Instrumentation Technicians
Overview

Introduction
Instrumentation technicians are skilled craftsworkers who do precision work and are involved in the field of measurement and control. Technicians inspect, test, repair, and adjust instruments that detect, measure, and record changes in industrial environments. They work with theoretical or analytical problems, helping engineers improve instrument and system performance.
Quick Facts
Median Salary
Employment Prospects
Minimum Education Level
Experience
Skills
Personality Traits
Earnings
Earnings for instrumentation technicians vary by industry, geographic region, educational background, experience, and level of responsibility.
Electrical and electronic engineering technicians had median annual earnings of $72,800 in May 2023, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. Earnings ranged from less than $46,420 to $105,320 or more. Mechanical engineering technicians earned m...
Work Environment
Working conditions vary widely for instrumentation technicians. An oil refinery plant job is as different from space mission instrumentation work as a nuclear reactor instrumentation job is different from work in the operating room of a hospital. All these jobs use similar principles, however, and instrumentation technicians can master new areas by applying what they have learned previously. Fo...
Outlook
The employment outlook for instrumentation technicians varies by specialty. For example, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) predicts that employment for mechanical engineering technicians will grow by 2 percent (more slowly than the average for all careers) through 2033. A 1 percent decline in employment is expected for electromechanical technicians, while industrial engineering technicians wil...