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Jewelry and Luxury Goods
Tiffany & Co., Signet Jewelers, Cartier
Etchers and Engravers
Etchers and engravers cut, burn, or etch designs into metal, glass, plates, and other surfaces, often working from sketches, photos, or blueprints. The work stands out because tiny flaws are easy to see, so success depends on steady hands and close inspection. It is a hands-on craft with modest pay and a small job market, which means there are openings but limited room to grow.
Also known as Engraving TechnicianLaser EngraverEngraving Machine OperatorEtching TechnicianHand Engraver
Median Salary
$40,450
Mean $43,280
U.S. Workforce
~8K
0.9K openings per year
10-Year Growth
+-0.7%
8.6K to 8.6K
Entry Education
High school diploma or equivalent
+ None experience
What This Role Looks Like in Practice
Etchers and Engravers sits in the Trades category. In practical terms, this role combines day-to-day execution, cross-team coordination, and consistent decision-making under real business constraints.
U.S. employment is currently about ~8K workers, with a median annual pay of $40,450 and roughly 0.9K openings each year. Based on BLS projections, total employment is expected to decline from 8.6 K in 2024 to 8.6K in 2034.
Most hiring paths start with High school diploma or equivalent, and employers typically expect none of related experience. Many careers in this track begin around Shop Helper / Etching Assistant and can progress toward Production Supervisor. High-value skills usually include Monitoring, Operations Monitoring, and Reading Comprehension, paired with soft skills such as Attention to Detail, Steady Hand, and Patience.
Core Responsibilities
- Study sketches, photos, or blueprints to figure out how the design should be laid out on the piece.
- Set up engraving or etching equipment and choose the right machine settings for the material and design.
- Transfer the design onto the workpiece using tools like printers, styluses, stamps, or other layout devices.
- Etch, cut, or engrave the surface, then adjust the process so the lines, depth, and spacing stay consistent.
Keep exploring: more Trades careers or browse all job titles.
A Day in the Life
01 Study sketches, photos, or blueprints to figure out how the design should be laid out on the piece.
02 Set up engraving or etching equipment and choose the right machine settings for the material and design.
03 Transfer the design onto the workpiece using tools like printers, styluses, stamps, or other layout devices.
04 Etch, cut, or engrave the surface, then adjust the process so the lines, depth, and spacing stay consistent.
05 Inspect finished pieces closely with microscopes, gauges, or magnifiers to catch rough spots, burrs, and uneven cuts.
06 Clean, polish, and neutralize the finished work, and add finishing touches such as darkening or highlighting the engraved areas.
Industries That Hire
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Aerospace and Defense
Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman
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Medical Device Manufacturing
Medtronic, Stryker, Boston Scientific
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Printing, Signage, and Custom Displays
FedEx Office, Vistaprint, FASTSIGNS
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Firearms and Sporting Goods
Smith & Wesson, Glock, Remington
Pros and Cons
Advantages
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You can enter the field with a high school diploma and moderate on-the-job training, so the barrier to entry is lower than many skilled trades.
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The work is hands-on and visible, so you can see the result of careful setup and steady work right away.
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If you are good at precision, your finished pieces show the difference between average and excellent work very clearly.
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The job can move across several niches, including jewelry, signage, industrial parts, and medical devices, which gives you some flexibility in what you make.
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There are still about 0.9K annual openings even in a small workforce of 8,390, so people who build solid shop skills can find opportunities.
Challenges
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Pay is fairly modest for a skilled trade, with a median annual wage of $40,450 and a mean of $43,280.
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Growth is basically flat, with projected employment slipping 0.7% from 8.6K to 8.6K over the decade.
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The work can be hard on your eyes, hands, and concentration because tiny defects, burrs, and rough edges matter a lot.
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This is usually a shop-floor job, so remote work is rare and you often need to be near the equipment to do the work.
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Automation and CNC or laser systems can take over some manual engraving tasks, which can limit long-term demand for purely hand-based work and keep the career ladder fairly narrow.
Career Progression
Shop Helper / Etching Assistant
0-1 years
$28K-$33K
Learns the workflow, helps prepare materials, and supports more experienced workers with setup, cleaning, and simple finishing tasks.
Engraving Assistant
1-3 years
$33K-$39K
Starts handling basic machine settings, simple layout transfer, and routine inspection under close supervision.
Etchers and Engravers THIS ROLE
3-7 years
$39K-$46K
Works more independently, reads drawings and samples, runs the engraving process, and checks finished pieces for defects.
Senior Engraver / Lead Operator
7-12 years
$46K-$56K
Handles harder jobs, trains newer workers, troubleshoots machines, and is trusted with higher-visibility or custom work.
Production Supervisor
12+ years
$56K-$69K
Oversees schedules, quality standards, and workflow across a small shop or production line.
Education Paths
High school diploma or equivalent
The most common entry point, held by 53.86% of workers in this role, usually paired with moderate on-the-job training.
Less than a high school diploma
A large share of workers, 32.66%, learn the job through hands-on shop experience rather than formal schooling.
Associate's degree in machining, manufacturing technology, or a related field
An alternative path used by 12.72% of workers, especially for people who want stronger training in measurement, machine setup, and quality checks.
Post-secondary certificate or apprenticeship
A small share, 0.75%, enter with a certificate, and a short hands-on program can help you build the same shop skills faster.
Key Skills
Technical
Monitoring 62%
Operations Monitoring 62%
Reading Comprehension 62%
Quality Control Analysis 60%
Operation and Control 60%
Engraving Machines, Pantographs & Laser Etchers 58%
Microscopes, Gauges & Calipers 58%
Acids, Solvents & Surface Neutralizers 58%
Soft Skills
Attention to DetailSteady HandPatienceHand-Eye CoordinationActive ListeningSpeaking Job Outlook and Trends
+-0.7%
Projected growth (2024-2034)
0.9K
Annual job openings
Employment is projected to rise from 8.6K to 8.6 K over the next decade, representing -0.7% growth. Around 0.9 K openings per year include both newly created roles and replacement hiring from turnover.
Remote availability is currently Rare. Demand remains strongest where employers need practical domain knowledge plus modern workflow and data skills.