Etchers and Engravers

Median salary

$43,310

Average salary

$46,320

Employment

7,750

Projected growth

0.7% decline

Annual openings

900

Typical entry education

High school diploma or equivalent

What Etchers and Engravers Do

Engrave or etch metal, wood, rubber, or other materials. Includes such workers as etcher-circuit processors, pantograph engravers, and silk screen etchers.

See full salary breakdown & percentiles →

Career Outlook

National employment outlook, 2024–2034.

Related work experience: None
On-the-job training: Moderate-term on-the-job training
Self-employed: 3.2%

Source: BLS Employment Projections — 2024-2034.

How Much Preparation Does This Take?

Job Zone 2 of 5

Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed

Experience: Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience.
Education: Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
Job training: Ranges from a few days to one year of on-the-job training.

Source: O*NET Job Zones.

Key Knowledge Areas

Subject-matter areas this occupation draws on most, per O*NET.

Production and Processingimportance 4.2/5
Customer and Personal Serviceimportance 3.4/5
Mechanicalimportance 3.0/5
Designimportance 3.0/5
Administration and Managementimportance 3.0/5
Mathematicsimportance 2.8/5
Computers and Electronicsimportance 2.8/5
Engineering and Technologyimportance 2.7/5

Work Environment

What the day-to-day work setting is like, per O*NET.

Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams4.9/5
Importance of Being Exact or Accurate4.4/5
Indoors, Environmentally Controlled4.4/5
Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls4.4/5
Exposed to Contaminants4.3/5
Time Pressure4.3/5

Careers With Similar Skills

Occupations whose Transferable Skills profile most closely matches this one — a mathematical comparison, not observed data about people actually moving between these careers.

Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians91% skill match
Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic91% skill match
Foundry Mold and Coremakers91% skill match
Dental Laboratory Technicians90% skill match
Semiconductor Processing Technicians90% skill match
Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic90% skill match
Insulation Workers, Floor, Ceiling, and Wall89% skill match
Cabinetmakers and Bench Carpenters89% skill match

Transferable Skills

Cross-functional skills this occupation draws on most, per O*NET — the kind that carry over to other careers.

Operations Monitoringimportance 3.1/5
Operation and Controlimportance 3.0/5
Quality Control Analysisimportance 3.0/5
Judgment and Decision Makingimportance 2.9/5
Social Perceptivenessimportance 2.8/5
Time Managementimportance 2.8/5
Complex Problem Solvingimportance 2.6/5
Equipment Maintenanceimportance 2.6/5

Software & Technologies

Tools and software used in this occupation, per O*NET.

Hot Technologies

Other Software Used

Computer aided design and computer aided manufacturing CAD/CAM engraving software
Corel CorelDraw Graphics Suite
Delcam ArtCAM Express
Gravograph GravoStyle
Western Engravers Supply Vision EXPERT

Work Style

Personal work characteristics that matter most for this occupation, per O*NET.

Attention to Detail
Dependability
Cautiousness
Achievement Orientation
Perseverance
Integrity
Self-Control

Career Interests

This occupation’s RIASEC interest profile, per O*NET — how strongly it fits each of the six Holland interest types.

RealisticHigh
ArtisticMedium
ConventionalMedium
InvestigativeLow
SocialLow
EnterprisingLow

This page includes information from the O*NET 30.3 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.