Also called: Inline Metrology Technician
Measures wafers at each step, film thickness, line width and defects, to make sure the chips are being built right.
You load wafers into machines that measure features 10,000 times thinner than a hair, and scan for particles invisible to the eye. When a measurement drifts out of spec, you alert the engineer and hold the lot.
Estimate.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
Associate's degree (2-year), about 2 years after high school. Associate degree in semiconductor or engineering technology.
Ways in: 2-year college, On-the-job training. Training cost: Under $15k.
Majors to look at: Semiconductor Technology (2-year).
Growing much faster than average (about 11% over 10 years). Grouped with semiconductor processing technicians.
Medium risk in 5 years, high in 10. Metrology tools are increasingly automated and AI reviews defects; fewer techs are needed per tool over time.
Classes: Chemistry, Physics, Statistics.
Official data: O*NET occupation 51-9141.
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.