How much does an Instrument Technician make?
Experience
- All years of Experience
- 0-1 Years
- 1-3 Years
- 4-6 Years
- 7-9 Years
- 10-14 Years
- 15+ Years
Industry
- All industries
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- Aerospace & Defense
- Agriculture
- Arts, Entertainment & Recreation
- Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology
- Management & Consulting
- Construction, Repair & Maintenance Services
- Personal Consumer Services
- Education
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- Government & Public Administration
- Healthcare
- Information Technology
- Insurance
- Manufacturing
- Media & Communication
- Nonprofit & NGO
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- Real Estate
- Restaurants & Food Service
- Retail & Wholesale
- Telecommunications
- Transportation & Logistics
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- Human Resources & Staffing
$74K
/yrThe estimated total pay for a Instrument Technician is $73,969 per year in the United States area, with an average salary of $66,311 per year. These numbers represent the median, which is the midpoint of the ranges from our proprietary Total Pay Estimate model and based on salaries collected from our users. The estimated additional pay is $7,658 per year. Additional pay could include cash bonus, commission, tips, and profit sharing. The "Most Likely Range" represents values that exist within the 25th and 75th percentile of all pay data available for this role.
How accurate is this most likely Total Pay range (base + additional) of $57K-$96K/yr?
Related Job Titles
For Instrument Technician
Some related job titles are Electrical and Instrumentation Technician Salaries with median pay of $82,490, IE Technician Salaries with median pay of $55,303, Instrument and Controls Technician Salaries with median pay of $72,410, Instrument Engineer Salaries with median pay of $105,432.
Top Paying Companies
For an Instrument Technician in United States
Below is the total pay for the top 10 highest paying companies for an Instrument Technician in United States. Employers include Roche, SpaceX and Phillips 66.
Top Paying Companies
For Instrument Technician in United States
| 1 | Roche | $95,361 | |
| 2 | SpaceX | $93,669 | |
| 3 | Phillips 66 | $91,778 | |
| 4 | ExxonMobil | $90,617 | |
| 5 | Marathon Petroleum | $80,223 | |
| 6 | Exelon Generation | $78,118 | |
| 7 | Dow | $77,493 | |
| 8 | BASF | $74,373 | |
| 9 | Linde | $73,977 | |
| 10 | EBMUD | $71,434 |
What are total pay estimates for an Instrument Technician at different companies?
- Popular
- Most Reports
- Salary: high to low
- Salary: low to high
$43
/ hr
$44
/ hr
$30
/ hr
$45
/ hr
$35
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$30
/ hrIs this salary info helpful?
Let’s pay it forward! The Glassdoor community relies on people like you to share accurate salary info to promote fair compensation everywhere
$31
/ hr
$47
/ hr
$74,373
/ yr
$29
/ hr
$68,995
/ yr
$108,836
/ yr
$45
/ hr
$73,651
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$30
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$86,155
/ yr
$66,924
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$120,607
/ yrInstrument Technician Salaries
Top Paying Industries
For an Instrument Technician in United States
The top 5 paying industries for an Instrument Technician in United States are Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology with a median total pay of $95,361, Aerospace & Defense with a median total pay of $93,669, Energy, Mining & Utilities with a median total pay of $80,223, Manufacturing with a median total pay of $73,977, and Human Resources & Staffing with a median total pay of $66,924.
Glassdoor Economist Pay Overview
What is the pay outlook for Skilled Labor & Manufacturing?
Skilled labor jobs like manufacturing, construction and warehousing are in high demand. Warehousing and logistics jobs are projected to grow rapidly with the growth of e-commerce and often pay higher salaries than other jobs that don't require a college degree. While a college degree is not generally required, training in new skills or earning certifications and licenses can be a way to earn a higher salary. While job opportunities are projected to grow, automation remains a risk to the long-term job outlook.
Instrument Technician pay FAQ
The average salary for an Instrument Technician is $73,969 per year in United States. Salaries estimates are based on 921 salaries submitted anonymously to Glassdoor by an Instrument Technician employees in United States.
The highest salary for an Instrument Technician in United States is $95,686 per year.
The lowest salary for an Instrument Technician in United States is $57,497 per year.
If you are thinking of becoming an Instrument Technician or planning the next step in your career, find details about the role, the career path and salary trajectory of an Instrument Technician.
About 72% of instrument technicians are happy with the salary they receive, and the pay range for a typical instrument technician role can range from $45,854.42 and $120,193.89. Instrument technicians can also receive $7,657.94 on top of their annual salary.
Entry-level employees in the instrument technician career path tend to make around $45,854.42, but with additional experience, qualifications, and certifications it can be around $73,969.38. The highest-paid roles are the ones that need the most experience and often come with extra responsibilities, like working on specialized equipment or managing other technicians in the workplace. Total pay can be as much as $120,193.89.
If you are considering becoming an instrument technician, then you should start with at least a high school diploma, although some roles require a bachelor's or even a master's degree. Most roles will require a good working knowledge of electrical engineering, so candidates should start with getting at least an associate's degree in this or something similar. Specialized knowledge in specific instruments can help an instrument technician attract a better salary, as will certification in things like FDA requirements and programming languages used in software control systems. Many early career roles will offer specific instrument training as part of standard development plans, which can be useful for earning more later.
If you have any transferable skills from another role, you will find it much easier to negotiate a higher salary in your instrument technician job. An electrical engineering degree at a master's or even at a bachelor's level can increase your earning potential quickly, so if you can combine this qualification with specialized knowledge (such as aerospace instrumentation or something in a future-proof capacity like automation) then you have a lot more to offer an employer. Leadership skills are also a useful salary negotiation point; if you can demonstrate that you have been able to successfully manage other staff in your previous roles, you can ask for higher total pay.