Also called: Electrical and Electronic Equipment Assembler
Builds and solders circuit boards, cables, and electronic devices.
At a workbench with a microscope, you solder tiny parts onto boards for satellites or medical devices, then inspect them carefully.
BLS median roughly $42k.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
High school diploma, about 0 years after high school. HS diploma; IPC soldering certification helps.
Ways in: On-the-job training, Certification. Training cost: Get paid while you train.
Majors to look at: Electronics Technology (certificate).
Shrinking. BLS projects decline as assembly automates.
Medium risk in 5 years, high in 10. Pick-and-place machines and robots already do most board assembly; remaining hand assembly is shrinking.
Age 18+. One way to start: Apply to electronics factories and contract manufacturers; they teach soldering on the job
Classes: Electronics CTE, Shop class.
Official data: O*NET occupation 51-2022.
Career Universe is an early version. Pay, training and AI-risk figures are estimates to start your own research, not verified facts. The research was written with AI research assistants, checked by validation scripts and spot-checked by hand. Check anything important with schools, employers and official sources. How the numbers work.