Musical Instrument Repairers and Tuners: Career Overview
Repair percussion, stringed, reed, or wind instruments. May specialize in one area, such as piano tuning.
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What Do Musical Instrument Repairers and Tuners Do?
The core tasks performed by musical instrument repairers and tuners span:
- Adjust string tensions to tune instruments, using hand tools and electronic tuning devices.
- Compare instrument pitches with tuning tool pitches to tune instruments.
- Play instruments to evaluate their sound quality and to locate any defects.
- Disassemble instruments and parts for repair and adjustment.
- Repair or replace musical instrument parts and components, such as strings, bridges, felts, and keys, using hand and power tools.
- Reassemble instruments following repair, using hand tools and power tools and glue, hair, yarn, resin, or clamps, and lubricate instruments as necessary.
- Inspect instruments to locate defects, and to determine their value or the level of restoration required.
- Shape old parts and replacement parts to improve tone or intonation, using hand tools, lathes, or soldering irons.
Skills and Knowledge
Effective musical instrument repairers and tuners rely on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Top Skills
These are the skills that matter most in this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Top Knowledge Areas
Other Musical Instrument Repairers and Tuners Job Titles
This career also goes by job titles like:
- Accordion Repairer
- Accordion Tuner
- Band Instrument Repair Technician (Band Instrument Repair Tech)
- Band Instrument Repairer
- Banjo Repairer
- Bow Repairer
- Brass Instrument Repair Technician (Brass Instrument Repair Tech)
- Brass and Wind Instrument Repairer
How Many Musical Instrument Repairers and Tuners Are There?
There are about 252,823 musical instrument repairers and tuners working in the United States today. Employment is projected to grow by +11.3% over the projection horizon.
Musical Instrument Repairers and Tuners Pay
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $34,378 |
| Hourly median | $16.53 |
| 10th percentile | $24,725 |
| 25th percentile | $29,551 |
| 75th percentile | $39,204 |
| 90th percentile | $44,031 |
Compensation varies based on experience, location, and industry.
Musical Instrument Repairers and Tuners Salary by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| Nevada | $66,460 |
| Massachusetts | $63,110 |
| Oregon | $60,150 |
| Michigan | $59,960 |
| Maryland | $59,550 |
| Louisiana | $53,830 |
| New Jersey | $52,950 |
| Connecticut | $52,270 |
| Illinois | $48,860 |
| Texas | $48,080 |
| New York | $46,680 |
| Missouri | $46,650 |
| North Carolina | $46,280 |
| Ohio | $45,930 |
| California | $45,410 |
| Virginia | $45,050 |
| Washington | $44,750 |
| Wisconsin | $44,220 |
| Tennessee | $44,060 |
| Utah | $41,440 |
| Minnesota | $40,880 |
| Colorado | $39,970 |
| Kentucky | $39,630 |
| Indiana | $39,610 |
| Rhode Island | $39,340 |
| Iowa | $38,810 |
| Arizona | $38,110 |
| Pennsylvania | $37,810 |
| Kansas | $36,350 |
| Florida | $35,250 |
| Oklahoma | $31,770 |
| Georgia | $25,420 |
Pay by U.S. Region
Earnings for musical instrument repairers and tuners shift depending on where you work. The following regions pay the most:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Great Lakes | $48,145 | 22.6% | 1.62 |
| New England | $47,773 | 3.3% | 0.98 |
| Far Western US | $46,741 | 13.7% | 0.88 |
| Middle Atlantic | $45,476 | 15.4% | 1.12 |
| Southwest | $44,652 | 14.4% | 1.14 |
| Plains States | $41,730 | 8.3% | 1.62 |
| Rocky Mountains | $40,888 | 3.0% | 1.16 |
| Southeast | $36,300 | 19.3% | 1.63 |
Top Metro Areas
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | NV | $66,460 | |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | MA | $63,280 | 40 |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | MI | $62,480 | 70 |
| Lansing-East Lansing, MI | MI | $60,830 | 60 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | OR | $60,150 | 60 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | NY | $57,460 | 240 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | IL | $54,390 | 320 |
| Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | CT | $52,270 | 50 |
Industry Breakdown
The largest employers of musical instrument repairers and tuners work in these industries:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Retail Trade | 3,670 | $44,750 |
| Other Services (except Public Administration) | 1,060 | $45,120 |
| Manufacturing | 460 | $48,170 |
| Educational Services | 220 | $63,780 |
| Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | 110 | $66,460 |
Below are examples of industries where musical instrument repairers and tuners work:
Software Musical Instrument Repairers and Tuners Use
- Analytical or scientific software: Katsura Shareware KS Strobe Tuner
- Analytical or scientific software: Katsura Shareware ProLevel
- Analytical or scientific software: Katsura Shareware SoundFrames
- Analytical or scientific software: Mensurix Audio
- Analytical or scientific software: Reyburn CyberTuner
- Analytical or scientific software: TonalEnergy Tuner & Metronome
- Analytical or scientific software: Tunable Instrument Tuner
- Analytical or scientific software: TuneLab
- Analytical or scientific software: Tunic OnlyPure
- Analytical or scientific software: Veritune Verituner
Work Environment
Daily working conditions for musical instrument repairers and tuners tends to involve the following characteristics:
- Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
- Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls
- Telephone Conversations
- Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
Education and Training
Most musical instrument repairers and tuners positions require some college, no degree as the typical entry-level education. This occupation sits in Medium Preparation Needed (Job Zone 3), reflecting the level of preparation typically expected.
Other Careers to Consider
Similar Occupations
- Calibration Technologists and Technicians (Primary-Long)
- Sheet Metal Workers (Supplemental)
- Electric Motor, Power Tool, and Related Repairers (Primary-Short)
- Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines (Supplemental)
- Motorboat Mechanics and Service Technicians (Supplemental)
- Control and Valve Installers and Repairers, Except Mechanical Door (Supplemental)
- Camera and Photographic Equipment Repairers (Supplemental)
- Watch and Clock Repairers (Primary-Short)
Degree Programs
Aspiring musical instrument repairers and tuners typically earn programs in:
Mechanic and Repair Technologies/Technicians
1 programs across 1 majors
About the Data
This profile draws on the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 49-9063.00 (Musical Instrument Repairers and Tuners).
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