$Who Earns What

How much does a electronics assembler make?

US Electrical, Electronic, and Electromechanical Assemblers, Except Coil Winders, Tapers, and Finishers

Answer: A typical electronics assembler in the United States makes $45,850 a year (median, May 2025, US Bureau of Labor Statistics).

Yearly pay of a typical person doing this job in the US
$45,850

Line up 100 people; this is the one in the middle (median). about 247,000 people work in this job. About the same as the US-wide typical pay ($50,980).

Lower earner
$35,350
10th from the bottom of 100
Typical person
$45,850
Right in the middle (median)
Higher earner
$62,950
10th from the top of 100

If 100 people had this job

Lowest at bottom-left, highest at top-right

Hover over a person to see their yearly pay

53 of 100
more than half

Electronics assembler pay in the United States (May 2025, median and spread)

Electronics assembler pay in the United States (May 2025, median and spread) — Data: US BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lower earner (10th from bottom)Typical person (median)Higher earner (10th from top)People in this job
$35,350$45,850$62,950about 247,000
States where electronics assemblers earn the most (median, May 2025)
StateTypical person (median)People in this job
Washington$52,480about 6,000
New Hampshire$49,020about 3,000
California$48,080about 38,000
Delaware$47,880about 610
Maryland$47,720about 1,000

Why does pay differ?

In the U.S., experience and advanced skills can lead to higher pay; some aerospace and defense employers require soldering certification. Pay also varies by industry, location, and how complex the work is.

What if you lived in a different state?

Pay varies a lot by state in the US
Whole US$45,850
Washington$52,480
New Hampshire$49,020
California$48,080
Delaware$47,880
Maryland$47,720
Rhode Island$37,550
New Mexico$37,210
Nevada$37,110

Top 5 and bottom 3 states, typical (median) yearly pay.

What does a electronics assembler do?

What's a typical day like?

At a factory bench, an assembler reads a diagram, lines up small parts and wires, then joins them with hand tools or a soldering iron. They test the circuit, check for mistakes, and clean tools or pack finished units.

How to get this job

In the U.S., most start with a high school diploma or equivalent and learn on the job for several months. Advanced jobs may need extra technical study or an apprenticeship; some aerospace and defense employers require soldering certification.

Did you know?

Surprisingly, small electronic devices for aircraft, military systems, and medical equipment are often assembled by hand, using tools such as soldering irons.

What about Japan?

Nearly the same job
US
Electronics assembler (typical)
$45,850
Electronics assembler (average)
$29,739

The US figure is the median and the Japan figure is the average, so it's not a perfect comparison. Prices differ too.

Earn more in the same field

Production jobs that pay a bit more

Sources and data

Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025 (bls.gov); descriptions and related jobs from O*NET 31.0. Figures as of May 2025, full-time yearly pay (hourly × 2,080 hours). bls.gov/oes · O*NET OnLine

Pages used for the text

Data: US BLS OEWS, May 2025 · 1 USD = 150 JPY