Occupations · Production
Semiconductor Processing Technicians
Perform any or all of the following functions in the manufacture of electronic semiconductors: load semiconductor material into furnace; saw formed ingots into segments; load individual segment into crystal growing chamber and monitor controls; locate crystal axis in ingot using x-ray equipment and saw ingots into wafers; and clean, polish, and load wafers into series of special purpose furnaces, chemical baths, and equipment used to form circuitry and change conductive properties.
O*NET 30.3 Database (USDOL/ETA) · occupation code 51-9141.00
What it pays
A single “average salary” hides the spread. This is the whole distribution — the gap between the bottom and top bar is usually the number that matters.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024 · national, cross-industry · annual wage
Pay over time
Median up 85% between 2003 and 2024, before inflation. The band shows the 10th to 90th percentile.
BLS OEWS, one release per year. Before May 2011 only national estimates were published, so geography detail starts there.
Where the jobs are
| Metro area | Median wage | Employed |
|---|---|---|
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $61,410 | 7,820 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ | $78,050 | 3,710 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $37,200 | 3,130 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $49,270 | 1,190 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $51,420 | 610 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $44,200 | 520 |
| Colorado Springs, CO | $44,280 | 450 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $46,650 | 340 |
| Portland-South Portland, ME | $45,800 | 320 |
| San Diego-Carlsbad, CA | $45,710 | 280 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA | $48,950 | 250 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA | $60,450 | 90 |
BLS OEWS May 2024, metropolitan estimates · the 12 areas with the most people in this occupation
Typical education to enter: High school diploma or equivalent · BLS Employment Projections 2024–34
What people in this job actually do
Ordered by how important the work is rated.
- Manipulate valves, switches, and buttons, or key commands into control panels to start semiconductor processing cycles.
- Maintain processing, production, and inspection information and reports.
- Inspect materials, components, or products for surface defects and measure circuitry, using electronic test equipment, precision measuring instruments, microscope, and standard procedures.
- Set, adjust, and readjust computerized or mechanical equipment controls to regulate power level, temperature, vacuum, and rotation speed of furnace, according to crystal growing specifications.
- Etch, lap, polish, or grind wafers or ingots to form circuitry and change conductive properties, using etching, lapping, polishing, or grinding equipment.
- Clean semiconductor wafers using cleaning equipment, such as chemical baths, automatic wafer cleaners, or blow-off wands.
- Load semiconductor material into furnace.
- Study work orders, instructions, formulas, and processing charts to determine specifications and sequence of operations.
- Monitor operation and adjust controls of processing machines and equipment to produce compositions with specific electronic properties, using computer terminals.
- Load and unload equipment chambers and transport finished product to storage or to area for further processing.
- Count, sort, and weigh processed items.
- Calculate etching time based on thickness of material to be removed from wafers or crystals.
O*NET 30.3 task ratings, importance scale
Skills that matter most
Importance, rated 1 to 5.
O*NET 30.3 skills, importance scale
Software and tools
A dot marks what O*NET flags as in demand.
O*NET 30.3 software skills · hot-technology flag
What this work is actually like
Conditions rated against the average across all occupations — only what makes this job different is listed.
O*NET 30.3 Job Zones
Working conditions that stand out
O*NET 30.3 work context, frequency scale · observed 2006-12
How people actually get in
Share of workers by the education they hold.
O*NET 30.2 education, training and experience · observed 2006-12
What kind of person the work suits
Occupational interest profile, rated 1 to 7.
O*NET 30.2 occupational interests (RIASEC)
What you take with you
Skills rated for how well they transfer into other occupations.
O*NET 30.3 transferable skills, importance scale
Knowledge the work draws on
Abilities it leans on
O*NET 30.3 abilities and knowledge, importance scale
How this job is advertised
The same work is posted under many titles — this is what to search for.
O*NET 30.3 job titles reported for this occupation
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What changed since 2015
Comparing O*NET release 20.1 (2015-10-01) with 30.3 (2026-05-01). Signs, not colour alone, carry the meaning.
Now listed 4
No longer listed 1
Diff across the O*NET releases held here in full since October 2015, following occupations through merges and retirements. O*NET re-surveys occupations on a rolling cycle, so “no change” can also mean “not re-surveyed”.
Related jobs
O*NET 30.3 related occupations
Also called
O*NET 30.3 alternative titles
The same work in Europe
| ESCO occupation | ISCO | Match |
|---|---|---|
| semiconductor processor | 8212.3.6 | exact |
| printed circuit board assembler | 8212.3.5 | close |
| electronic equipment assembler | 8212.3 | broader |
Official ESCO ↔ O*NET crosswalk (ESCO Secretariat with USDOL/ETA)
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