- The mean hourly wage for jewelers at all levels of experience from across the U.S. was $17.60 and the mean annual salary was $36,620, as of May 2009, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Annual salaries for jewelers ranged from less than $19,080 to more than $57,170. The middle 50 percent of jewelers in American earned between $25,050 and $45,240 per year. The website Salary placed the median annual income for jewelers at $35,905.
- A jeweler's income can be significantly affected by the geographic region of the country where he works. Jewelers who worked in Connecticut earned the highest mean annual wages in the country, at $53,120. Jewelers who worked in Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Minnesota, Missouri, New York, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin earned mean annual wages in excess of $40,000. Jewelers who worked in Maryland earned the lowest mean annual wages in the country, at $26,160 as of May 2009, according to the BLS.
- More than half of all jewelers were self-employed as of May 2008, according to the BLS. Jewelry stores, leather goods stores and luggage stores were a significant source of employment for jewelers. Jewelers who worked for these employers earned a mean hourly pay rate of $18.71 or $38,910 per year as of May 2009, according to the BLS. Wholesale electronic markets and agents and brokers offered the highest mean wage opportunities for jewelers at $29.10 per hour or $60,530 per year.
- The BLS expects growth in new job opportunities for jewelers to be below the growth expected for all job sectors between 2008 and 2018. Competition for entry-level positions should also be intense. There should still be a demand for skilled bench jewelers in the retail, repair and manufacturing industries. The BLS notes that jewelers who are skilled in repair work should be in higher demand during economic downturns, since people tend to repair rather than replace broken jewelry during those times.
National Wages
Regional Wages
Employment Type
Considerations
SHARE
