Musical Instrument Repairers and Tuners Career, Salary and Skills
Musical Instrument Repairers and Tuners have a BLS-reported national median annual wage of $46,420 based on the 2025 OEWS dataset, with reported national employment of 5,380. Wage data is published for 62 locations.
Occupation description
Repair percussion, stringed, reed, or wind instruments. May specialize in one area, such as piano tuning.
O*NET code
49-9063.00
Job zone
3
Typical education
Post-Secondary Certificate
Experience
Over 1 year, up to and including 2 years
National salary and employment
Median annual
$46,420
Hourly median
$22.32
Employment
5,380
Data year
2025
National salary distribution
$31,220
10th
$37,670
25th
$46,420
Median
$58,430
75th
$71,600
90th
Top skills
| Skill | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Quality Control Analysis | 3.88 | 3.62 |
| Troubleshooting | 3.75 | 3.25 |
| Repairing | 3.75 | 3.38 |
| Critical Thinking | 3.62 | 3.62 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.12 | 3.12 |
| Service Orientation | 3.12 | 2.75 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 3.12 | 3.00 |
| Reading Comprehension | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Active Listening | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Equipment Selection | 3.00 | 2.88 |
Typical tasks
- Deliver pianos to purchasers or to locations of their use.
- 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.
- Assemble and install new pipe organs and pianos in buildings.
Technology
- Katsura Shareware KS Strobe Tuner
- Katsura Shareware ProLevel
- Katsura Shareware SoundFrames
- Mensurix Audio
- Reyburn CyberTuner
- TonalEnergy Tuner & Metronome
- Tunable Instrument Tuner
- TuneLab
- Tunic OnlyPure
- Veritune Verituner
Musical Instrument Repairers and Tuners salary by location
Areas with the highest reported employment for this occupation.
- Musical Instrument Repairers and Tuners Salary in TXMedian $48,250 · Employment 580
- Musical Instrument Repairers and Tuners Salary in CAMedian $47,580 · Employment 520
- Musical Instrument Repairers and Tuners Salary in New York, NYMedian $58,730 · Employment 310
- Musical Instrument Repairers and Tuners Salary in TNMedian $58,730 · Employment 300
- Musical Instrument Repairers and Tuners Salary in NYMedian $53,420 · Employment 270
- Musical Instrument Repairers and Tuners Salary in PAMedian $47,520 · Employment 240
- Musical Instrument Repairers and Tuners Salary in Nashville, TNMedian $61,300 · Employment 240
- Musical Instrument Repairers and Tuners Salary in OHMedian $39,900 · Employment 230
- Musical Instrument Repairers and Tuners Salary in MIMedian $59,570 · Employment 210
- Musical Instrument Repairers and Tuners Salary in NJMedian $58,730 · Employment 200
- Musical Instrument Repairers and Tuners Salary in ILMedian $49,250 · Employment 200
- Musical Instrument Repairers and Tuners Salary in Los Angeles, CAMedian $47,580 · Employment 190
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Career and skills data: O*NET 31.0 (onetcenter.org). Salary and employment data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS, 2025 (bls.gov/oes). Figures are published survey estimates, not real-time market data.