### Bureau of Labor Statistics U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Calibration Technologists and Technicians Summary
                        
            
                                                        
                                                                
                        
            
            
            
                            
                                                
                                                
                                                
                                                
            						
							
				                                                
                                            




            			calibration technologists and technicians							
						Quick Facts:     Calibration Technologists and Technicians2023     Median Pay
            						$62,790     per year
										$30.19     per hourTypical Entry-Level Education
                                    Associate's degreeWork Experience in a Related Occupation
                                    NoneOn-the-job Training
                                    NoneNumber of Jobs, 2022
                                    11,300Job Outlook, 2022-32
                                    4% (As fast as average)Employment Change, 2022-32
                                    500What 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							 4 percent from 2022 to 2032, about as fast as the average for all occupations.
						About 1,100 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 
            

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

	    
				
	
	
	
	
	
	
	    					 Calibration technologists and technicians held about 11,300 jobs in 2022. The largest employers of calibration technologists and technicians were as follows:
        Manufacturing
                29%Testing laboratories
                20Electronic and precision equipment repair and maintenance
                10Merchant wholesalers, durable goods
                4Research and development in the physical, engineering, and life sciences
                3Calibration 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

			calibration technologists and techniciansCalibration 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

			



	
 
                                                     
            
    
                Calibration Technologists and TechniciansMedian annual wages, May 2023Drafters, engineering technicians, and mapping technicians$63,100  Calibration technologists and technicians$62,790  Total, all occupations$48,060Note: All Occupations includes all occupations in the U.S. Economy.Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
 

	
	



		
	
	
	
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
                $71,930Manufacturing
                63,910Electronic and precision equipment repair and maintenance
                62,380Merchant wholesalers, durable goods
                58,650Testing laboratories
                55,840Most calibration technologists and technicians work full time. Some work shifts that may include early mornings, nights, or weekends.
 Job Outlook

   
        
    
          
        
    
                Calibration Technologists and TechniciansPercent change in employment, projected 2022-32Calibration technologists and technicians4%  Total, all occupations3%  Drafters, engineering technicians, and mapping technicians1%Note: All Occupations includes all occupations in the U.S. Economy.Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program
            
            
			 
	
	
	

			Employment				of calibration technologists and technicians is projected to grow				 4 percent from 2022 to 2032, about as fast as the average for all occupations.
			
			About 1,100 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, 2022-32
                Occupational Title
                        SOC Code
                        Employment, 2022
                        Projected Employment, 2032
                        Change, 2022-32
                        Employment by IndustryPercent
                        NumericSOURCE: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program**Calibration technologists and technicians**
			17-3028
			11,300
			11,800
			4
			500
			Get data
 State & Area Data **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 OES data maps for employment and wages by state and area. Calibration technologists and technicians **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.com. 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 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
                2023     MEDIAN PAY**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 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 devise efficient systems that integrate workers, machines, materials, information, and energy to make a product or provide a service.
            Bachelor's degree
            $99,380**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 oversee the operations of manufacturing and related plants.
            Bachelor's degree
            $116,970**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 develop, process, and test materials used to create a wide range of products.
            Bachelor's degree
            $104,100
 Contacts for More Information
								
For more information about calibration standards, visit
National Institute of Standards and Technology
For information about careers related to calibration and metrology, including a list of education programs, visit
NCSL International
For more information about accredited engineering technology programs, visit
ABET
For more information about certification, visit
American Society for Quality

                                                
                                                        
                                                                                                    O*NET
                                        Calibration Technologists and Technicians
 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 *May 21, 2024*).
 **Last Modified Date:**
                        Wednesday, April 17, 2024


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