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Calibration Technologists and Technicians

Summary

calibration technologists and technicians
Quick Facts: Calibration Technologists and Technicians
2023 Median Pay $62,790 per year
$30.19 per hour
Typical Entry-Level Education Associate's degree
Work Experience in a Related Occupation None
On-the-job Training None
Number of Jobs, 2023 13,800
Job Outlook, 2023-33 6% (Faster than average)
Employment Change, 2023-33 800

What Calibration Technologists and Technicians Do

Calibration technologists and technicians inspect, adjust, and test measurement devices against standards, such as those used in manufacturing, healthcare, and other industries.

Work Environment

Calibration technologists and technicians work in a variety of settings. Most work full time.

How to Become a Calibration Technologist or Technician

Calibration technologists and technicians typically need an associate’s degree or other postsecondary training in a technical or scientific field. Some enter the occupation with a high school diploma and learn their skills on the job.

Pay

The median annual wage for calibration technologists and technicians was $62,790 in May 2023.

Job Outlook

Employment of calibration technologists and technicians is projected to grow 6 percent from 2023 to 2033, faster than the average for all occupations.

About 1,300 openings for calibration technologists and technicians are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.

State & Area Data

Explore resources for employment and wages by state and area for calibration technologists and technicians.

Similar Occupations

Compare the job duties, education, job growth, and pay of calibration technologists and technicians with similar occupations.

More Information, Including Links to O*NET

Learn more about calibration technologists and technicians by visiting additional resources, including O*NET, a source on key characteristics of workers and occupations.

What Calibration Technologists and Technicians Do About this section

calibration technologists and technicians
Calibration technologists and technicians ensure that measurement devices produce the proper output.

Calibration technologists and technicians inspect, adjust, and test measurement devices against standards, such as those used in manufacturing, healthcare, and other industries.

Duties

  • Inspect equipment for defects
  • Compare readings of measurement devices with established standards to ensure proper output
  • Adjust, if necessary, and test devices to check that calibration was successful and readings are accurate
  • Perform preventive maintenance on equipment
  • Record test results and maintenance performed
  • Coordinate schedules for servicing devices

Calibration technologists and technicians ensure precision across an industry by applying the principles of measurement science to processes, systems, and products. They work with a variety of instruments, meters, gauges, and other measurement devices.

The devices that these workers calibrate are used in a range of industries. For example, they may evaluate and adjust pressure gauges used in automotive manufacturing to verify that assembly equipment is functioning properly or develop anemometer tests for measuring output from wind turbines to confirm efficiency.

Some measurement devices are calibrated to industry standards, such as those set by the National Institute of Standards and Technology. For other devices, calibration technologists and technicians may be involved in helping to establish standards by developing tests and guidelines.

Work Environment About this section

calibration technologists and technicians
Calibration technologists and technicians work in a variety of settings, such as manufacturing plants.

Calibration technologists and technicians held about 13,800 jobs in 2023. The largest employers of calibration technologists and technicians were as follows:

Manufacturing 35%
Testing laboratories and services 21
Electronic and precision equipment repair and maintenance 7
Merchant wholesalers, durable goods 4
Research and development in the physical, engineering, and life sciences 3

Calibration technologists and technicians work in a variety of settings, depending on the industry in which the tools they calibrate are used. For example, in manufacturing they may work in a plant that produces chemicals, computers and electronics, machinery, or other products. Research and development might require working in a testing laboratory.

Some workers are required to travel between sites.

Injuries and Illnesses

Calibration technologists and technicians may encounter health and safety hazards in the workplace, such as exposure to loud or dangerous machinery in manufacturing facilities or to toxic materials in laboratories. To minimize their risk of injury or illness, they may wear hearing protection, gloves, a mask, or other personal protective equipment.

Work Schedules

Most calibration technologists and technicians work full time. Some work shifts that may include early mornings, nights, or weekends.

How to Become a Calibration Technologist or Technician About this section

calibration technologists and technicians
Calibration technologists and technicians must have dexterity when using the tools to calibrate and test measurement devices.

Calibration technologists and technicians typically need an associate’s degree or other postsecondary training in a technical or scientific field. Some workers enter the occupation with a high school diploma and learn their skills on the job.

Education and Training

High school students interested in this occupation should take classes in math and science. Some calibration technologists and technicians qualify for positions with a high school diploma or equivalent. To become fully competent, they receive training on the job, which may include guidance or supervision from an experienced calibration technician.

Calibration technologists and technicians typically need an associate’s degree in a field such as electronics engineering technology. These programs are usually offered at community colleges and technical schools and may include coursework in topics such as circuitry, metrology, and engineering.

Other Experience

Calibration technologists and technicians sometimes enter the occupation after gaining experience in the same industry for which a particular measurement device is used. For example, in the healthcare industry, a cardiovascular technician may become a calibration technician who works on pacemakers.

Licenses, Certification, and Registrations

Some calibration technologists and technicians earn optional certification, such as the Calibration Technician Certification from the American Society for Quality. Certification may require a certain level of education, a specified amount of work experience, and passing an examination.

Important Qualities

Communication skills. Calibration technologists and technicians must be able to convey information both orally and in writing, such as explaining results and writing reports about calibration tests.

Critical-thinking skills. Calibration technologists and technicians may need to create new methods for adjusting measurement devices based on calibration requirements.

Detail oriented. Calibration technologists and technicians must ensure that measurement devices are adjusted to precise outputs.

Dexterity. Calibration technologists and technicians must be agile and steady-handed when using tools to calibrate and test measurement devices.

Physical strength. Calibration technologists and technicians may have to lift heavy equipment or machinery.

Technical skills. Calibration technologists and technicians must know how to operate and fix manufacturing, laboratory, and other machinery or equipment.

Pay About this section

Calibration Technologists and Technicians

Median annual wages, May 2023

Drafters, engineering technicians, and mapping technicians

$63,100

Calibration technologists and technicians

$62,790

Total, all occupations

$48,060

 

The median annual wage for calibration technologists and technicians was $62,790 in May 2023. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $42,370, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $100,850.

In May 2023, the median annual wages for calibration technologists and technicians in the top industries in which they worked were as follows:

Research and development in the physical, engineering, and life sciences $71,930
Manufacturing 63,910
Electronic and precision equipment repair and maintenance 62,380
Merchant wholesalers, durable goods 58,650
Testing laboratories and services 55,840

Most calibration technologists and technicians work full time. Some work shifts that may include early mornings, nights, or weekends.

Job Outlook About this section

Calibration Technologists and Technicians

Percent change in employment, projected 2023-33

Calibration technologists and technicians

6%

Total, all occupations

4%

Drafters, engineering technicians, and mapping technicians

2%

 

Employment of calibration technologists and technicians is projected to grow 6 percent from 2023 to 2033, faster than the average for all occupations.

About 1,300 openings for calibration technologists and technicians are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.

Employment

As automation increases the complexity of measurement devices, calibration technologists and technicians will be needed to apply their knowledge of measurement science to evaluate and adjust a variety of equipment. However, improved technology may slightly offset employment growth as self-calibrating devices are expected to increase worker productivity.

Employment projections data for calibration technologists and technicians, 2023-33
Occupational Title SOC Code Employment, 2023 Projected Employment, 2033 Change, 2023-33 Employment by Industry
Percent Numeric

SOURCE: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program

Calibration technologists and technicians

17-3028 13,800 14,500 6 800 Get data

State & Area Data About this section

Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)

The Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program produces employment and wage estimates annually for over 800 occupations. These estimates are available for the nation as a whole, for individual states, and for metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas. The link(s) below go to OEWS data maps for employment and wages by state and area.

Projections Central

Occupational employment projections are developed for all states by Labor Market Information (LMI) or individual state Employment Projections offices. All state projections data are available at www.projectionscentral.org. Information on this site allows projected employment growth for an occupation to be compared among states or to be compared within one state. In addition, states may produce projections for areas; there are links to each state’s websites where these data may be retrieved.

CareerOneStop

CareerOneStop includes hundreds of occupational profiles with data available by state and metro area. There are links in the left-hand side menu to compare occupational employment by state and occupational wages by local area or metro area. There is also a salary info tool to search for wages by zip code.

Similar Occupations About this section

This table shows a list of occupations with job duties that are similar to those of calibration technologists and technicians.

Occupation Job Duties ENTRY-LEVEL EDUCATION Help on Entry-Level Education 2023 MEDIAN PAY Help on Median Pay
Assemblers and fabricators Assemblers and Fabricators

Assemblers and fabricators build finished products and the parts that go into them.

High school diploma or equivalent $39,720
Industrial engineering technicians Industrial Engineering Technologists and Technicians

Industrial engineering technologists and technicians help engineers solve problems affecting manufacturing layout or production.

Associate's degree $62,610
Industrial engineers Industrial Engineers

Industrial engineers design, develop, and test integrated systems for managing industrial production processes.

Bachelor's degree $99,380
Industrial machinery mechanics and maintenance workers Industrial Machinery Mechanics, Machinery Maintenance Workers, and Millwrights

Industrial machinery mechanics, machinery maintenance workers, and millwrights install, maintain, and repair factory equipment and other industrial machinery.

High school diploma or equivalent $61,170
Industrial production managers Industrial Production Managers

Industrial production managers oversee the operations of manufacturing and related plants.

Bachelor's degree $116,970
Mechanical engineering technicians Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians

Mechanical engineering technologists and technicians help mechanical engineers design, develop, test, and manufacture machines and other devices.

Associate's degree $64,020
Materials engineers Materials Engineers

Materials engineers develop, process, and test materials used to create a wide range of products.

Bachelor's degree $104,100
Suggested citation:

Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Calibration Technologists and Technicians,
at https://www.bls.gov/ooh/installation-maintenance-and-repair/calibration-technologists-and-technicians.htm (visited September 29, 2024).

Last Modified Date: Thursday, August 29, 2024

What They Do

The What They Do tab describes the typical duties and responsibilities of workers in the occupation, including what tools and equipment they use and how closely they are supervised. This tab also covers different types of occupational specialties.

Work Environment

The Work Environment tab includes the number of jobs held in the occupation and describes the workplace, the level of physical activity expected, and typical hours worked. It may also discuss the major industries that employed the occupation. This tab may also describe opportunities for part-time work, the amount and type of travel required, any safety equipment that is used, and the risk of injury that workers may face.

How to Become One

The How to Become One tab describes how to prepare for a job in the occupation. This tab can include information on education, training, work experience, licensing and certification, and important qualities that are required or helpful for entering or working in the occupation.

Pay

The Pay tab describes typical earnings and how workers in the occupation are compensated—annual salaries, hourly wages, commissions, tips, or bonuses. Within every occupation, earnings vary by experience, responsibility, performance, tenure, and geographic area. For most profiles, this tab has a table with wages in the major industries employing the occupation. It does not include pay for self-employed workers, agriculture workers, or workers in private households because these data are not collected by the Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, the source of BLS wage data in the OOH.

State & Area Data

The State and Area Data tab provides links to state and area occupational data from the Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program, state projections data from Projections Central, and occupational information from the Department of Labor's CareerOneStop.

Job Outlook

The Job Outlook tab describes the factors that affect employment growth or decline in the occupation, and in some instances, describes the relationship between the number of job seekers and the number of job openings.

Similar Occupations

The Similar Occupations tab describes occupations that share similar duties, skills, interests, education, or training with the occupation covered in the profile.

Contacts for More Information

The More Information tab provides the Internet addresses of associations, government agencies, unions, and other organizations that can provide additional information on the occupation. This tab also includes links to relevant occupational information from the Occupational Information Network (O*NET).

2023 Median Pay

The wage at which half of the workers in the occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. Median wage data are from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey. In May 2023, the median annual wage for all workers was $48,060.

On-the-job Training

Additional training needed (postemployment) to attain competency in the skills needed in this occupation.

Entry-level Education

Typical level of education that most workers need to enter this occupation.

Work experience in a related occupation

Work experience that is commonly considered necessary by employers, or is a commonly accepted substitute for more formal types of training or education.

Number of Jobs, 2023

The employment, or size, of this occupation in 2023, which is the base year of the 2023-33 employment projections.

Job Outlook, 2023-33

The projected percent change in employment from 2023 to 2033. The average growth rate for all occupations is 4 percent.

Employment Change, 2023-33

The projected numeric change in employment from 2023 to 2033.

Entry-level Education

Typical level of education that most workers need to enter this occupation.

On-the-job Training

Additional training needed (postemployment) to attain competency in the skills needed in this occupation.

Employment Change, projected 2023-33

The projected numeric change in employment from 2023 to 2033.

Growth Rate (Projected)

The percent change of employment for each occupation from 2023 to 2033.

Projected Number of New Jobs

The projected numeric change in employment from 2023 to 2033.

Projected Growth Rate

The projected percent change in employment from 2023 to 2033.

2023 Median Pay

The wage at which half of the workers in the occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. Median wage data are from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey. In May 2023, the median annual wage for all workers was $48,060.