SalariesWhat the occupation covers
Perform any or all of the following functions in the manufacture of electronic semiconductors: load semiconductor material into furnace; saw formed ingots into segments; load individual segment into crystal growing chamber and monitor controls; locate crystal axis in ingot using x-ray equipment and saw ingots into wafers; and clean, polish, and load wafers into series of special purpose furnaces, chemical baths, and equipment used to form circuitry and change conductive properties.
Official definition from the Standard Occupational Classification, code 51-9141.
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 | $37,690 | $3,141 | $725 | $18.12 |
| Lowest 25% earn less than | $45,640 | $3,803 | $878 | $21.94 |
| Median (half earn less, half more) | $51,430 | $4,286 | $989 | $24.73 |
| Top 25% earn more than | $65,010 | $5,418 | $1,250 | $31.25 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $82,540 | $6,878 | $1,587 | $39.68 |
* 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 Semiconductor Processing Technicians is $51,430, which is about the same. Among the 105 occupations of the field Production, it ranks number 30 by median pay. With 31,460 jobs, it makes up about 2.0 of every 10,000 jobs in the country. The average ($60,180) is well above the median, a sign that a smaller group of high earners pulls the average up.
Semiconductor Processing Technicians pay by state
The highest median pay was in Arizona ($78,940), Oregon ($63,330) and Florida ($62,330). The lowest was in Nevada ($37,290), Texas ($38,440) and Arkansas ($40,610). The most jobs were in Oregon (6,620), Texas (6,110) and California (4,650). The occupation is most concentrated in Oregon, where its share of all jobs is 16.6 times the national share.
No state matches.
| State | Jobs | Median a year | Average a year | Median an hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arizona | 2,270 | $78,940 | $72,800 | $37.95 |
| Oregon | 6,620 | $63,330 | $67,640 | $30.45 |
| Florida | 190 | $62,330 | $60,820 | $29.97 |
| Washington | 990 | $58,710 | $58,690 | $28.22 |
| Minnesota | not published | $57,780 | $55,210 | $27.78 |
| North Carolina | 60 | $56,160 | $56,200 | $27.00 |
| Colorado | 790 | $52,360 | $53,940 | $25.17 |
| Massachusetts | 1,190 | $51,410 | $53,450 | $24.72 |
| New York | 1,750 | $49,400 | $54,240 | $23.75 |
| Georgia | not published | $48,580 | $47,210 | $23.35 |
| California | 4,650 | $48,030 | $50,420 | $23.09 |
| New Hampshire | 130 | $47,710 | $55,130 | $22.94 |
| Maryland | 120 | $47,610 | $51,720 | $22.89 |
| Maine | 320 | $47,270 | $49,720 | $22.73 |
| Connecticut | 50 | $47,000 | $49,230 | $22.60 |
| Pennsylvania | 340 | $46,430 | $47,920 | $22.32 |
| Utah | 120 | $40,760 | $43,290 | $19.60 |
| Arkansas | 40 | $40,610 | $42,140 | $19.53 |
| Texas | 6,110 | $38,440 | $43,040 | $18.48 |
| Nevada | not published | $37,290 | $38,200 | $17.93 |
| Michigan | 270 | 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.
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Common questions
How much do Semiconductor Processing Technicians earn in the United States?
The median pay was $51,430 a year in May 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $37,690 and the highest-paid 10% more than $82,540.
How many people work as Semiconductor Processing Technicians?
About 31,460 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.