SalariesWhat the occupation covers
Execute or adapt procedures and techniques for calibrating measurement devices, by applying knowledge of measurement science, mathematics, physics, chemistry, and electronics, sometimes under the direction of engineering staff. Determine measurement standard suitability for calibrating measurement devices. May perform preventive maintenance on equipment. May perform corrective actions to address identified calibration problems. Excludes “Medical Equipment Preparers” (31-9093) and “Timing Device Assemblers and Adjusters” (51-2061).
Official definition from the Standard Occupational Classification, code 17-3028.
The pay range
Pay differs a lot inside one occupation, with experience, employer and place. The table shows where the lines fall.
| Share of workers | A year | A month* | A week* | An hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lowest 10% earn less than | $46,680 | $3,890 | $898 | $22.44 |
| Lowest 25% earn less than | $56,380 | $4,698 | $1,084 | $27.11 |
| Median (half earn less, half more) | $67,820 | $5,652 | $1,304 | $32.61 |
| Top 25% earn more than | $92,080 | $7,673 | $1,771 | $44.27 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $106,550 | $8,879 | $2,049 | $51.23 |
* Month and week are the yearly figure divided by 12 and by 52, worked out here for convenience. BLS publishes the yearly and hourly figures.
How it compares
The median for all occupations in the United States was $50,980 a year. The median for Calibration Technologists and Technicians is $67,820, which is 33% higher. Among the 36 occupations of the field Architecture and Engineering, it ranks number 30 by median pay. With 16,540 jobs, it makes up about 1.1 of every 10,000 jobs in the country.
Calibration Technologists and Technicians pay by state
The highest median pay was in Washington ($93,880), Oklahoma ($80,920) and Louisiana ($80,670). The lowest was in Puerto Rico ($38,460), Kentucky ($55,650) and Illinois ($59,590). The most jobs were in Texas (5,020), California (1,250) and Indiana (810). The occupation is most concentrated in Puerto Rico, where its share of all jobs is 6.3 times the national share.
No state matches.
| State | Jobs | Median a year | Average a year | Median an hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | 270 | $93,880 | $96,460 | $45.13 |
| Oklahoma | 150 | $80,920 | $76,020 | $38.91 |
| Louisiana | 480 | $80,670 | $82,770 | $38.78 |
| California | 1,250 | $79,010 | $82,510 | $37.98 |
| Vermont | 30 | $77,950 | $73,900 | $37.47 |
| New Jersey | 390 | $77,040 | $81,530 | $37.04 |
| Massachusetts | 380 | $75,500 | $74,020 | $36.30 |
| Texas | 5,020 | $74,100 | $77,490 | $35.62 |
| Virginia | 330 | $72,730 | $77,340 | $34.97 |
| Tennessee | 130 | $71,660 | $72,340 | $34.45 |
| Michigan | 400 | $70,140 | $72,360 | $33.72 |
| Arizona | 400 | $69,230 | $73,330 | $33.28 |
| Oregon | 170 | $68,830 | $72,740 | $33.09 |
| Utah | 80 | $67,300 | $75,290 | $32.36 |
| South Carolina | 70 | $66,910 | $70,880 | $32.17 |
| Georgia | 140 | $66,730 | $73,220 | $32.08 |
| New Hampshire | 280 | $66,650 | $69,420 | $32.04 |
| New Mexico | 190 | $65,650 | $74,410 | $31.56 |
| Ohio | 740 | $65,520 | $72,330 | $31.50 |
| Nevada | 110 | $64,530 | $67,170 | $31.03 |
| Rhode Island | 50 | $64,390 | $69,920 | $30.96 |
| Pennsylvania | 370 | $63,700 | $68,360 | $30.63 |
| Colorado | 260 | $63,660 | $73,410 | $30.61 |
| Nebraska | 130 | $63,530 | $67,210 | $30.54 |
| Connecticut | 120 | $63,420 | $67,810 | $30.49 |
| Indiana | 810 | $61,930 | $60,610 | $29.77 |
| Missouri | 280 | $61,510 | $63,330 | $29.57 |
| Iowa | 110 | $61,490 | $72,330 | $29.56 |
| New York | 800 | $61,270 | $65,630 | $29.46 |
| Wisconsin | 320 | $61,060 | $63,890 | $29.36 |
| North Carolina | 410 | $61,000 | $69,770 | $29.33 |
| Maryland | 200 | $60,860 | $82,520 | $29.26 |
| Minnesota | 400 | $60,360 | $70,540 | $29.02 |
| Florida | 480 | $59,770 | $64,360 | $28.74 |
| Illinois | not published | $59,590 | $68,100 | $28.65 |
| Kentucky | 90 | $55,650 | $56,810 | $26.75 |
| Puerto Rico | 630 | $38,460 | $40,670 | $18.49 |
| Alaska | 30 | not published | not published | not published |
| Arkansas | 230 | not published | not published | not published |
| Kansas | 50 | not published | not published | not published |
Sorted by median pay, highest first. "Not published" means BLS did not release that figure for the state, usually because too few employers were surveyed. "$239,200 or more" is the highest value BLS reports in the state tables.
Similar occupations by pay
- Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians$74,510 a year
- Electro-Mechanical and Mechatronics Technologists and Technicians$73,900 a year
- Mechanical Drafters$71,550 a year
- Architectural and Civil Drafters$66,150 a year
- Industrial Engineering Technologists and Technicians$66,120 a year
- Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians$64,950 a year
Common questions
How much do Calibration Technologists and Technicians earn in the United States?
The median pay was $67,820 a year in May 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $46,680 and the highest-paid 10% more than $106,550.
How many people work as Calibration Technologists and Technicians?
About 16,540 jobs in the United States in May 2025, not counting the self-employed.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Checked in November 2026. Figures are for employees, before tax, and leave out overtime pay and benefits. They are official statistics, not advice or a pay offer; see bls.gov/oes for the original tables.