Instrument Maker Salary in the United States

How much does an Instrument Maker make in the United States?

As of February 01, 2026, the average salary for an Instrument Maker in the United States is $55,798 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $27.

However, an Instrument Maker's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $65,332
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $49,419 to $60,789
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $43,611
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View as table View as graph 25% $49,419 10% $43,611 90% $65,332 75% $60,789 $55,798 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click

Instrument Maker Salaries by Percentile

Annual
Salary		 Monthly
Pay		 Weekly
Pay		 Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $60,789 $5,066 $1,169 $29
Average $55,798 $4,650 $1,073 $27
25th Percentile $49,419 $4,118 $950 $24
Check out Instrument Maker Job Openings in the United States
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Outpatient Physical Therapist

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Key Factors That Influence Instrument Maker Salaries

An Instrument Maker's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, education and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Do Instrument Maker Salaries Vary from State to State?

Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract Instrument Makers. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

  • District of Columbia: $61,780.
  • California: $61,546.
  • Massachusetts: $60,725.

Top Paying Cities for Instrument Makers

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

  • San Jose: $70,378
  • San Francisco: $69,686
  • Oakland: $68,141

What Skills Can Increase an Instrument Maker's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Troubleshooting (Mentioned in 10.4% Job Postings): Troubleshooting is a form of problem solving, often applied to repair failed products or processes on a machine or a system. It is a logical, systematic search for the source of a problem in order to solve it, and make the product or process operational again. Troubleshooting is needed to identify the symptoms. Determining the most likely cause is a process of elimination—eliminating potential causes of a problem. Finally, troubleshooting requires confirmation that the solution restores the product or process to its working state. In general, troubleshooting is the identification or diagnosis of "trouble" in the management flow of a system caused by a failure of some kind. The problem is initially described as symptoms of malfunction, and troubleshooting is the process of determining and remedying the causes of these symptoms. A system can be described in terms of its expected, desired or intended behavior (usually, for artificial systems, its purpose). Events or inputs to the system are expected to generate specific results or outputs. (For example, selecting the "print" option from various computer applications is intended to result in a hardcopy emerging from some specific device). Any unexpected or undesirable behavior is a symptom. Troubleshooting is the process of isolating the specific cause or causes of the symptom. Frequently the symptom is a failure of the product or process to produce any results. (Nothing was printed, for example). Corrective action can then be taken to prevent further failures of a similar kind.
  • Preventative Maintenance (Mentioned in 2.94% Job Postings): Developing and implementing maintenance strategies to increase equipment life expectancy and avoid unplanned downtime.
  • Data Acquisition (Mentioned in 1.7% Job Postings): Data acquisition is the process of sampling signals that measure real-world physical conditions and converting the resulting samples into digital numeric values that can be manipulated by a computer.
See More Skills
Skills Demand Percentage
Troubleshooting 10.4%
Preventative Maintenance 2.94%
Data Acquisition 1.7%
What skills can make your compensation higher?
Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on an Instrument Maker's salary.
  • Coordination: Can increase your salary by up to 16%.
  • Wiring Diagram: Can increase your salary by up to 12%.
  • Instrumentation and Control: Can increase your salary by up to 11%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Coordination
 $64,726
16%
Wiring Diagram
 $62,494
12%
Instrumentation and Control
 $61,936
11%
Programming
 $60,820
9%
EHS
 $60,820
9%
Verbal Communication
 $60,820
9%
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How Education impacts an Instrument Maker's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Instrument Makers enter the field with a High School Diploma or Technical Certificate degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for an Instrument Maker with a High School Diploma or Technical Certificate is between $49,620 and $53,987).

Instrument Maker Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Instrument Maker
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 1.7%
High School 34.5%
Associates 37.9%
Bachelors 24.1%
Masters 1.7%
Doctorate 0.0%
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Instrument Maker Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how an Instrument Maker's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

  • Hourly
  • Monthly
  • Weekly
  • Yearly
  • Table View
Last Updated on February 01, 2026
$49,419
Average $55,798/year
$60,789
$4,118
Average $4,650/month
$5,066
$950
Average $1,073/week
$1,169
$24
Average $27/hour
$29
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $60,789 $5,066 $1,169 $29
Average $55,798 $4,650 $1,073 $27
25th Percentile $49,419 $4,118 $950 $24

Salaries of jobs related to Instrument Maker

Salary Trends for Instrument Maker

Salaries for an Instrument Maker can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $49,419 in 2023 to around $48,957 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Instrument Maker salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Instrument Maker Over Time

2022
$???
2023
$49,419
2024
$49,381
2025
$48,957
2026
$???
2027
$???
Year Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023 $49,419
2024 $49,381
2025 $48,957
2026
View More
2027
View More

Most common benefits for Instrument Maker

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401(k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
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Common company salaries for Instrument Maker

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Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.

We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

With the most extensive online, real-time compensation data available, Salary.com helps you pinpoint your exact pay target.

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