Calibration Technologists and Technicians

Summary

Quick Facts: Calibration Technologists and Technicians
2024 Median Pay	$65,040 per year $31.27 per hour
Typical Entry-Level Education	Associate's degree
Work Experience in a Related Occupation	None
On-the-job Training	None
Number of Jobs, 2024	15,800
Job Outlook, 2024–34	5% (Faster than average)
Employment Change, 2024–34	700

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 $65,040 in May 2024.

Job Outlook

Employment of calibration technologists and technicians is projected to grow 5 percent from 2024 to 2034, faster than the average for all occupations.

About 1,400 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 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 work in a variety of settings, such as manufacturing plants.

Calibration technologists and technicians held about 15,800 jobs in 2024. The largest employers of calibration technologists and technicians were as follows:

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 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. Certification may require a certain level of education, a specified amount of work experience, and passing an examination. Information on certifications is available from CareerOneStop.

Important Qualities

The following are examples of qualities that are important for these workers to perform their duties. For more information, visit the Employment Projections (EP) skills data page.

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

The median annual wage for calibration technologists and technicians was $65,040 in May 2024. 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 $44,730, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $105,440.

In May 2024, the median annual wages for calibration technologists and technicians in the top industries in which they worked were as follows:

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

Job Outlook About this section

Employment of calibration technologists and technicians is projected to grow 5 percent from 2024 to 2034, faster than the average for all occupations.

About 1,400 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.

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 below goes to OEWS data maps for employment and wages by state and area. Use the dropdown boxes to select an occupation.

• Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) Profiles

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.

Contacts for More Information About this section

For more information about calibration standards, visit

National Institute of Standards and Technology

For information about certifications, visit CareerOneStop.

O*NET

Calibration Technologists and Technicians