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Career

Etchers and Engravers

Typical education: High school diplomaLower pressure

What they do

Engrave or etch metal, wood, rubber, or other materials. Includes such workers as etcher-circuit processors, pantograph engravers, and silk screen etchers.

Kinds of work

  • Realistic: Hands-on work with tools, machines, plants or animals, often outdoors.
  • Artistic: Creating, designing and expressing ideas through art, writing, music or performance.
  • Conventional: Organizing information, following clear procedures and working with data and details.

Lower pressure: How much pressure workers in this job report: deadlines, conflict, dealing with upset people, the cost of mistakes, responsibility for others' safety, competition and long hours. It varies a lot from one employer to the next. Source: U.S. Department of Labor worker surveys.

Pay, tasks and more

Salary

United States $43,310 Median per year · $20.82/hr Most earn $32,210–$63,360

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2025.

What you might do

  • Fill etched characters with opaque paste to improve readability.
  • Print proofs or examine designs to verify accuracy of engraving, and rework engraving as required.
  • Start machines and lower cutting tools to beginning points on patterns.
  • Prepare workpieces for etching or engraving by cutting, sanding, cleaning, polishing, or treating them with wax, acid resist, lime, etching powder, or light-sensitive enamel.
  • Measure and compute dimensions of lettering, designs, or patterns to be engraved.
  • Sketch, trace, or scribe layout lines and designs on workpieces, plates, dies, or rollers, using compasses, scribers, gravers, or pencils.

Job outlook

United States
1% fewer jobs by 2035, little or no change · about 800 openings a year

Openings include new jobs and jobs left by workers who retire or change careers. Projections: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. "Bright Outlook": U.S. Department of Labor.

Where they work

  • Other miscellaneous retailers15.9%
  • Self-employed (their own business)12.7%
  • Coating, engraving, heat treating, and allied activities10.3%
  • Jewelry and silverware manufacturing6.7%
  • Nonmetallic mineral product manufacturing6.5%

Share of all workers in this career. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Employment Matrix.

Experience before this job: 1 to 2 years

Some people start through an apprenticeship: paid training on the job, often with classes. Search apprenticeships on Apprenticeship.gov (opens in a new tab) ↗

Career path

How people usually get into this career, from school to their first job and beyond.

Typical education: High school diplomaExperience before this job: 1 to 2 years

Etchers and engravers usually need a high school diploma plus about 1 to 2 years of related hands-on work before they do this job well. It's an entry-level path, and you can start building the skills while you're still in school.

  1. High school diploma

    4 years

    Build a foundation in shop, art, and math, since measuring carefully and working with your hands matter in this job.

  2. Painting, Coating, and Decorating Worker

    1-2 years

    Learn how to prepare surfaces, use tools precisely, and follow detailed specs, which are the same habits etching and engraving require.

  3. Etcher and Engraver

    Target role

    Apply your skills to cutting or etching metal, wood, rubber, or other materials, often using pantograph or other engraving equipment.

Where it can lead

  1. Tool and Die Maker

    2-4 years of experience first

    Move into precision metalwork that involves building the molds and tools used in manufacturing, which usually takes an apprenticeship or formal training.

  2. Jeweler

    2-4 years of experience first

    Use fine engraving and metalwork skills on jewelry and precious metals, which typically requires a certificate or apprenticeship.

What you can do now

Ideas for high school and college students.

In high school

  • Take shop or technology classesWoodshop, metal shop, or machining classes teach you the tools and safety habits used in engraving.
  • Take an art or drawing classStrong drawing skills help you design and lay out engraved work with precision.
  • Join a robotics, maker, or engineering clubThese clubs give you hands-on practice with tools, measurement, and building things.
  • Get a starter job or volunteer at a workshopHelping out at a sign shop, hardware store, or makerspace builds real experience with materials and equipment.
  • Learn basic design softwarePractice using free or school-provided graphic design or CAD programs to make engraving layouts.

In college

  • Take courses in graphic design or CADDigital design skills let you prepare engraving files and work with computer-controlled engraving machines.
  • Earn a machining or CNC certificate, if your school offers oneTraining on machines that cut and engrave materials adds skills employers in this field look for.
  • Get an internship or part-time job at a print, sign, or manufacturing shopReal work experience helps you reach the 1 to 2 years of hands-on experience this career usually expects.
  • Join a design, art, or makers clubWorking on group projects helps you learn new techniques and build your portfolio.
  • Build a portfolio of engraved or etched workSamples of your best pieces help show employers what you can do before you apply.

Tips for getting started

  • Take art, drafting, or computer-aided design (CAD) classes. Being able to draw and work on a computer helps with planning engraving designs.
  • Look for a part-time or summer job in a print shop, sign shop, or workshop. Hands-on experience is what employers look for in this field.
  • Keep a simple portfolio of your best cutting, carving, or engraving projects, even school projects, to show future employers.

Related jobs that often lead here

Related jobs a step up

Education, experience and related careers: U.S. Department of Labor. The step-by-step path, where it can lead and what you can do now were written by AI as typical examples; many people take other ways.

College majors that lead here

Majors: U.S. Department of Education and BLS (CIP–SOC crosswalk). Earnings and debt: College Scorecard, typical across U.S. colleges.

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