How much does a instrument repairer make?
Answer: A typical instrument repairer in the United States makes $46,420 a year (median, May 2025, US Bureau of Labor Statistics).
Line up 100 people; this is the one in the middle (median). about 5,000 people work in this job. About the same as the US-wide typical pay ($50,980).
If 100 people had this job
Lowest at bottom-left, highest at top-rightHover over a person to see their yearly pay
Instrument repairer pay in the United States (May 2025, median and spread)
| Lower earner (10th from bottom) | Typical person (median) | Higher earner (10th from top) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|---|
| $31,220 | $46,420 | $71,600 | about 5,000 |
| State | Typical person (median) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|
| Texas | $48,250 | about 580 |
| California | $47,580 | about 520 |
Why does pay differ?
In the United States, experience and in-demand skills can raise pay; a specialist who handles complex repairs may be valued differently from a beginner. Location, employer type, such as a shop, retailer, school, or maker, and useful credentials can also make a difference.
What if you lived in a different state?
Pay varies a lot by state in the USTop 5 and bottom 3 states, typical (median) yearly pay.
What does a instrument repairer do?
Repair percussion, stringed, reed, or wind instruments. May specialize in one area, such as piano tuning. Excludes “Audiovisual Equipment Installers and Repairers" (49-2097) who repair electrical and electronic musical instruments.
What's a typical day like?
They inspect and play an instrument to find what sounds or works wrong, then take it apart and repair or replace worn parts. They put it back together and use hand tools or an electronic tuner to tune and test it.
How to get this job
Finish high school, then train at a repair school or apprentice with an experienced technician, often starting as a helper. Some U.S. apprenticeships start at 18; registered paths include piano, wind, fretted-instrument, and pipe-organ repair.
Vocational school or a few years' experience (preparation level 3 of 5)
Good for people who like building and doing and keeping things organized.
Did you know?
A piano uses about 220 steel strings to make 88 notes, and a tuner adjusts their tension in a careful order.
Similar jobs
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Installation, Maintenance, and Repair jobs that pay a bit moreSources 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
- www.onetonline.org/link/details/49-9063.00
- www.bls.gov/careeroutlook/2015/article/wage-differences.htm
- data.bls.gov/oesprofile?areas=INDUSTRY%2CSTATE%2CMSA&major_group=490000&measure=
- apps.illinoisworknet.com/cis/clusters/OccupationDetails/100386?parentId=111300&s
- nafme.org/blog/learning-basic-instrument-repair
- www.wvtf.org/news/2026-01-07/piano-tuner
Data: US BLS OEWS, May 2025 · 1 USD = 150 JPY