Watchmaking & Jewelrymaking

Types of Degrees Watchmaking & Jewelrymaking Majors Are Getting

The following table lists how many watchmaking and jewelrymaking graduations there were in 2020-2021 for each degree level.

Education Level	Number of Grads
Undergraduate Certificate	59
Basic Certificate	29
Associate Degree	12

What Watchmaking & Jewelrymaking Majors Need to Know

O*NET surveyed people in occupations related to watchmaking and jewelrymaking and asked them what knowledge areas, skills, and abilities were important for their jobs. The responses were rated on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being most important.

Knowledge Areas for Watchmaking and Jewelrymaking Majors

According to O*NET survey takers, a major in watchmaking and jewelrymaking should prepare you for careers in which you will need to be knowledgeable in the following areas:

• Customer and Personal Service - Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
• Production and Processing - Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.
• Mechanical - Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
• Mathematics - Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
• English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.

Skills for Watchmaking and Jewelrymaking Majors

A major in watchmaking and jewelrymaking prepares you for careers in which the following skill-sets are crucial:

• Quality Control Analysis - Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
• Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
• Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
• Judgment and Decision Making - Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
• Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Abilities for Watchmaking and Jewelrymaking Majors

A major in watchmaking and jewelrymaking will prepare for your careers in which the following abilities are important:

• Finger Dexterity - The ability to make precisely coordinated movements of the fingers of one or both hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble very small objects.
• Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
• Arm-Hand Steadiness - The ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position.
• Control Precision - The ability to quickly and repeatedly adjust the controls of a machine or a vehicle to exact positions.
• Manual Dexterity - The ability to quickly move your hand, your hand together with your arm, or your two hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects.

Who Is Getting an Associate’s Degree in Watchmaking & Jewelrymaking?

This major tends to be male dominated. About 58% of recent graduates are men.

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the countrywide level, the racial-ethnic distribution of watchmaking and jewelrymaking majors is as follows:

Race/Ethnicity	Number of Grads
Asian	1
Black or African American	0
Hispanic or Latino	1
White	9
International Students	0
Other Races/Ethnicities	1

How Much Do Watchmaking & Jewelrymaking Majors Make?

Salaries According to BLS

Average salaries range from $37,460 to $44,830 (25th to 75th percentile) for careers related to watchmaking and jewelrymaking. This range includes all degree levels, so you may expect those with a more advanced degree to make more while those with less advanced degrees will typically make less.

To put that into context, according to BLS data from the first quarter of 2020, the typical high school graduate makes between $30,000 and $57,900 a year (25th through 75th percentile). The average person with a bachelor’s degree (any field) makes between $45,600 and $99,000. Advanced degree holders make the most with salaries between $55,600 and $125,400.

Amount of Education Required for Careers Related to Watchmaking & Jewelrymaking

Some careers associated with watchmaking and jewelrymaking require an advanced degree while some may not even require a bachelor’s. In general, the more advanced your degree the more career options will open up to you. However, there is significant time and money that needs to be invested into your education so weigh the pros and cons.

Find out what the typical degree level is for watchmaking and jewelrymaking careers below.

Education Level	Percentage of Workers
Less than a High School Diploma	10.2%
High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)	45.7%
Post-Secondary Certificate - awarded for training completed after high school (for example, in agriculture or natural resources, computer services, personal or culinary services, engineering technologies, healthcare, construction trades, mechanic and repair technologies, or precision production)	25.6%
Some College Courses	8.9%
Associate’s Degree (or other 2-year degree)	4.5%
Bachelor’s Degree	4.4%
Post-Baccalaureate Certificate - awarded for completion of an organized program of study; designed for people who have completed a Baccalaureate degree but do not meet the requirements of academic degrees carrying the title of Master.	0.3%
First Professional Degree - awarded for completion of a program that: requires at least 2 years of college work before entrance into the program, includes a total of at least 6 academic years of work to complete, and provides all remaining academic requirements to begin practice in a profession.	0.6%

Online Watchmaking & Jewelrymaking Programs

In 2020-2021, 6 schools offered a watchmaking and jewelrymaking program of some type. The following table lists the number of programs by degree level, along with how many schools offered online courses in the field.

Degree Level	Colleges Offering Programs	Colleges Offering Online Classes
Certificate (Less Than 1 Year)	0	0
Certificate (1-2 years)	3	0
Certificate (2-4 Years)	2	0
Associate’s Degree	3	0
Bachelor’s Degree	0	0
Post-Baccalaureate	0	0
Master’s Degree	0	0
Post-Master’s	0	0
Doctor’s Degree (Research)	0	0
Doctor’s Degree (Professional Practice)	0	0
Doctor’s Degree (Other)	0	0

Is a Degree in Watchmaking & Jewelrymaking Worth It?

The median salary for a watchmaking and jewelrymaking grad is $43,570 per year. This is based on the weighted average of the most common careers associated with the major.

This is 9% more than the average salary for an individual holding a high school degree. This adds up to a gain of about $73,400 after 20 years!

Trades Related to Watchmaking & Jewelrymaking

You may also be interested in one of the following majors related to watchmaking and jewelrymaking.

Major	Number of Grads
Gunsmithing/Gunsmith	1,552
Musical Instrument Fabrication & Repair	200
Locksmithing & Safe Repair	48
Precision Systems Maintenance & Repair Technologies, Other	32

References

*The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students, international students, and students whose race/ethnicity was unknown. This number is then divided by the total number of students at the school to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• College Scorecard
• National Center for Education Statistics
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• Usual Weekly Earnings of Wage and Salary Workers First Quarter 2020
• Image Credit: By Phasmatisnox under License

More about our data sources and methodologies.