: pay, job outlook and how to become one

Updated October 29, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET data. Published by Humblebee.

$43,310median pay per year, or $20.82 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $32,210lowest 10% earn less
  2. $37,40025th percentile
  3. $43,310median
  4. $53,05075th percentile
  5. $63,360top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[4]Median for all US jobs, $50,980[2]

The median pay for etchers and engravers was $43,310 a year in May 2025[1], below the $50,980 median for all occupations[2]. BLS projects employment to shrink slightly through 2035[3].

Job growth, 2025–35
-0.7%[3]
Openings per year
800[5]
Typical entry education
High school diploma or equivalent[6]

How much do engravers make?

BLS calls this group Etchers and Engravers. In May 2025 the median wage was $43,310 a year, or $20.82 an hour[1]. Half of workers earned more and half earned less[1]. The average was $46,320 a year, or $22.27 an hour[7]. The median for all occupations was $50,980[2], so the typical engraver earned less than the typical US worker.

The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $32,210 a year, and the 90th percentile was $63,360[4]. BLS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary[8].

Measure Annual Hourly
10th percentile[4][9] $32,210 $15.49
25th percentile[4][9] $37,400 $17.98
Median[1] $43,310 $20.82
75th percentile[4][9] $53,050 $25.51
90th percentile[4][9] $63,360 $30.46

These figures cover about 7,750 wage and salary jobs[10]. They leave out the self-employed and do not include benefits or nonproduction bonuses[11].

Pay by state and city

Vermont had the highest state median at $65,380, based on 40 jobs[12]. Rhode Island followed at $63,250 with 30 jobs, then Arizona at $59,940[12]. Vermont and Rhode Island each had 40 jobs or fewer[12]. South Carolina had the lowest published median at $28,300[12].

California had the most jobs, at 1,040[13]. Texas had 630 and New York had 520[13]. Among metro areas with at least 100 jobs, New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ had the highest median at $58,020[14]. San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA was next at $56,470, then Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH at $50,710[14]. Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA had the most jobs, at 500[15].

Show median pay in 37 states
StateMedian per yearJobs
Vermont[12]$65,38040
Rhode Island$63,25030
Arizona$59,940n/a
New Jersey$58,00060
Maryland$53,680110
Kansas$52,00040
New York$51,540520
Massachusetts$50,710320
Ohio$50,430320
Wisconsin$50,290390
Pennsylvania$47,790260
Maine$47,52070
Arkansas$46,780180
California$46,4801,040
Minnesota$46,280210
Connecticut$45,050140
Indiana$44,360170
Washington$43,680160
Illinois$43,450330
Michigan$43,180390
Iowa$42,95070
Idaho$42,64050
Florida$42,110200
Colorado$40,80050
South Dakota$40,59060
Georgia$40,19060
Virginia$39,360160
North Carolina$39,270n/a
Tennessee$38,230300
Missouri$37,99080
Oregon$37,780220
Kentucky$36,540250
Oklahoma$35,890110
Louisiana$32,88040
Texas$31,180630
Alabama$31,03060
South Carolina$28,30050

How to become an engraver

BLS describes the typical path[6]:

In an O*NET survey of 20 workers, 54% said a high school diploma or equivalent is required[16]. Another 33% said less than a high school diploma, and 13% named an associate degree[16]. This is a small survey, so treat it as a rough picture.

O*NET places the job in a group needing very little to some preparation[17].

What engravers do

Etchers and engravers cut or etch designs into metal, wood, rubber and other materials[18]. Tasks listed by O*NET include:

Workers report titles such as laser engraver, chemical engraver and photo engraver[20].

Job outlook

BLS projects employment to decline 0.7% from 2025 to 2035, from about 8,900 to 8,800 jobs[3]. All occupations are projected to grow 3.5%[21]. Even so, about 800 openings are projected each year[5]. Openings include jobs that come from workers retiring or changing occupations, as well as new jobs[5].

Each year, 3.9% of workers leave the labor force and 5.3% move to a different occupation[22]. About 12.7% of etchers and engravers were self-employed in 2025[23].

Is it a good fit?

The facts show a small occupation with a low barrier to entry. It asks for a high school diploma and moderate-term on-the-job training[6]. Median pay is below the all-occupation median[1][2], and employment is projected to dip while openings continue[3][5]. The facts here do not cover hours, work settings or training length, so check those locally.

Related occupations from O*NET, with BLS median pay and projected growth[24].

Frequently asked questions

How much does an engraver make an hour?
The median was $20.82 an hour in May 2025, and the average was $22.27[1][7].
What education do you need to be an engraver?
BLS lists a high school diploma or equivalent, no related experience, and moderate-term on-the-job training[6].
Is engraving in demand?
BLS projects a 0.7% decline from 2025 to 2035, though about 800 openings are expected each year[3][5].
What is the highest paying state for engravers?
Vermont had the highest median at $65,380, based on 40 jobs, followed by Rhode Island at $63,250[12].

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Etchers and Engravers in the US was $43,310 per year and $20.82 per hour. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  2. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in the US was $50,980. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  3. BLS Employment Projections: employment of Etchers and Engravers is projected to decline 0.7% from 2025 to 2035, from about 8,900 to 8,800 jobs (a change of -100). These counts include self-employed workers. BLS Employment Projections
  4. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Etchers and Engravers: 10th percentile $32,210, 25th percentile $37,400, 75th percentile $53,050, 90th percentile $63,360. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS Employment Projections: about 800 openings for Etchers and Engravers are projected each year, on average, from 2025 to 2035. Openings include jobs that open when workers retire or move to other occupations, not only new jobs. BLS Employment Projections
  6. BLS Employment Projections, typical path into Etchers and Engravers: education needed for entry: High school diploma or equivalent; work experience in a related occupation: None; typical on-the-job training: Moderate-term on-the-job training. BLS Employment Projections
  7. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Etchers and Engravers was $46,320 per year and $22.27 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  8. BLS OEWS FAQ: a percentile wage is a boundary. The median (50th percentile) separates the highest-paid 50% from the lowest-paid 50% of workers in the occupation. OEWS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Etchers and Engravers: 10th percentile $15.49, 25th percentile $17.98, 75th percentile $25.51, 90th percentile $30.46. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 7,750 people were employed as Etchers and Engravers in the US (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  11. BLS OEWS FAQ: OEWS covers part-time and full-time workers paid a wage or salary. It does not cover the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, household workers or unpaid family workers. OEWS wages do not include nonproduction bonuses or employer costs of benefits such as health insurance or retirement contributions. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  12. Median annual wage for Etchers and Engravers in every state with published data, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  13. BLS OEWS, May 2025, states with the most Etchers and Engravers jobs: California 1,040; Texas 630; New York 520; Michigan 390; Wisconsin 390. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  14. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the highest median annual wage for Etchers and Engravers (areas with at least 100 jobs): New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ $58,020; San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA $56,470; Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH $50,710; Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI $49,800; Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI $46,280; Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA $45,520; Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA $45,250; Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN $43,880. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  15. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the most Etchers and Engravers jobs: Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 500 (median $45,520); New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ 430 (median $58,020); Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 330; Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN 240 (median $43,880); Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH 230 (median $50,710); Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA 170 (median $37,780). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  16. O*NET 51-9194.00 survey of workers (20 respondents), education level they say is required: High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) 54%, Less than a High School Diploma 33%, Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree 13% (levels under 5% not listed). O*NET OnLine
  17. O*NET 51-9194.00: Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed. Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training. O*NET OnLine
  18. O*NET description of Etchers and Engravers. O*NET OnLine
  19. O*NET task list for Etchers and Engravers. O*NET OnLine
  20. O*NET 51-9194.00 sample job titles reported by workers: Acid Etch Operator, Award Machine Operator, Chemical Engraver, Electronic Engraver, Engraver, Etcher, Laser Engraver, Photo Engraver. O*NET OnLine
  21. BLS Employment Projections: employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% from 2025 to 2035. BLS Employment Projections
  22. BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35 annual average for Etchers and Engravers: 3.9% of workers leave the labor force each year and 5.3% move to a different occupation. BLS Employment Projections
  23. BLS Employment Projections: 12.7% of Etchers and Engravers were self-employed in 2025. BLS Employment Projections
  24. Related occupations (O*NET) with BLS pay, growth and entry education. O*NET OnLine

Notes are for reading the data only. They are not facts and cannot be cited: use the wage_scope and percentile_meaning facts instead. OEWS employment (jobs in May 2025) and Employment Projections employment (2025, includes self-employed) are different measures and can differ. O*NET education shares come from a small survey of workers in the occupation, not from all workers.

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerFacts has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.