Salary guide, May 2025
Semiconductor Fab Technician pay by metro, ranked
Manufacturing Headhunters uses the published BLS OEWS figures below. They describe the mapped occupation and area, not an individual offer.
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Of 393 metros, BLS published an exact annual median for 16. The highest is Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ at $78,940 and the lowest is Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX at $38,440. 0 more are published but not rankable and 377 are not published by bls.
Broader occupation · SOC 51-9141 Semiconductor Processing Technicians
The Semiconductor Fab 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.
- Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ$78,940
- Manchester-Nashua, NH$63,740
- Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA$62,810
- Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL$62,320
- Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH$59,110
- Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI$57,780
- Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA$55,170
- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ$54,280
- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$50,820
- Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA$48,580
- Portland-South Portland, ME$47,270
- San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA$47,200
- San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$46,340
- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA$40,770
- Salt Lake City-Murray, UT$40,620
- Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX$38,440
Bars show the top 16 of 16 ranked. The table below lists all 16. Literal BLS medians, May 2025.
| Rank | Metro | BLS occupation | 25th | Median | 75th | Employment | LQ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | Semiconductor Processing Technicians (51-9141) | $51,190 | $78,940 | $80,670 | 2,260 | 4.7 |
| 2 | Manchester-Nashua, NH | Semiconductor Processing Technicians (51-9141) | $51,850 | $63,740 | $69,400 | Not published by BLS | Not published by BLS |
| 3 | Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | Semiconductor Processing Technicians (51-9141) | $51,870 | $62,810 | $80,450 | 7,290 | 29.81 |
| 4 | Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | Semiconductor Processing Technicians (51-9141) | $48,490 | $62,320 | $64,510 | 100 | 0.34 |
| 5 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | Semiconductor Processing Technicians (51-9141) | $48,690 | $59,110 | $60,950 | 560 | 1.02 |
| 6 | Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | Semiconductor Processing Technicians (51-9141) | $49,420 | $57,780 | $57,810 | Not published by BLS | Not published by BLS |
| 7 | Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | Semiconductor Processing Technicians (51-9141) | $46,420 | $55,170 | $59,260 | 40 | 0.56 |
| 8 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Semiconductor Processing Technicians (51-9141) | $49,940 | $54,280 | $59,030 | 70 | 0.03 |
| 9 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | Semiconductor Processing Technicians (51-9141) | $47,640 | $50,820 | $57,290 | 2,130 | 9.28 |
| 10 | Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | Semiconductor Processing Technicians (51-9141) | $48,570 | $48,580 | $48,580 | Not published by BLS | Not published by BLS |
| 11 | Portland-South Portland, ME | Semiconductor Processing Technicians (51-9141) | $45,220 | $47,270 | $50,070 | 320 | 5.46 |
| 12 | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | Semiconductor Processing Technicians (51-9141) | $44,740 | $47,200 | $49,850 | 290 | 0.94 |
| 13 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | Semiconductor Processing Technicians (51-9141) | $46,270 | $46,340 | $55,640 | 680 | 1.42 |
| 14 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Semiconductor Processing Technicians (51-9141) | $40,550 | $40,770 | $48,880 | 1,080 | 0.85 |
| 15 | Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | Semiconductor Processing Technicians (51-9141) | $40,620 | $40,620 | $45,590 | 50 | 0.31 |
| 16 | Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | Semiconductor Processing Technicians (51-9141) | $37,160 | $38,440 | $50,120 | 3,190 | 3.9 |
What should you know about not published by BLS?
Abilene, TX, Aguadilla, PR, Akron, OH, Albany, GA, Albany, OR, Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY, Albuquerque, NM, Alexandria, LA, Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ, Altoona, PA, Amarillo, TX, Ames, IA, Amherst Town-Northampton, MA, Anchorage, AK, Ann Arbor, MI, Anniston-Oxford, AL, Appleton, WI, Arecibo, PR, Asheville, NC, Athens-Clarke County, GA, Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ, Auburn-Opelika, AL, Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC, Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX, Bakersfield-Delano, CA, Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD, Bangor, ME, Barnstable Town, MA, Baton Rouge, LA, Battle Creek, MI, Bay City, MI, Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX, Beckley, WV, Bellingham, WA, Bend, OR, Billings, MT, Binghamton, NY, Birmingham, AL, Bismarck, ND, Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA, Bloomington, IL, Bloomington, IN, Boise City, ID, Boulder, CO, Bowling Green, KY, Bozeman, MT, Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA, Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT, Brownsville-Harlingen, TX, Brunswick-St. Simons, GA, Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY, Burlington, NC, Burlington-South Burlington, VT, Canton-Massillon, OH, Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL, Cape Girardeau, MO-IL, Carson City, NV, Casper, WY, Cedar Rapids, IA, Chambersburg, PA, Champaign-Urbana, IL, Charleston, WV, Charleston-North Charleston, SC, Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC, Charlottesville, VA, Chattanooga, TN-GA, Cheyenne, WY, Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN, Chico, CA, Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN, Clarksville, TN-KY, Cleveland, OH, Cleveland, TN, Coeur d'Alene, ID, College Station-Bryan, TX, Colorado Springs, CO, Columbia, MO, Columbia, SC, Columbus, GA-AL, Columbus, IN, Columbus, OH, Corpus Christi, TX, Corvallis, OR, Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL, Dalton, GA, Daphne-Fairhope-Foley, AL, Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL, Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH, Decatur, AL, Decatur, IL, Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL, Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO, Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA, Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI, Dothan, AL, Dover, DE, Dubuque, IA, Duluth, MN-WI, Durham-Chapel Hill, NC, Eagle Pass, TX, Eau Claire, WI, El Centro, CA, Elizabethtown, KY, Elkhart-Goshen, IN, Elmira, NY, El Paso, TX, Enid, OK, Erie, PA, Eugene-Springfield, OR, Evansville, IN, Fairbanks-College, AK, Fargo, ND-MN, Farmington, NM, Fayetteville, NC, Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR, Flagstaff, AZ, Flint, MI, Florence, SC, Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL, Fond du Lac, WI, Fort Collins-Loveland, CO, Fort Smith, AR-OK, Fort Wayne, IN, Fresno, CA, Gadsden, AL, Gainesville, FL, Gainesville, GA, Gettysburg, PA, Glens Falls, NY, Goldsboro, NC, Grand Forks, ND-MN, Grand Island, NE, Grand Junction, CO, Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI, Grants Pass, OR, Great Falls, MT, Greeley, CO, Green Bay, WI, Greensboro-High Point, NC, Greenville, NC, Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC, Guayama, PR, Gulfport-Biloxi, MS, Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV, Hammond, LA, Hanford-Corcoran, CA, Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA, Harrisonburg, VA, Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT, Hattiesburg, MS, Helena, MT, Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC, Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC, Hinesville, GA, Homosassa Springs, FL, Hot Springs, AR, Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux, LA, Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX, Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH, Huntsville, AL, Idaho Falls, ID, Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN, Iowa City, IA, Ithaca, NY, Jackson, MI, Jackson, MS, Jackson, TN, Jacksonville, FL, Jacksonville, NC, Janesville-Beloit, WI, Jefferson City, MO, Johnson City, TN, Johnstown, PA, Jonesboro, AR, Joplin, MO-KS, Kahului-Wailuku, HI, Kalamazoo-Portage, MI, Kankakee, IL, Kansas City, MO-KS, Kennewick-Richland, WA, Kenosha, WI, Killeen-Temple, TX, Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA, Kingston, NY, Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY, Knoxville, TN, Kokomo, IN, La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN, Lafayette, LA, Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN, Lake Charles, LA, Lake Havasu City-Kingman, AZ, Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL, Lancaster, PA, Lansing-East Lansing, MI, Laredo, TX, Las Cruces, NM, Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV, Lawrence, KS, Lawton, OK, Lebanon, PA, Lewiston, ID-WA, Lewiston-Auburn, ME, Lexington-Fayette, KY, Lexington Park, MD, Lima, OH, Lincoln, NE, Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR, Logan, UT-ID, Longview, TX, Longview-Kelso, WA, Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN, Lubbock, TX, Lynchburg, VA, Macon-Bibb County, GA, Madison, WI, distribution management software, KS, Mankato, MN, Mansfield, OH, Mayaguez, PR, McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX, Medford, OR, Memphis, TN-MS-AR, Merced, CA, Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL, Michigan City-La Porte, IN, Midland, MI, Midland, TX, Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI, Minot, ND, Missoula, MT, Mobile, AL, Modesto, CA, Monroe, LA, Monroe, MI, Montgomery, AL, Morgantown, WV, Morristown, TN, Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA, Muncie, IN, Muskegon-Norton Shores, MI, Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC, Napa, CA, Naples-Marco Island, FL, Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN, New Haven, CT, New Orleans-Metairie, LA, Niles, MI, North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL, Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT, Ocala, FL, Odessa, TX, Ogden, UT, Oklahoma City, OK, Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA, Omaha, NE-IA, Oshkosh-Neenah, WI, Owensboro, KY, Paducah, KY-IL, Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL, Panama City-Panama City Beach, FL, Parkersburg-Vienna, WV, Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL, Peoria, IL, Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD, Pinehurst-Southern Pines, NC, Pittsburgh, PA, Pittsfield, MA, Pocatello, ID, Ponce, PR, Port St. Lucie, FL, Prescott Valley-Prescott, AZ, Providence-Warwick, RI-MA, Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT, Pueblo, CO, Punta Gorda, FL, Racine-Mount Pleasant, WI, Raleigh-Cary, NC, Rapid City, SD, Reading, PA, Redding, CA, Reno, NV, Richmond, VA, Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA, Roanoke, VA, Rochester, MN, Rochester, NY, Rockford, IL, Rocky Mount, NC, Rome, GA, Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA, Saginaw, MI, St. Cloud, MN, St. George, UT, St. Joseph, MO-KS, St. Louis, MO-IL, Salem, OR, Salinas, CA, Salisbury, MD, San Angelo, TX, San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX, Sandusky, OH, San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR, San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA, Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA, Santa Fe, NM, Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA, Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA, Savannah, GA, Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA, Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA, Sebastian-Vero Beach-West Vero Corridor, FL, Sebring, FL, Sheboygan, WI, Sherman-Denison, TX, Shreveport-Bossier City, LA, Sierra Vista-Douglas, AZ, Sioux City, IA-NE-SD, Sioux Falls, SD-MN, Slidell-Mandeville-Covington, LA, South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI, Spartanburg, SC, Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA, Springfield, IL, Springfield, MA, Springfield, MO, Springfield, OH, State College, PA, Staunton-Stuarts Draft, VA, Stockton-Lodi, CA, Sumter, SC, Syracuse, NY, Tallahassee, FL, Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL, Terre Haute, IN, Texarkana, TX-AR, Toledo, OH, Topeka, KS, Traverse City, MI, Trenton-Princeton, NJ, Tucson, AZ, Tulsa, OK, Tuscaloosa, AL, Twin Falls, ID, Tyler, TX, Urban Honolulu, HI, Utica-Rome, NY, Valdosta, GA, Vallejo, CA, Victoria, TX, Vineland, NJ, Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC, Visalia, CA, Waco, TX, Walla Walla, WA, Warner Robins, GA, Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV, Waterbury-Shelton, CT, Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA, Watertown-Fort Drum, NY, Wausau, WI, Weirton-Steubenville, WV-OH, Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA, Wheeling, WV-OH, Wichita, KS, Wichita Falls, TX, Wildwood-The Villages, FL, Williamsport, PA, Wilmington, NC, Winchester, VA-WV, Winston-Salem, NC, Worcester, MA, Yakima, WA, York-Hanover, PA, Youngstown-Warren, OH, Yuba City, CA, Yuma, AZ.
What should you know about role pay against all occupations, by metro?
Ratio = this role's published median divided by the all-occupations median in the same metro, same units, both exact. A ratio above 1.00 means the role's median is higher than the metro's all-occupations median. It makes no cost-of-living claim. Location quotient (LQ) is employment concentration, not a wage index.
- Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ1.54
- Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL1.34
- Manchester-Nashua, NH1.13
- Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA1.05
- Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA1.03
- Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI0.97
- Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA0.95
- Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH0.89
- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ0.88
- Portland-South Portland, ME0.83
- San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA0.80
- Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX0.75
- Salt Lake City-Murray, UT0.74
- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA0.73
- San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA0.62
- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA0.60
Bars show the highest 25 of 16. The table lists all.
| Metro | Role median | All-occupations median | Ratio | LQ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $78,940 | $51,380 | 1.54 | 4.7 |
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $62,320 | $46,630 | 1.34 | 0.34 |
| Manchester-Nashua, NH | $63,740 | $56,530 | 1.13 | Not published by BLS |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $55,170 | $52,510 | 1.05 | 0.56 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $62,810 | $60,690 | 1.03 | 29.81 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $57,780 | $59,320 | 0.97 | Not published by BLS |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $48,580 | $51,170 | 0.95 | Not published by BLS |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $59,110 | $66,620 | 0.89 | 1.02 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $54,280 | $61,430 | 0.88 | 0.03 |
| Portland-South Portland, ME | $47,270 | $56,960 | 0.83 | 5.46 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $47,200 | $58,690 | 0.80 | 0.94 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $38,440 | $51,440 | 0.75 | 3.9 |
| Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | $40,620 | $55,240 | 0.74 | 0.31 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $40,770 | $55,850 | 0.73 | 0.85 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $46,340 | $74,260 | 0.62 | 1.42 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $50,820 | $84,050 | 0.60 | 9.28 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. SOC 51-9141 Semiconductor Processing Technicians, Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler. Official occupation data · Official area tables. Released 2026-05-15.
National page for Semiconductor Fab Technician · Pay range finder
How should you read Semiconductor Fab Technician metro ranking?
Semiconductor Fab Technician metro ranking: Semiconductor Fab Technician, mapped to Semiconductor Processing Technicians (51-9141), in Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ has a published annual median of $78,940 for 2025-05. This is an occupation estimate across employers, not a quoted starting rate for your opening. Read the occupation name with the amount.
A narrower plant title does not turn a broader BLS occupation into a separately measured job.
For the same Semiconductor Fab Technician metro ranking: Semiconductor Fab Technician, mapped to Semiconductor Processing Technicians (51-9141), in Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ row, the published lower quartile is $51,190 and the upper quartile is $80,670. These are wage distribution points, not junior and senior job grades. A person’s equipment knowledge, shift requirements and actual duties still need a separate discussion. A missing percentile stays missing rather than being filled from another occupation.
The Semiconductor Fab Technician metro ranking: Semiconductor Fab Technician, mapped to Semiconductor Processing Technicians (51-9141), in Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ employment estimate is 2,260. Employment describes people already working in the measured occupation and area. It does not count available applicants, people willing to move or candidates interested in your plant. Keep that distinction when using this Semiconductor Fab Technician metro ranking to plan a search or discuss an offer with a hiring manager.
Semiconductor Fab Technician metro ranking: Semiconductor Fab Technician, mapped to Semiconductor Processing Technicians (51-9141), in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA has a published annual median of $50,820 for 2025-05. This is an occupation estimate across employers, not a quoted starting rate for your opening. Read the occupation name with the amount. A narrower plant title does not turn a broader BLS occupation into a separately measured job.
For the same Semiconductor Fab Technician metro ranking: Semiconductor Fab Technician, mapped to Semiconductor Processing Technicians (51-9141), in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA row, the published lower quartile is $47,640 and the upper quartile is $57,290. These are wage distribution points, not junior and senior job grades. A person’s equipment knowledge, shift requirements and actual duties still need a separate discussion. A missing percentile stays missing rather than being filled from another occupation.
The Semiconductor Fab Technician metro ranking: Semiconductor Fab Technician, mapped to Semiconductor Processing Technicians (51-9141), in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA employment estimate is 2,130. Employment describes people already working in the measured occupation and area. It does not count available applicants, people willing to move or candidates interested in your plant. Keep that distinction when using this Semiconductor Fab Technician metro ranking to plan a search or discuss an offer with a hiring manager.
Semiconductor Fab Technician metro ranking: Semiconductor Fab Technician, mapped to Semiconductor Processing Technicians (51-9141), in Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX has a published annual median of $38,440 for 2025-05. This is an occupation estimate across employers, not a quoted starting rate for your opening. Read the occupation name with the amount. A narrower plant title does not turn a broader BLS occupation into a separately measured job.
For the same Semiconductor Fab Technician metro ranking: Semiconductor Fab Technician, mapped to Semiconductor Processing Technicians (51-9141), in Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX row, the published lower quartile is $37,160 and the upper quartile is $50,120. These are wage distribution points, not junior and senior job grades. A person’s equipment knowledge, shift requirements and actual duties still need a separate discussion. A missing percentile stays missing rather than being filled from another occupation.
The Semiconductor Fab Technician metro ranking: Semiconductor Fab Technician, mapped to Semiconductor Processing Technicians (51-9141), in Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX employment estimate is 3,190. Employment describes people already working in the measured occupation and area. It does not count available applicants, people willing to move or candidates interested in your plant. Keep that distinction when using this Semiconductor Fab Technician metro ranking to plan a search or discuss an offer with a hiring manager.
Which questions matter for Semiconductor Fab Technician metro ranking?
Semiconductor Fab Technician metro ranking: Semiconductor Fab Technician, mapped to Semiconductor Processing Technicians (51-9141), in Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ has a published annual median of $78,940 for 2025-05. This is an occupation estimate across employers, not a quoted starting rate for your opening.
Does Semiconductor Fab Technician metro ranking give an exact offer for my plant?
Semiconductor Fab Technician metro ranking: Semiconductor Fab Technician, mapped to Semiconductor Processing Technicians (51-9141), in Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ has a published annual median of $78,940 for 2025-05. This is an occupation estimate across employers, not a quoted starting rate for your opening. Read the occupation name with the amount. A narrower plant title does not turn a broader BLS occupation into a separately measured job.
What does the wage band in Semiconductor Fab Technician metro ranking describe?
For the same Semiconductor Fab Technician metro ranking: Semiconductor Fab Technician, mapped to Semiconductor Processing Technicians (51-9141), in Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ row, the published lower quartile is $51,190 and the upper quartile is $80,670. These are wage distribution points, not junior and senior job grades. A person’s equipment knowledge, shift requirements and actual duties still need a separate discussion. A missing percentile stays missing rather than being filled from another occupation.
Does the employment figure in Semiconductor Fab Technician metro ranking measure available candidates?
The Semiconductor Fab Technician metro ranking: Semiconductor Fab Technician, mapped to Semiconductor Processing Technicians (51-9141), in Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ employment estimate is 2,260. Employment describes people already working in the measured occupation and area. It does not count available applicants, people willing to move or candidates interested in your plant. Keep that distinction when using this Semiconductor Fab Technician metro ranking to plan a search or discuss an offer with a hiring manager.
Semiconductor Fab Technician source figures · Semiconductor Fab Technician source figures · Semiconductor Fab Technician source figures · Methodology
What does this ranking mean for your opening?
Semiconductor fab technician wage rankings are highly sensitive to the regional ecosystem of fabs and back-end assembly sites. Hiring managers should note that the wide variance across metros is largely driven by local concentration of large, highly automated fabs versus smaller, older facilities.
Recruiter's read. Qualitative interpretation, not another BLS estimate.
Semiconductor fab technician wage rankings are highly sensitive to the regional ecosystem of fabs and back-end assembly sites. Hiring managers should note that the wide variance across metros is largely driven by local concentration of large, highly automated fabs versus smaller, older facilities. Do not treat these numbers as a salary guide for your own role, as the complexity of your fab and specific tool areas dictates the cost of talent.
The actual technical skill set required, whether lots-moving, tool-monitoring or alarm-responding, varies significantly by fab area. Candidates with experience in photolithography, for example, have different market values than those in wet bench areas. Your offer strategy should prioritize these specific technical capabilities, rather than anchoring to a general metropolitan median that may reflect a different fab environment altogether.
The requirement for rotating 12-hour shifts in many cleanroom facilities is a major factor in candidate retention and recruitment. If your shift pattern is particularly grueling or irregular compared to local standards, you may need to offer pay well above the median to attract the right expertise. Cleanroom work is demanding, and experienced fab technicians understand the lifestyle trade-offs involved in their work.
Before finalizing a search, verify your fab's expectation for internal tool qualification. Some plants expect technicians to arrive fully qualified, while others provide training. If you require a fully qualified technician, you are essentially buying a specialized asset whose market price will typically be higher than a generic operator. Be transparent about your expectations, as skilled technicians will immediately understand the gap between your needs and the regional average.
What should you know about questions before using this pay map?
Why is the wage for this role so varied across regions?
Wage variance reflects local fab densities and the specific complexity of tools being supported in each metro.
Is the national median a reliable indicator of fab pay?
It is too broad. Benchmark your offers based on the complexity of your fab’s toolset and your specific process area.
What should I offer a cleanroom-experienced technician?
Offer based on their actual excursion-handling history and tool ownership, not just the regional salary average.
Should I adjust pay for night shift availability?
Absolutely. Night and rotating shifts often require a premium to attract stable, experienced fab technicians.