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).
National median · BLS
$43,310
▲ +7.07%YoY
H-1B sponsor median
—
Too few H-1B filings
Average salary · BLS
$46,320
Mean annual wage
U.S. employment
7,750
Jobs (BLS)
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Enter your pay and a location to see where you stand against BLS and H-1B pay, your estimated take-home pay, and your purchasing power.
Pay range for Etchers and Engravers
Annual base pay at each percentile. BLS covers all U.S. workers in this occupation.
Percentile
All U.S. workers (BLS)
10th — entry pay
$32,210
25th
$37,400
Median (50th)
$43,310
75th
$53,050
90th — top pay
$63,360
Hourly ⇄ annual pay
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Monthly—
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Weekly—
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Based on
hrs/week ×
weeks/year
= 2,080 hrs
Projections 2025–2035
Job outlook for Etchers and Engravers
BLS projects employment of etchers and engravers to decline 0.7% from 2025 to 2035, while employment across all occupations grows 3.5%.
About 800 openings are projected each year, on average, from new jobs and from replacing workers who retire or move to other occupations.
Jobs 2025 → 2035
8,900 → 8,800
-100 jobs
Projected change
-0.7%
All occupations: +3.5%
Openings per year
800
Average, 2025–2035
Typical entry education
High school diploma or equivalent
No related experience required
On-the-job training
Moderate-term on-the-job training
Self-employed
12.7% of workers (2025)
Preparation needed (O*NET Job Zone 2)
Very Little to Some Preparation Needed. Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
Highlighted = in demand: frequently listed in employer job postings for this occupation (O*NET).
Source: 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.
About the job
What etchers and engravers do
Inspect etched work for depth of etching, uniformity, and defects, using calibrated microscopes, gauges, fingers, or magnifying lenses.
Examine sketches, diagrams, samples, blueprints, or photographs to decide how designs are to be etched, cut, or engraved onto workpieces.
Clean and polish engraved areas.
Prepare workpieces for etching or engraving by cutting, sanding, cleaning, polishing, or treating them with wax, acid resist, lime, etching powder, or light-sensitive enamel.
Engrave and print patterns, designs, etchings, trademarks, or lettering onto flat or curved surfaces of a wide variety of metal, glass, plastic, or paper items, using hand tools or hand-held power tools.
Prepare etching chemicals according to formulas, diluting acid with water to obtain solutions of specified concentration.
Use computer software to design patterns for engraving.
Expose workpieces to acid to develop etch patterns such as designs, lettering, or figures.
Also called
Chemical EngraverEngraverEtcherPhoto EngraverAcid Etch OperatorAward Machine OperatorElectronic EngraverLaser EngraverScreen Making TechnicianWet Process Technician
More job titles for this occupation (80)
Block EngraverBowling Ball EngraverCold Etch OperatorDecorative EngraverDie CutterDynamic Etching ProcessorEmbosserEngraving Equipment OperatorEngraving FinisherEngraving PatternmakerEngraving Plate MakerEngrosserEnhanced Environmental OperatorEquipment OperatorEtched Circuit ProcessorEtching OperatorFinishing TechnicianGlass CalibratorGlass DecoratorGlass EngraverGlass EtcherGlass Products EngraverHand EngraverHand EtcherHand Roller EngraverHand Screen PrinterHard Metal Hand EngraverHard Metals Hand EngraverInternal CarverJewelry EngraverJoggerJogger OperatorLaser Etch TechnicianLaser Etching TechnicianLaser OperatorLeaf StamperLens EngraverLettererLinerMachine EngraverMachine Precision EngraverMachine Precision EtcherMetal EngraverMold EngraverMold StamperMusic EngraverOptical Glass EtcherPantograph EngraverPicture EngraverPlate CutterPlate MakerPrinting and Publishing Block EngraverPrinting and Publishing Picture EngraverPrinting and Publishing SiderographerPrinting and Publishing Sketch MakerProcessorProof Plate MakerRe-EtcherRetoucherRework OperatorRoller EngraverRoller MechanicRoller RepairerRotary EngraverRubber EngraverSeals EngraverShow Card LettererShow Card WriterSiderographerSiderographistSilk Screen EtcherSilk Screen ProcessorSilkscreen PrinterSilversmithSilverware EtcherSketch MakerSoft Metal Hand EngraverSoft Metals Hand EngraverSteel Die EngraverSteel Engraver
Source: O*NET 31.0 (USDOL/ETA, CC BY 4.0). These are general job titles, not H-1B filings; for titles employers actually filed, see “Job titles” above.
Similar jobs and how they pay
Occupations O*NET lists as closely related to Etchers and Engravers, with BLS national medians compared with this occupation's $43,310.
