Musical Instrument Repairers and Tuners
Musical Instrument Repairers and Tuners (SOC 49-9063) earn a median $46,420 a year ($22.32 an hour) in the United States, with 5,380 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is Michigan.
What musical instrument repairers and tuners do
Musical instrument repairers and tuners repair percussion, stringed, reed and wind instruments, and may specialize in one area, such as piano tuning. They tune instruments by adjusting string tensions with hand tools and electronic tuning devices, or by comparing instrument pitches with tuning tool pitches. To find faults they play instruments to evaluate sound quality and inspect them for defects and to judge their value or how much restoration they need. Instruments and parts are disassembled for repair and adjustment, parts and components such as strings, bridges, felts and keys are repaired or replaced with hand and power tools, and old and replacement parts are shaped with hand tools, lathes or soldering irons to improve tone or intonation. Instruments are reassembled using hand and power tools and glue, hair, yarn, resin or clamps, and lubricated as necessary. Titles include accordion repairer, banjo repairer, bow repairer, band instrument repairer and brass instrument repair technician. Repairers of electrical and electronic musical instruments are excluded and belong to audiovisual equipment installers and repairers (49-2097).
Typical entry: O*NET respondents most often report a postsecondary certificate, meaning training completed after high school but short of a degree.
Also called: Accordion Repairer, Accordion Tuner, Band Instrument Repair Technician (Band Instrument Repair Tech), Band Instrument Repairer, Banjo Repairer.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $15.01 | $18.11 | $22.32 | $28.09 | $34.42 | $24.02 | 5,380 |
| Annual | $31,220 | $37,670 | $46,420 | $58,430 | $71,600 | $49,960 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where musical instrument repairers and tuners earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Michigan | Hourly | $14.70 | $17.69 | $28.64 | $30.13 | $31.18 | $25.18 | 210 | 0.05 | 1.40 |
| Annual | $30,580 | $36,800 | $59,570 | $62,670 | $64,850 | $52,370 | ||||
| New Jersey | Hourly | $23.08 | $24.55 | $28.24 | $30.20 | $30.20 | $27.80 | 200 | 0.05 | 1.35 |
| Annual | $48,010 | $51,060 | $58,730 | $62,820 | $62,820 | $57,830 | ||||
| Tennessee | Hourly | $15.88 | $18.56 | $28.24 | $32.74 | $39.90 | $28.45 | 300 | 0.09 | 2.67 |
| Annual | $33,040 | $38,610 | $58,730 | $68,100 | $82,990 | $59,170 | ||||
| Maryland | Hourly | $17.87 | $22.44 | $26.50 | $28.80 | $36.20 | $27.24 | 160 | 0.06 | 1.65 |
| Annual | $37,160 | $46,670 | $55,130 | $59,900 | $75,300 | $56,660 | ||||
| Oregon | Hourly | $18.13 | $18.81 | $26.35 | $30.46 | $31.35 | $25.99 | 40 | 0.02 | 0.65 |
| Annual | $37,710 | $39,120 | $54,800 | $63,360 | $65,200 | $54,050 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Texas | Hourly | $15.37 | $18.44 | $23.20 | $29.65 | $47.62 | $26.82 | 580 | 0.04 | 1.18 |
| Annual | $31,970 | $38,350 | $48,250 | $61,670 | $99,060 | $55,790 | ||||
| California | Hourly | $18.81 | $21.33 | $22.88 | $27.59 | $31.50 | $24.59 | 520 | 0.03 | 0.82 |
| Annual | $39,120 | $44,360 | $47,580 | $57,400 | $65,520 | $51,150 | ||||
| Tennessee | Hourly | $15.88 | $18.56 | $28.24 | $32.74 | $39.90 | $28.45 | 300 | 0.09 | 2.67 |
| Annual | $33,040 | $38,610 | $58,730 | $68,100 | $82,990 | $59,170 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | $18.02 | $19.98 | $25.68 | $29.29 | $36.07 | $26.18 | 270 | 0.03 | 0.82 |
| Annual | $37,490 | $41,550 | $53,420 | $60,930 | $75,030 | $54,450 | ||||
| Pennsylvania | Hourly | $16.12 | $18.65 | $22.85 | $25.84 | $32.30 | $23.47 | 240 | 0.04 | 1.14 |
| Annual | $33,530 | $38,790 | $47,520 | $53,750 | $67,180 | $48,820 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ | Hourly | $16.74 | $30.65 | $30.67 | $32.30 | $32.30 | $28.52 | 30 | 0.09 | 2.49 |
| Annual | $34,820 | $63,750 | $63,800 | $67,180 | $67,180 | $59,330 | ||||
| Lansing-East Lansing, MI | Hourly | $15.71 | $17.68 | $29.56 | $30.13 | $30.13 | $26.48 | 60 | 0.29 | 8.30 |
| Annual | $32,680 | $36,780 | $61,490 | $62,670 | $62,670 | $55,080 | ||||
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | Hourly | $15.88 | $18.56 | $29.47 | $35.03 | $39.90 | $29.28 | 240 | 0.22 | 6.38 |
| Annual | $33,040 | $38,610 | $61,300 | $72,850 | $82,990 | $60,900 | ||||
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | Hourly | $17.33 | $21.43 | $28.49 | $36.46 | $51.46 | $30.71 | 50 | 0.04 | 1.11 |
| Annual | $36,040 | $44,570 | $59,250 | $75,840 | $107,030 | $63,870 | ||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $21.61 | $24.55 | $28.24 | $30.20 | $36.08 | $28.44 | 310 | 0.03 | 0.95 |
| Annual | $44,940 | $51,060 | $58,730 | $62,820 | $75,050 | $59,150 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $21.61 | $24.55 | $28.24 | $30.20 | $36.08 | $28.44 | 310 | 0.03 | 0.95 |
| Annual | $44,940 | $51,060 | $58,730 | $62,820 | $75,050 | $59,150 | ||||
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | Hourly | $15.88 | $18.56 | $29.47 | $35.03 | $39.90 | $29.28 | 240 | 0.22 | 6.38 |
| Annual | $33,040 | $38,610 | $61,300 | $72,850 | $82,990 | $60,900 | ||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $19.07 | $21.33 | $22.88 | $27.59 | $31.21 | $24.62 | 190 | 0.03 | 0.88 |
| Annual | $39,660 | $44,360 | $47,580 | $57,400 | $64,910 | $51,200 | ||||
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | Hourly | $17.14 | $17.74 | $25.53 | $29.61 | $50.72 | $27.51 | 170 | 0.04 | 1.22 |
| Annual | $35,660 | $36,890 | $53,110 | $61,590 | $105,510 | $57,220 | ||||
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | Hourly | $17.87 | $21.52 | $24.94 | $28.02 | $35.41 | $25.44 | 160 | 0.05 | 1.51 |
| Annual | $37,160 | $44,750 | $51,880 | $58,280 | $73,650 | $52,900 | ||||
Top industries employing musical instrument repairers and tuners
Sporting Goods, Hobby, and Musical Instrument Retailers employ 65.1% of musical instrument repairers and tuners nationally (3,500 jobs) at a median $45,190 a year ($21.73 an hour), followed by Personal and Household Goods Repair and Maintenance (16.5%) and Other Miscellaneous Manufacturing (8.4%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sporting Goods, Hobby, and Musical Instrument Retailers NAICS 459100 | 3,500 | 65.1% | $45,190 | $21.73 |
| Personal and Household Goods Repair and Maintenance NAICS 811400 | 890 | 16.5% | $46,450 | $22.33 |
| Other Miscellaneous Manufacturing NAICS 339900 | 450 | 8.4% | $50,140 | $24.10 |
| Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools NAICS 611300 | 190 | 3.5% | $65,780 | $31.62 |
| Other Schools and Instruction NAICS 611600 | 80 | 1.5% | $47,610 | $22.89 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (5,380). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $37,160 for musical instrument repairers and tuners in May 2021 and $46,420 in May 2025, with employment of 5,710 and 5,380.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $37,160 | $17.87 | 5,710 |
| May 2022 | $38,150 | $18.34 | 6,330 |
| May 2023 | $42,800 | $20.58 | 6,170 |
| May 2024 | $45,320 | $21.79 | 5,730 |
| May 2025 | $46,420 | $22.32 | 5,380 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
35 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Michigan profile | $28.64 | $59,570 | $30,580 | $64,850 | 210 | 0.05 | 1.40 |
| 2 | New Jersey profile | $28.24 | $58,730 | $48,010 | $62,820 | 200 | 0.05 | 1.35 |
| 3 | Tennessee profile | $28.24 | $58,730 | $33,040 | $82,990 | 300 | 0.09 | 2.67 |
| 4 | Maryland profile | $26.50 | $55,130 | $37,160 | $75,300 | 160 | 0.06 | 1.65 |
| 5 | Oregon profile | $26.35 | $54,800 | $37,710 | $65,200 | 40 | 0.02 | 0.65 |
| 6 | New York profile | $25.68 | $53,420 | $37,490 | $75,030 | 270 | 0.03 | 0.82 |
| 7 | Connecticut profile | $25.45 | $52,940 | $34,430 | $58,560 | 40 | 0.02 | 0.60 |
| 8 | Utah profile | $24.13 | $50,180 | $30,690 | $59,780 | 60 | 0.03 | 0.93 |
| 9 | Illinois profile | $23.68 | $49,250 | $34,200 | $84,200 | 200 | 0.03 | 0.95 |
| 10 | Maine profile | $23.33 | $48,530 | $38,270 | $99,670 | 90 | 0.14 | 3.93 |
| 11 | Texas profile | $23.20 | $48,250 | $31,970 | $99,060 | 580 | 0.04 | 1.18 |
| 12 | California profile | $22.88 | $47,580 | $39,120 | $65,520 | 520 | 0.03 | 0.82 |
| 13 | Pennsylvania profile | $22.85 | $47,520 | $33,530 | $67,180 | 240 | 0.04 | 1.14 |
| 14 | Missouri profile | $22.70 | $47,220 | $28,740 | $57,000 | 110 | 0.04 | 1.11 |
| 15 | Massachusetts profile | $22.51 | $46,820 | $36,300 | $67,380 | 130 | 0.04 | 1.00 |
| 16 | North Dakota profile | $22.49 | $46,780 | $43,590 | $47,340 | 30 | 0.07 | 2.13 |
| 17 | Wisconsin profile | $22.37 | $46,540 | $27,010 | $56,880 | 180 | 0.06 | 1.73 |
| 18 | Virginia profile | $21.70 | $45,140 | $34,010 | $57,400 | 120 | 0.03 | 0.84 |
| 19 | South Carolina profile | $21.57 | $44,870 | $28,670 | $52,030 | 90 | 0.04 | 1.11 |
| 20 | Minnesota profile | $21.27 | $44,230 | $34,510 | $46,360 | 100 | 0.04 | 1.01 |
| 21 | Florida profile | $21.17 | $44,030 | $30,010 | $60,090 | 140 | 0.01 | 0.40 |
| 22 | Kansas profile | $21.00 | $43,680 | $29,250 | $66,530 | 80 | 0.05 | 1.55 |
| 23 | Colorado profile | $21.00 | $43,670 | $35,900 | $63,180 | 70 | 0.02 | 0.68 |
| 24 | Washington profile | $20.83 | $43,330 | $37,430 | $58,230 | 150 | 0.04 | 1.22 |
| 25 | North Carolina profile | $20.66 | $42,970 | $30,370 | $58,630 | ** | ** | ** |
| 26 | Ohio profile | $19.19 | $39,900 | $26,580 | $69,550 | 230 | 0.04 | 1.18 |
| 27 | West Virginia profile | $18.71 | $38,920 | $29,530 | $58,990 | 30 | 0.04 | 1.26 |
| 28 | Iowa profile | $18.61 | $38,700 | $30,100 | $62,710 | 90 | 0.06 | 1.61 |
| 29 | Nevada profile | $18.51 | $38,500 | $37,490 | $68,270 | 90 | 0.06 | 1.68 |
| 30 | Indiana profile | $18.48 | $38,440 | $30,750 | $52,800 | 150 | 0.05 | 1.34 |
| 31 | Arizona profile | $18.20 | $37,850 | $35,340 | $67,370 | 110 | 0.04 | 1.01 |
| 32 | Oklahoma profile | $14.98 | $31,160 | $23,080 | $46,380 | 60 | 0.04 | 1.00 |
| 33 | Georgia profile | $14.25 | $29,640 | $24,560 | $57,910 | 100 | 0.02 | 0.61 |
| 34 | Mississippi profile | $11.53 | $23,980 | $22,880 | $39,220 | ** | ** | ** |
| – | Alabama profile | * | * | * | * | 40 | 0.02 | 0.59 |
Related occupations
Occupations in the same SOC broad group (49-9060), with their national median annual wage.
Part of Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 49-9063 Musical Instrument Repairers and Tuners.
*- Wage estimate not available.
**- Employment estimate not available.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 49-9063, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 49-9063.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.