Salary guide, May 2025
Calibration Technician pay, United States
Manufacturing Headhunters uses the published BLS OEWS figures below. They describe the mapped occupation and area, not an individual offer.
This is what we do all day: recruit manufacturing professionals.
The median annual wage for Calibration Technologists and Technicians in the United States was $67,820 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS, May 2025). The middle half of workers earned between $56,380 and $92,080.
Also searched as: Metrology / Calibration Technician, Instrument Calibration Technician. These titles share this page because BLS reports them under one occupation.
Broader occupation · SOC 17-3028 Calibration Technologists and Technicians
The Calibration Technician title maps to the published occupation. BLS does not separate this process, credential, shift or plant-specific title from other work in the occupation.
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $46,680 | $56,380 | $67,820 | $92,080 | $106,550 |
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $22.44 | $27.11 | $32.61 | $44.27 | $51.23 |
BLS estimated 16,540 workers employed in this occupation in the United States.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. SOC 17-3028 Calibration Technologists and Technicians, U.S.. Official occupation data · Official area tables. Released 2026-05-15.
How does pay compare in the target metros?
| Metro | Median | 25th to 75th | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $62,780 | $54,470 to $76,470 | 130 | 0.43 |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $58,850 | $44,460 to $91,550 | 110 | 0.71 |
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $55,500 | $45,670 to $65,830 | Not published by BLS | Not published by BLS |
| Raleigh-Cary, NC | $83,500 | $63,030 to $99,250 | 70 | 0.83 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $71,950 | $57,140 to $92,100 | 630 | 0.62 |
| Northern New Jersey within New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $71,950 | $57,140 to $92,100 | 630 | 0.62 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $64,150 | $58,510 to $93,620 | 890 | 2.06 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $59,590 | $53,810 to $63,250 | 190 | 0.41 |
Rank every metro for Calibration Technician
What should you know about pay by manufacturing industry, United States?
Same BLS occupation, national estimates for each manufacturing industry (NAICS) BLS publishes, May 2025. Industry names are BLS labels.
- Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing$107,220
- Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing$107,220
- Chemical Manufacturing (3251, 3252, 3253, and 3259 only)$101,260
- Chemical Manufacturing$98,060
- Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing$88,360
- Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (3323 and 3324 only)$83,630
- Engine, Turbine, and Power Transmission Equipment Manufacturing$82,080
- Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing$79,500
- Primary Metal Manufacturing$78,010
- Ship and Boat Building$77,910
- Other Miscellaneous Manufacturing$75,180
- Grain and Oilseed Milling$75,130
- Motor Vehicle Manufacturing$75,030
- Transportation Equipment Manufacturing$74,130
- Manufacturing$73,760
Bars show up to 15 industries with exact annual medians. The table lists every published industry.
| NAICS | Industry | Employment | 25th | Median | 75th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31-33 | Manufacturing | 5,950 | $58,860 | $73,760 | $96,680 |
| 325000 | Chemical Manufacturing | 1,580 | $80,360 | $98,060 | $103,630 |
| 334000 | Computer and Electronic Product Manufacturing | 1,560 | $50,520 | $59,380 | $77,070 |
| 334500 | Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing | 1,180 | $49,910 | $58,820 | $77,070 |
| 336000 | Transportation Equipment Manufacturing | 820 | $61,550 | $74,130 | $93,700 |
| 325400 | Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing | 680 | $70,600 | $79,500 | $96,180 |
| 333000 | Machinery Manufacturing | 530 | $59,330 | $66,730 | $94,850 |
| 336400 | Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing | 450 | $67,570 | $88,360 | $106,680 |
| 339000 | Miscellaneous Manufacturing | 450 | $60,200 | $65,100 | $75,470 |
| 339100 | Medical Equipment and Supplies Manufacturing | 410 | $61,120 | $65,100 | $76,340 |
| 3330A1 | Machinery Manufacturing (3331, 3332, 3334, and 3339 only) | 400 | $56,240 | $66,030 | $100,470 |
| 334400 | Semiconductor and Other Electronic Component Manufacturing | 370 | $54,110 | $60,410 | $76,980 |
| 332000 | Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing | 340 | $54,570 | $62,180 | $73,140 |
| 3320A1 | Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (3321, 3322, 3325, 3326, and 3329 only) | 210 | $57,310 | $65,050 | $73,230 |
| 335000 | Electrical Equipment, Appliance, and Component Manufacturing | 200 | $55,770 | $64,400 | $81,420 |
| 336300 | Motor Vehicle Parts Manufacturing | 150 | $49,090 | $63,420 | $73,720 |
| 324000 | Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing | 140 | $101,470 | $107,220 | $107,360 |
| 324100 | Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing | 140 | $101,470 | $107,220 | $107,360 |
| 326000 | Plastics and Rubber Products Manufacturing | 140 | $59,720 | $65,830 | $78,100 |
| 335900 | Other Electrical Equipment and Component Manufacturing | 140 | $57,570 | $67,190 | $81,740 |
| 326100 | Plastics Product Manufacturing | 130 | $60,260 | $67,190 | $78,540 |
| 311000 | Food Manufacturing | 120 | $59,470 | $62,790 | $91,090 |
| 332700 | Machine Shops; Turned Product; and Screw, Nut, and Bolt Manufacturing | 90 | $45,010 | $54,570 | $60,360 |
| 333300 | Commercial and Service Industry Machinery Manufacturing | 70 | $65,390 | $70,730 | $78,890 |
| 335300 | Electrical Equipment Manufacturing | 60 | $53,610 | $60,490 | $68,180 |
| 336100 | Motor Vehicle Manufacturing | 60 | $72,710 | $75,030 | $82,090 |
| 311200 | Grain and Oilseed Milling | 50 | $59,450 | $75,130 | $95,010 |
| 332720 | Turned Product and Screw, Nut, and Bolt Manufacturing | 50 | $44,630 | $49,500 | $56,430 |
| 311300 | Sugar and Confectionery Product Manufacturing | 40 | $62,400 | $62,780 | $63,530 |
| 331000 | Primary Metal Manufacturing | 40 | $58,890 | $78,010 | $92,310 |
| 3320A2 | Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (3323 and 3324 only) | 40 | $69,140 | $83,630 | $101,020 |
| 332710 | Machine Shops | 40 | $53,090 | $59,960 | $60,750 |
| 333600 | Engine, Turbine, and Power Transmission Equipment Manufacturing | 40 | $61,620 | $82,080 | $90,010 |
| 336500 | Railroad Rolling Stock Manufacturing | 40 | $59,360 | $66,750 | $85,480 |
| 336600 | Ship and Boat Building | 40 | $63,550 | $77,910 | $93,320 |
| 339900 | Other Miscellaneous Manufacturing | 40 | $50,380 | $75,180 | $75,230 |
| 3250A1 | Chemical Manufacturing (3251, 3252, 3253, and 3259 only) | Not published by BLS | $98,410 | $101,260 | $105,120 |
| 336900 | Other Transportation Equipment Manufacturing | Not published by BLS | $48,260 | $52,910 | $58,560 |
What should you know about manufacturing pay mix?
For Calibration Technician, write the straight-time rate separately from shift coverage and extra hours. OEWS includes base rate, guaranteed pay and production incentive pay. It excludes overtime premium, shift differentials and nonproduction bonuses. An attendance bonus is not a production bonus; confirm its purpose and treatment rather than adding every bonus to the BLS figure.
Skills-based pay steps affect the base rate when they are part of straight-time pay; BLS does not publish a separate rate for each plant's skill grade. Ask whether a tool allowance is expense reimbursement or wage pay. OEWS does not publish a separate tool-allowance component. Keep these items separate in the offer so the published wage is not mistaken for the whole package.
Pay mix here means how published medians for this one BLS occupation differ across manufacturing industries and against the all-industry median. It does not split pay into base, incentive or overtime. BLS wages are straight-time gross pay and exclude overtime, shift differentials and nonproduction bonuses.
What should you know about two BLS releases?
| Release period | 25th | Median | 75th |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2024 | $52,250 | $65,040 | $83,600 |
| May 2025 | $56,380 | $67,820 | $92,080 |
These are two separate BLS estimates from different survey panels. The workers and employers behind them differ, so the gap is not like-for-like pay for the same workers and is not a growth rate. We show no percentage change.
Recruiter's read. Qualitative, not BLS data.
What should you know about red flags when we screen a technician?
We listen for people who adjust instruments until the reading looks right and write nothing down. We also listen for casual attitudes toward overdue items. A technician who has never reported an out-of-tolerance finding to quality may not understand why the record exists. Another red flag is poor handling of reference standards, such as dropped weights or uncontrolled storage.
What should you know about questions?
Wages for the OEWS survey are straight-time, gross pay, exclusive of premium pay. Base rate; cost-of-living allowances; guaranteed pay; hazardous-duty pay; incentive pay, including commissions and production bonuses; and tips are included. Excluded are overtime pay, severance pay, shift differentials, nonproduction bonuses, employer cost for supplementary benefits, and tuition reimbursements.
What is the median pay for a Calibration Technician?
The median annual wage for Calibration Technologists and Technicians in the United States was $67,820 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS, May 2025). The middle half of workers earned between $56,380 and $92,080. This is the broader occupation BLS publishes, not a figure for this exact title.
What does the 10th percentile mean here?
10% of workers in this occupation and area earned less than $46,680. 90% earned less than $106,550.
Does this include overtime or bonuses?
Wages for the OEWS survey are straight-time, gross pay, exclusive of premium pay. Base rate; cost-of-living allowances; guaranteed pay; hazardous-duty pay; incentive pay, including commissions and production bonuses; and tips are included. Excluded are overtime pay, severance pay, shift differentials, nonproduction bonuses, employer cost for supplementary benefits, and tuition reimbursements.
Is this the pay for a Calibration Technician at a plant?
The Calibration Technician title maps to the published occupation. BLS does not separate this process, credential, shift or plant-specific title from other work in the occupation. These are occupation estimates across all industries, not an offer for a particular manufacturing title.
How many people work in this occupation?
BLS estimated 16,540 workers employed in this occupation in the United States.
What should you know about related?
What does this data mean for your opening?
Calibration Technicians are measured under SOC 17-3028. The May 2025 national median is $67,820, reflecting a $2,780 increase over the previous year. The middle-band width is $35,700, which is quite wide, indicating how much pay fluctuates based on technical complexity and ISO 17025 compliance experience.
Manufacturing Headhunters notes that while the mapping is broad, technicians who manage calibration software and maintain traceability records typically reside in the upper percentiles of this data, which BLS collects without distinguishing specific certification tiers or plant-specific responsibilities.
Industry-specific national data shows that specialized chemical and fuel sectors pay significant premiums. Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing reports a median of $107,220, and Chemical Manufacturing for specific sub-sectors reaches $101,260. These figures are much higher than the national median for the occupation, as these roles involve highly critical instrument maintenance. The BLS data excludes the value of specialized technical equipment knowledge and safety certifications, which are essentially required for these industrial environments.
Regional data highlights high-value hubs for this role. In Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX, the median is $78,610, with a middle-band width of $40,660 and a location quotient of 5.51. Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX reports a median of $64,150, a middle-band width of $35,110, and a location quotient of 2.06. Houston shows a very high concentration of relevant industries, contributing to its elevated median compared to the national figure. As with all BLS data, these statistics reflect total annual compensation without considering individual company performance bonuses or additional shift-based incentives common for calibration professionals.
Which pay questions should you settle before hiring?
Why is there such a large difference in pay between national industries?
The variation is largely due to the risk and criticality of instruments within industries like petroleum. Highly regulated environments offer higher pay for technicians who ensure precise compliance.
What is the limitation of using the national middle-band width?
The band is very broad because it aggregates all calibration roles across every industry. It does not differentiate between a high-level lab technician and a general maintenance worker.
How does the high location quotient in Houston impact hiring?
It shows that the occupation is highly concentrated in the area due to specific regional industries. This creates a larger talent pool but also drives competitive pay structures for specialized technicians.
Related recruiting or pay page · Related wage comparison 1 · Data methodology · Related wage comparison 3 · Related wage comparison 4