Salary guide, May 2025
Metrology 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 Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers in the United States was $48,570 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS, May 2025). The middle half of workers earned between $39,890 and $61,440.
Broader occupation · SOC 51-9061 Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers
The Metrology 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $35,510 | $39,890 | $48,570 | $61,440 | $77,860 |
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $17.07 | $19.18 | $23.35 | $29.54 | $37.44 |
BLS estimated 597,370 workers employed in this occupation in the United States.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. SOC 51-9061 Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers, 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 | $46,820 | $36,760 to $59,760 | 6,830 | 0.63 |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $47,180 | $38,420 to $57,620 | 3,760 | 0.68 |
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $45,630 | $37,230 to $59,060 | 2,790 | 0.51 |
| Raleigh-Cary, NC | $49,460 | $44,150 to $59,610 | 1,420 | 0.5 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $50,160 | $41,120 to $62,720 | 16,370 | 0.45 |
| Northern New Jersey within New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $50,160 | $41,120 to $62,720 | 16,370 | 0.45 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $46,210 | $38,390 to $59,280 | 16,440 | 1.06 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $48,230 | $41,620 to $60,340 | 23,080 | 1.33 |
Rank every metro for Metrology 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. Nested NAICS rows overlap; they are not independent samples and must not be added together. Identical source rows repeated at different publication levels appear once.
- Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing (NAICS 324000)$64,420
- Transportation Equipment Manufacturing (NAICS 336000)$60,620
- Chemical Manufacturing (NAICS 325000)$55,250
- Machinery Manufacturing (NAICS 333000)$54,760
- Primary Metal Manufacturing (NAICS 331000)$54,510
- Beverage and Tobacco Product Manufacturing (NAICS 312000)$53,620
- Nonmetallic Mineral Product Manufacturing (NAICS 327000)$51,620
- Computer and Electronic Product Manufacturing (NAICS 334000)$50,120
- Electrical Equipment, Appliance, and Component Manufacturing (NAICS 335000)$49,940
- Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (NAICS 332000)$49,410
- Miscellaneous Manufacturing (NAICS 339000)$48,480
- Wood Product Manufacturing (NAICS 321000)$47,830
- Paper Manufacturing (NAICS 322000)$47,420
- Food Manufacturing (NAICS 311000)$46,100
- Plastics and Rubber Products Manufacturing (NAICS 326000)$45,820
Bars compare up to 15 non-overlapping 3-digit manufacturing subsectors with exact annual medians. More detailed scopes remain in the table, identified by code and publication level.
| NAICS / scope | Industry | Employment | 25th | Median | 75th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31-33 · sector | Manufacturing | 382,920 | $43,050 | $49,270 | $61,460 |
| 336000 · 3-digit | Transportation Equipment Manufacturing | 63,910 | $47,390 | $60,620 | $77,420 |
| 332000 · 3-digit | Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing | 47,990 | $44,350 | $49,410 | $60,470 |
| 311000 · 3-digit | Food Manufacturing | 46,600 | $38,690 | $46,100 | $51,520 |
| 326000 · 3-digit | Plastics and Rubber Products Manufacturing | 35,730 | $38,770 | $45,820 | $50,530 |
| 334000 · 3-digit | Computer and Electronic Product Manufacturing | 32,800 | $44,970 | $50,120 | $61,740 |
| 325000 · 3-digit | Chemical Manufacturing | 32,480 | $45,540 | $55,250 | $65,450 |
| 326100 · 4-digit | Plastics Product Manufacturing | 29,910 | $38,680 | $45,630 | $49,600 |
| 333000 · 3-digit | Machinery Manufacturing | 28,190 | $46,460 | $54,760 | $62,540 |
| 336400 · 4-digit | Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing | 26,120 | $60,260 | $74,450 | $93,290 |
| 336300 · 4-digit | Motor Vehicle Parts Manufacturing | 21,920 | $40,470 | $47,070 | $55,850 |
| 339000 · 3-digit | Miscellaneous Manufacturing | 19,460 | $40,490 | $48,480 | $60,400 |
| 3330A1 · 4-digit | Machinery Manufacturing (3331, 3332, 3334, and 3339 only) | 18,660 | $46,570 | $53,970 | $62,430 |
| 3320A1 · 4-digit | Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (3321, 3322, 3325, 3326, and 3329 only) | 17,830 | $43,660 | $48,640 | $59,190 |
| 325400 · 4-digit | Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing | 17,440 | $46,950 | $59,260 | $72,860 |
| 311600 · 4-digit | Animal Slaughtering and Processing | 17,210 | $37,210 | $41,070 | $47,570 |
| 334400 · 4-digit | Semiconductor and Other Electronic Component Manufacturing | 17,190 | $42,910 | $48,570 | $59,840 |
| 335000 · 3-digit | Electrical Equipment, Appliance, and Component Manufacturing | 14,050 | $45,350 | $49,940 | $60,720 |
| 339100 · 4-digit | Medical Equipment and Supplies Manufacturing | 13,840 | $44,600 | $49,520 | $61,220 |
| 332700 · 4-digit | Machine Shops; Turned Product; and Screw, Nut, and Bolt Manufacturing | 13,800 | $45,100 | $50,680 | $61,110 |
| 331000 · 3-digit | Primary Metal Manufacturing | 13,430 | $46,550 | $54,510 | $62,530 |
| 334500 · 4-digit | Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing | 10,570 | $48,480 | $58,360 | $66,930 |
| 327000 · 3-digit | Nonmetallic Mineral Product Manufacturing | 10,330 | $46,260 | $51,620 | $60,320 |
| 3320A2 · 4-digit | Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (3323 and 3324 only) | 10,030 | $47,390 | $57,110 | $66,250 |
| 3250A1 · 4-digit | Chemical Manufacturing (3251, 3252, 3253, and 3259 only) | 9,420 | $41,910 | $51,060 | $63,770 |
| 332710 · 5-digit | Machine Shops | 9,230 | $46,800 | $54,690 | $62,500 |
| 311900 · 4-digit | Other Food Manufacturing | 9,100 | $40,640 | $47,770 | $56,580 |
| 336100 · 4-digit | Motor Vehicle Manufacturing | 7,030 | $63,060 | $73,310 | $78,410 |
| 322000 · 3-digit | Paper Manufacturing | 6,680 | $40,340 | $47,420 | $59,740 |
| 332800 · 4-digit | Coating, Engraving, Heat Treating, and Allied Activities | 6,330 | $38,690 | $45,960 | $50,760 |
| 335900 · 4-digit | Other Electrical Equipment and Component Manufacturing | 6,240 | $45,110 | $49,640 | $60,390 |
| 321000 · 3-digit | Wood Product Manufacturing | 6,120 | $39,420 | $47,830 | $55,730 |
| 311400 · 4-digit | Fruit and Vegetable Preserving and Specialty Food Manufacturing | 6,050 | $38,590 | $44,870 | $49,030 |
| 326200 · 4-digit | Rubber Product Manufacturing | 5,830 | $39,070 | $47,600 | $59,530 |
| 335300 · 4-digit | Electrical Equipment Manufacturing | 5,710 | $46,700 | $52,060 | $61,370 |
| 3250A2 · 4-digit | Chemical Manufacturing (3255 and 3256 only) | 5,620 | $43,680 | $49,100 | $61,330 |
| 339900 · 4-digit | Other Miscellaneous Manufacturing | 5,620 | $37,110 | $44,670 | $52,200 |
| 331500 · 4-digit | Foundries | 5,560 | $46,450 | $50,350 | $60,320 |
| 322200 · 4-digit | Converted Paper Product Manufacturing | 5,520 | $39,140 | $45,750 | $55,830 |
| 337000 · 3-digit | Furniture and Related Product Manufacturing | 4,940 | $36,950 | $41,160 | $47,650 |
| 323000 · 3-digit | Printing and Related Support Activities | 4,850 | $37,030 | $41,720 | $48,530 |
| 323100 · 4-digit | Printing and Related Support Activities | 4,850 | $37,030 | $41,720 | $48,530 |
| 311500 · 4-digit | Dairy Product Manufacturing | 4,590 | $47,310 | $52,070 | $58,980 |
| 332720 · 5-digit | Turned Product and Screw, Nut, and Bolt Manufacturing | 4,570 | $38,790 | $46,970 | $58,040 |
| 3370A1 · 4-digit | Furniture and Related Product Manufacturing (3371 and 3372 only) | 4,440 | $37,100 | $41,850 | $47,960 |
| 311800 · 4-digit | Bakeries and Tortilla Manufacturing | 4,190 | $39,580 | $46,260 | $50,560 |
| 312000 · 3-digit | Beverage and Tobacco Product Manufacturing | 4,100 | $47,500 | $53,620 | $61,460 |
| 333500 · 4-digit | Metalworking Machinery Manufacturing | 4,060 | $43,070 | $49,330 | $60,400 |
| 313000 · 3-digit | Textile Mills | 4,020 | $35,630 | $38,610 | $45,130 |
| 336200 · 4-digit | Motor Vehicle Body and Trailer Manufacturing | 4,020 | $42,850 | $47,900 | $58,330 |
| 312100 · 4-digit | Beverage Manufacturing | 3,690 | $47,540 | $53,390 | $61,090 |
| 321900 · 4-digit | Other Wood Product Manufacturing | 3,580 | $40,540 | $47,550 | $53,490 |
| 333600 · 4-digit | Engine, Turbine, and Power Transmission Equipment Manufacturing | 3,330 | $49,230 | $61,140 | $75,860 |
| 336600 · 4-digit | Ship and Boat Building | 2,980 | $55,840 | $64,560 | $82,130 |
| 324000 · 3-digit | Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing | 2,570 | $49,860 | $64,420 | $96,120 |
| 324100 · 4-digit | Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing | 2,570 | $49,860 | $64,420 | $96,120 |
| 334100 · 4-digit | Computer and Peripheral Equipment Manufacturing | 2,390 | $29,520 | $45,200 | $55,760 |
| 331400 · 4-digit | Nonferrous Metal (except Aluminum) Production and Processing | 2,290 | $47,040 | $56,280 | $64,870 |
| 313200 · 4-digit | Fabric Mills | 2,280 | $36,220 | $39,000 | $46,360 |
| 311100 · 4-digit | Animal Food Manufacturing | 2,240 | $43,670 | $48,100 | $60,070 |
| 333300 · 4-digit | Commercial and Service Industry Machinery Manufacturing | 2,140 | $46,890 | $53,440 | $62,140 |
| 315000 · 3-digit | Apparel Manufacturing | 2,130 | $30,310 | $36,080 | $39,180 |
| 314000 · 3-digit | Textile Product Mills | 2,110 | $35,350 | $41,500 | $46,520 |
| 334200 · 4-digit | Communications Equipment Manufacturing | 2,070 | $46,690 | $57,780 | $72,540 |
| 331200 · 4-digit | Steel Product Manufacturing from Purchased Steel | 2,020 | $46,910 | $54,140 | $60,450 |
| 331100 · 4-digit | Iron and Steel Mills and Ferroalloy Manufacturing | 2,010 | $48,830 | $59,190 | $66,890 |
| 335200 · 4-digit | Household Appliance Manufacturing | 1,640 | $44,310 | $47,980 | $56,980 |
| 339910 · 5-digit | Jewelry and Silverware Manufacturing | 1,600 | $37,110 | $37,110 | $40,350 |
| 331300 · 4-digit | Alumina and Aluminum Production and Processing | 1,550 | $46,170 | $55,320 | $62,270 |
| 311200 · 4-digit | Grain and Oilseed Milling | 1,530 | $46,910 | $51,860 | $61,310 |
| 315200 · 4-digit | Cut and Sew Apparel Manufacturing | 1,340 | $30,960 | $36,390 | $43,690 |
| 321200 · 4-digit | Veneer, Plywood, and Engineered Wood Product Manufacturing | 1,300 | $39,010 | $47,270 | $55,900 |
| 321100 · 4-digit | Sawmills and Wood Preservation | 1,240 | $39,200 | $49,840 | $59,130 |
| 311300 · 4-digit | Sugar and Confectionery Product Manufacturing | 1,160 | $41,660 | $50,000 | $61,700 |
| 322100 · 4-digit | Pulp, Paper, and Paperboard Mills | 1,160 | $54,900 | $61,330 | $69,540 |
| 314100 · 4-digit | Textile Furnishings Mills | 1,070 | $38,210 | $43,240 | $46,230 |
| 314900 · 4-digit | Other Textile Product Mills | 1,040 | $31,200 | $37,560 | $47,060 |
| 336900 · 4-digit | Other Transportation Equipment Manufacturing | 940 | $46,140 | $51,740 | $64,420 |
| 313300 · 4-digit | Textile and Fabric Finishing and Fabric Coating Mills | 920 | $35,470 | $38,710 | $46,030 |
| 336500 · 4-digit | Railroad Rolling Stock Manufacturing | 880 | $48,170 | $60,820 | $70,560 |
| 313100 · 4-digit | Fiber, Yarn, and Thread Mills | 830 | $34,640 | $37,420 | $40,560 |
| 311700 · 4-digit | Seafood Product Preparation and Packaging | 540 | $34,430 | $44,840 | $48,760 |
| 337900 · 4-digit | Other Furniture Related Product Manufacturing | 510 | $32,210 | $37,860 | $46,060 |
| 335100 · 4-digit | Electric Lighting Equipment Manufacturing | 450 | $39,730 | $48,770 | $59,700 |
| 316000 · 3-digit | Leather and Allied Product Manufacturing | 430 | $28,710 | $36,580 | $44,810 |
| 312200 · 4-digit | Tobacco Manufacturing | 410 | $43,410 | $55,770 | $76,160 |
| 315100 · 4-digit | Apparel Knitting Mills | 410 | $28,140 | $35,500 | $36,830 |
| 334300 · 4-digit | Audio and Video Equipment Manufacturing | 400 | $43,660 | $47,170 | $59,730 |
| 315900 · 4-digit | Apparel Accessories and Other Apparel Manufacturing | 380 | $33,400 | $36,280 | $36,820 |
| 316200 · 4-digit | Footwear Manufacturing | 210 | $28,370 | $30,870 | $42,360 |
| 334600 · 4-digit | Manufacturing and Reproducing Magnetic and Optical Media | 180 | $40,230 | $47,790 | $47,930 |
| 316100 · 4-digit | Leather and Hide Tanning and Finishing | 120 | $39,160 | $45,450 | $54,850 |
| 316900 · 4-digit | Other Leather and Allied Product Manufacturing | 100 | $29,040 | $34,550 | $40,460 |
What should you know about manufacturing pay mix?
For Metrology Technician, write the straight-time rate separately from shift coverage and extra hours. OEWS measures straight-time gross wages, not pure base salary or total compensation. It includes base rate, guaranteed pay, commissions and production bonuses. It excludes overtime, shift differentials, nonproduction bonuses and benefits.
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 | $38,740 | $47,460 | $59,970 |
| May 2025 | $39,890 | $48,570 | $61,440 |
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.
What should you know about supervisory and worker occupations?
BLS publishes these as separate occupations. Pay for one is not a pay step for the other.
- Supervisor occupation: Production Supervisor pay (SOC 51-1011)
Recruiter's read. Qualitative, not BLS data.
What should you know about an interview based on the work?
Build the interview around measurement methods and setups supporting defensible dimensional results. A practical discussion of a datum or fixturing choice explained through the drawing tolerance can test judgment without using confidential drawings or customer information. Those limits help establish measurement judgment rather than only pressing start on a saved program; they are part of competence, not a weakness to talk around.
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 Metrology Technician?
The median annual wage for Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers in the United States was $48,570 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS, May 2025). The middle half of workers earned between $39,890 and $61,440. 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 $35,510. 90% earned less than $77,860.
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 Metrology Technician at a plant?
The Metrology 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 597,370 workers employed in this occupation in the United States.
What should you know about related?
What does this data mean for your opening?
Metrology Technician positions map to the Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers category. This group has a national employment level of 597370. For Metrology Technician in the United States, releases are separate survey estimates. The May 2025 median is $48,570; the May 2024 median is $47,460. Their arithmetic difference is $1,110.
They are not the same workers' raises and do not establish a pay trend or its cause. For Metrology Technician in the United States, percentiles describe the wage distribution of the mapped occupation. The published middle interval is $39,890 to $61,440 annually. They do not assign pay to plant size, seniority, credentials or job complexity. Assess duties and candidate requirements separately; these rows do not measure a premium for them. Manufacturing Headhunters highlights that this data excludes benefits, which are standard in high-end metrology roles. The BLS does not differentiate metrology from general inspection, so these figures reflect the broad scope of all testers.
Industry-specific national medians for this occupation include $74450 in Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing, $73310 in Motor Vehicle Manufacturing, and $64560 in Ship and Boat Building. These figures represent the national industry level. When examining specific metros, Chicago-Naperville-Elgin reports a median of $48230 with a location quotient of 1.33. Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim reports a median of $51560 with a location quotient of 0.94. These values demonstrate local variation without factoring in specific job-level requirements.
The role of a Metrology Technician often involves complex measurement judgment beyond simple program execution. Because the SOC 51-9061 code covers such a wide array of roles, the national median of $48570 is an aggregate. For Metrology Technician in the United States, percentiles describe the wage distribution of the mapped occupation. The published middle interval is $39,890 to $61,440 annually. They do not assign pay to plant size, seniority, credentials or job complexity. Assess duties and candidate requirements separately; these rows do not measure a premium for them. Employers need to account for this broad categorization when assessing compensation, as the metrology function often requires skills beyond basic sorting.
Which pay questions should you settle before hiring?
For Metrology Technician in the United States, percentiles describe the wage distribution of the mapped occupation. The published middle interval is $39,890 to $61,440 annually. They do not assign pay to plant size, seniority, credentials or job complexity. Assess duties and candidate requirements separately; these rows do not measure a premium for them.
Why is the national median lower than the Aerospace industry median?
The Aerospace median of $74450 represents a specific sector within the larger inspection SOC. The national median of $48570 aggregates all industries, including those with lower complexity inspection tasks.
What can I conclude from the two release estimates?
For Metrology Technician in the United States, percentiles describe the wage distribution of the mapped occupation. The published middle interval is $39,890 to $61,440 annually. They do not assign pay to plant size, seniority, credentials or job complexity. Assess duties and candidate requirements separately; these rows do not measure a premium for them. It supports that technical roles like metrology often fall into the higher percentiles of this range.
Is the Chicago location quotient useful for setting metrology pay?
The location quotient of 1.33 signifies the concentration of inspector roles in Chicago. It does not set pay, nor does it distinguish metrology technicians from general quality staff.
Related recruiting or pay page · Related wage comparison 1 · Data methodology · Related wage comparison 3 · Related wage comparison 4