Musical instrument repairers and tuners salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $31,220 | $15.01 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $46,420 | $22.32 |
| Mean (average) | $49,960 | $24.02 |
| 90th percentile | $71,600 | $34.42 |
These wages describe everyone employed in the occupation, from new entrants to experienced workers. They are not starting salaries and not earnings of graduates from any particular program. Verified data
Musical instrument repairers and tuners pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 35 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Data unavailable | 40 | 0.59 | ||
| Arizona | $37,850 | $35,340 | $67,370 | 110 | 1.01 |
| California | $47,580 | $39,120 | $65,520 | 520 | 0.82 |
| Colorado | $43,670 | $35,900 | $63,180 | 70 | 0.68 |
| Connecticut | $52,940 | $34,430 | $58,560 | 40 | 0.6 |
| Florida | $44,030 | $30,010 | $60,090 | 140 | 0.4 |
| Georgia | $29,640 | $24,560 | $57,910 | 100 | 0.61 |
| Illinois | $49,250 | $34,200 | $84,200 | 200 | 0.95 |
| Indiana | $38,440 | $30,750 | $52,800 | 150 | 1.34 |
| Iowa | $38,700 | $30,100 | $62,710 | 90 | 1.61 |
| Kansas | $43,680 | $29,250 | $66,530 | 80 | 1.55 |
| Maine | $48,530 | $38,270 | $99,670 | 90 | 3.93 |
| Maryland | $55,130 | $37,160 | $75,300 | 160 | 1.65 |
| Massachusetts | $46,820 | $36,300 | $67,380 | 130 | 1 |
| Michigan | $59,570 | $30,580 | $64,850 | 210 | 1.4 |
| Minnesota | $44,230 | $34,510 | $46,360 | 100 | 1.01 |
| Mississippi | $23,980 | $22,880 | $39,220 | ||
| Missouri | $47,220 | $28,740 | $57,000 | 110 | 1.11 |
| Nevada | $38,500 | $37,490 | $68,270 | 90 | 1.68 |
| New Jersey | $58,730 | $48,010 | $62,820 | 200 | 1.35 |
| New York | $53,420 | $37,490 | $75,030 | 270 | 0.82 |
| North Carolina | $42,970 | $30,370 | $58,630 | ||
| North Dakota | $46,780 | $43,590 | $47,340 | 30 | 2.13 |
| Ohio | $39,900 | $26,580 | $69,550 | 230 | 1.18 |
| Oklahoma | $31,160 | $23,080 | $46,380 | 60 | 1 |
| Oregon | $54,800 | $37,710 | $65,200 | 40 | 0.65 |
| Pennsylvania | $47,520 | $33,530 | $67,180 | 240 | 1.14 |
| South Carolina | $44,870 | $28,670 | $52,030 | 90 | 1.11 |
| Tennessee | $58,730 | $33,040 | $82,990 | 300 | 2.67 |
| Texas | $48,250 | $31,970 | $99,060 | 580 | 1.18 |
| Utah | $50,180 | $30,690 | $59,780 | 60 | 0.93 |
| Virginia | $45,140 | $34,010 | $57,400 | 120 | 0.84 |
| Washington | $43,330 | $37,430 | $58,230 | 150 | 1.22 |
| West Virginia | $38,920 | $29,530 | $58,990 | 30 | 1.26 |
| Wisconsin | $46,540 | $27,010 | $56,880 | 180 | 1.73 |
A location quotient above 1 means the occupation is more concentrated in that state than in the nation overall.
Metro areas with the most jobs
Highest paying metro areas
Job outlook for musical instrument repairers and tuners
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 600. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
- Share of workers who are self-employed (2025): 8.4%.
These are official BLS projections. ConnectPrep does not alter them or present its own forecasts as official statistics.
Education and training for musical instrument repairers and tuners
- Typical entry education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Related work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- Apprenticeship
- O*NET Job Zone
- Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed
Highest education of people working in this occupation
O*NET describes this preparation level as: Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
Degrees and programs that lead to this career
Programs officially mapped to this occupation in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. A mapping means the program commonly prepares students for the occupation, not that every graduate works in it. Official crosswalk
- Musical Instrument Fabrication and Repair CIP 47.0404
Skills, knowledge, and daily work
Most important skills
Most important knowledge areas
Typical tasks
- Adjust string tensions to tune instruments, using hand tools and electronic tuning devices.
- Compare instrument pitches with tuning tool pitches to tune instruments.
- Play instruments to evaluate their sound quality and to locate any defects.
- Disassemble instruments and parts for repair and adjustment.
- Repair or replace musical instrument parts and components, such as strings, bridges, felts, and keys, using hand and power tools.
- Reassemble instruments following repair, using hand tools and power tools and glue, hair, yarn, resin, or clamps, and lubricate instruments as necessary.
- Inspect instruments to locate defects, and to determine their value or the level of restoration required.
- Shape old parts and replacement parts to improve tone or intonation, using hand tools, lathes, or soldering irons.
Technology skills
- Katsura Shareware KS Strobe Tuner
- Katsura Shareware ProLevel
- Katsura Shareware SoundFrames
- Mensurix Audio
- Reyburn CyberTuner
- TonalEnergy Tuner & Metronome
- Tunable Instrument Tuner
- TuneLab
- Tunic OnlyPure
- Veritune Verituner
Transferable skills for career changers: Quality Control Analysis, Troubleshooting, Repairing, Service Orientation, Complex Problem Solving, Judgment and Decision Making.
Common job titles: Brass Instrument Repair Technician (Brass Instrument Repair Tech), Fretted String Instrument Repairer, Guitar Repairer, Instrument Repair Technician (Instrument Repair Tech), Luthier, Musical Instrument Repair Technician (Musical Instrument Repair Tech), Piano Technician (Piano Tech), Piano Tuner, Stringed Instrument Repairer, Woodwind Instrument Technician (Woodwind Instrument Tech).
Is it worth it? Model the cost of getting there
Use the ROI calculator to compare the cost of the education this career usually requires against staying on your current path. It starts from the official wage distribution above, and you can change every assumption.
Frequently asked questions
How much do musical instrument repairers and tuners make?
The national median annual wage for musical instrument repairers and tuners was $46,420 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $31,220 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $71,600. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do musical instrument repairers and tuners need?
BLS lists high school diploma or equivalent as the typical education needed to enter this occupation, with none of related work experience and apprenticeship on-the-job training typically needed to become competent.
Is musical instrument repairers and tuners a growing career?
BLS projects employment of musical instrument repairers and tuners to change +1.9% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 600 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay musical instrument repairers and tuners the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were Michigan ($59,570), New Jersey ($58,730), Tennessee ($58,730). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.