What Does it Take to Be a Jeweler?
Jeweler Job Description Fabricate and repair jewelry articles. Make models or molds to create jewelry items.
Daily Life Of a Jeweler
- Chase decorative designs on silver blanks that are to be used as models for steel production dies.
- Press models into clay, and build up clay around exposed parts of models to retain plaster.
- Position stones and metal pieces, and set, mount, and secure items in place, using setting and hand tools.
- Fabricate, modify, or repair jigs, fixtures, and hand tools such as scrapers, cutters, gougers, and shapers.
- Plate articles such as jewelry pieces and watch dials, using silver, gold, nickel, or other metals.
- Cut, shape, and smooth gemstones, pearls, and metal pieces, using abrasives, grinding stones, and power and hand tools.
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What a Jeweler Should Know
Jewelers state the following job skills are important in their day-to-day work.
Operations Analysis: Analyzing needs and product requirements to create a design.
Judgment and Decision Making: Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Time Management: Managing one’s own time and the time of others.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Complex Problem Solving: Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
Types of Jeweler Jobs
- Appraisal Technician
- Sample Maker
- Certified Bench Jeweler Technician
- Gem Technician
- Setter
Job Opportunities for Jewelers
In 2016, there was an estimated number of 37,700 jobs in the United States for Jeweler. There is little to no growth in job opportunities for Jeweler. Due to new job openings and attrition, there will be an average of 3,500 job openings in this field each year.

The states with the most job growth for Jeweler are Idaho, South Carolina, and Nevada. Watch out if you plan on working in Tennessee, New Mexico, or Wisconsin. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
How Much Does a Jeweler Make?
Jewelers make between $23,530 and $67,250 a year.

Jewelers who work in Kentucky, New Jersey, or Wisconsin, make the highest salaries.
Below is a list of the median annual salaries for Jewelers in different U.S. states.
State | Annual Mean Salary |
---|---|
Alabama | $41,320 |
Alaska | $33,520 |
Arizona | $45,860 |
Arkansas | $43,880 |
California | $40,940 |
Colorado | $42,490 |
Connecticut | $54,280 |
Delaware | $46,690 |
Florida | $41,300 |
Georgia | $36,350 |
Hawaii | $37,560 |
Idaho | $42,040 |
Illinois | $39,030 |
Indiana | $41,220 |
Iowa | $44,390 |
Kansas | $44,200 |
Kentucky | $55,840 |
Louisiana | $36,820 |
Maine | $43,950 |
Maryland | $51,920 |
Massachusetts | $44,480 |
Michigan | $40,580 |
Minnesota | $39,590 |
Mississippi | $27,820 |
Missouri | $38,330 |
Montana | $34,950 |
Nebraska | $30,680 |
Nevada | $46,200 |
New Hampshire | $48,280 |
New Jersey | $54,870 |
New Mexico | $30,480 |
New York | $50,380 |
North Carolina | $40,420 |
North Dakota | $52,090 |
Ohio | $38,180 |
Oklahoma | $41,100 |
Oregon | $52,580 |
Pennsylvania | $42,670 |
Rhode Island | $43,710 |
South Carolina | $40,270 |
South Dakota | $37,330 |
Tennessee | $46,740 |
Texas | $41,450 |
Utah | $36,900 |
Vermont | $40,010 |
Virginia | $48,330 |
Washington | $39,540 |
West Virginia | $39,120 |
Wisconsin | $52,050 |
Tools & Technologies Used by Jewelers
Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Jewelers:
- Web browser software
- Intuit QuickBooks
- Inventory tracking software
- Customer information databases
How to Become a Jeweler
What education or degrees do I need to become a Jeweler?

How Long Does it Take to Become a Jeweler?

Where do Jewelers Work?

The table below shows the approximate number of Jewelers employed by various industries.

References:
Image Credit: Jorge Royan via Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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