Watch and Clock Repairers
Watch and Clock Repairers (SOC 49-9064) earn a median $67,230 a year ($32.32 an hour) in the United States, with 1,310 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is California.
What watch and clock repairers do
Watch and clock repairers repair, clean and adjust the mechanisms of timing instruments such as watches and clocks; the SOC definition includes watchmakers, watch technicians and mechanical timepiece repairers. The work starts with disassembling the timepiece and inspecting it with a loupe for defective, worn, misaligned or rusty parts. Parts are cleaned, rinsed and dried with solutions and ultrasonic or mechanical watch-cleaning machines, and broken, damaged or worn parts are repaired or replaced using lathes, drill presses and hand tools. Moving parts are oiled. After reassembly, the repairer adjusts timing regulators using truing calipers, watch-rate recorders and tweezers, tests accuracy and performance with meters and other electronic instruments, and replaces glass faces and batteries before returning the piece to the customer. Repairers also estimate repair costs and the value of timepieces. Titles include clocksmith, antique clock repairer and chronometer repairer. Timing device assemblers and adjusters (51-2061) are excluded.
Typical entry: According to O*NET, the most common level is a postsecondary certificate earned through a training program after high school.
Also called: Antique Clock Repairer, Antique Clocks Repairer, Auto Clocks Repairer, Caser, Chronometer Repairer.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $16.46 | $22.91 | $32.32 | $43.99 | $52.88 | $34.06 | 1,310 |
| Annual | $34,240 | $47,650 | $67,230 | $91,490 | $109,990 | $70,840 | ||
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 watch and clock repairers 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 | ||||||
| California | Hourly | $22.16 | $50.54 | $52.91 | $60.10 | $60.56 | $50.37 | ** | ** | ** |
| Annual | $46,090 | $105,130 | $110,050 | $125,000 | $125,960 | $104,770 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | $38.95 | $40.26 | $45.70 | $45.70 | $45.71 | $43.18 | ** | ** | ** |
| Annual | $81,020 | $83,740 | $95,060 | $95,060 | $95,080 | $89,810 | ||||
| Florida | Hourly | $18.63 | $23.84 | $39.35 | $43.89 | $51.46 | $35.83 | ** | ** | ** |
| Annual | $38,760 | $49,590 | $81,850 | $91,290 | $107,040 | $74,520 | ||||
| Virginia | Hourly | $19.80 | $20.50 | $38.66 | $39.65 | $46.23 | $31.80 | ** | ** | ** |
| Annual | $41,180 | $42,630 | $80,410 | $82,470 | $96,160 | $66,130 | ||||
| Maryland | Hourly | $18.02 | $24.47 | $30.02 | $57.00 | $61.43 | $36.59 | ** | ** | ** |
| Annual | $37,480 | $50,890 | $62,440 | $118,560 | $127,780 | $76,110 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Colorado | Hourly | $24.03 | $24.03 | $24.03 | $44.04 | $44.14 | $31.22 | 60 | 0.02 | 2.36 |
| Annual | $49,990 | $49,990 | $49,990 | $91,600 | $91,800 | $64,940 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| 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 | $38.95 | $45.70 | $45.70 | $45.71 | $45.71 | $44.17 | ** | ** | ** |
| Annual | $81,020 | $95,060 | $95,060 | $95,070 | $95,080 | $91,870 | ||||
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | Hourly | $21.43 | $26.50 | $39.55 | $48.82 | $52.36 | $37.65 | ** | ** | ** |
| Annual | $44,580 | $55,120 | $82,270 | $101,550 | $108,900 | $78,310 | ||||
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | Hourly | $24.03 | $24.03 | $24.03 | $44.04 | $44.14 | $30.63 | 40 | 0.03 | 3.18 |
| Annual | $49,990 | $49,990 | $49,990 | $91,600 | $91,800 | $63,720 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | Hourly | $24.03 | $24.03 | $24.03 | $44.04 | $44.14 | $30.63 | 40 | 0.03 | 3.18 |
| Annual | $49,990 | $49,990 | $49,990 | $91,600 | $91,800 | $63,720 | ||||
Top industries employing watch and clock repairers
Jewelry, Luggage, and Leather Goods Retailers employ 51.1% of watch and clock repairers nationally (670 jobs) at a median $80,050 a year ($38.49 an hour), followed by Personal and Household Goods Repair and Maintenance (37.4%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jewelry, Luggage, and Leather Goods Retailers NAICS 458300 | 670 | 51.1% | $80,050 | $38.49 |
| Personal and Household Goods Repair and Maintenance NAICS 811400 | 490 | 37.4% | $55,120 | $26.50 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (1,310). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $44,250 for watch and clock repairers in May 2021 and $67,230 in May 2025, with employment of 1,970 and 1,310.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $44,250 | $21.27 | 1,970 |
| May 2022 | $48,370 | $23.25 | 1,880 |
| May 2023 | $58,140 | $27.95 | 1,880 |
| May 2024 | $60,690 | $29.18 | 1,300 |
| May 2025 | $67,230 | $32.32 | 1,310 |
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
8 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 | California profile | $52.91 | $110,050 | $46,090 | $125,960 | ** | ** | ** |
| 2 | New York profile | $45.70 | $95,060 | $81,020 | $95,080 | ** | ** | ** |
| 3 | Florida profile | $39.35 | $81,850 | $38,760 | $107,040 | ** | ** | ** |
| 4 | Virginia profile | $38.66 | $80,410 | $41,180 | $96,160 | ** | ** | ** |
| 5 | Maryland profile | $30.02 | $62,440 | $37,480 | $127,780 | ** | ** | ** |
| 6 | Texas profile | $28.82 | $59,950 | $50,180 | $94,070 | ** | ** | ** |
| 7 | Pennsylvania profile | $28.79 | $59,880 | $41,040 | $84,230 | ** | ** | ** |
| 8 | Colorado profile | $24.03 | $49,990 | $49,990 | $91,800 | 60 | 0.02 | 2.36 |
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 49-9064 Watch and Clock Repairers.
**- 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 49-9064, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 49-9064.00, 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.