Etchers and Engravers Salary
In Knoxville, TN, etchers and engravers earn $35,820 at the median, or about $17.22 an hour. The range runs from $35K at the entry level to $56K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 92.57), which stretches that salary to about $38,695 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,471/month, about 57.1% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $36K get you in Knoxville?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Knoxville’s Regional Price Parity (92.57). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About etchers and engravers
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What this looks like in Knoxville
Pay for etchers and engravers in Knoxville runs about 17% below the U.S. median of $43K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,471/month, which is 57.3% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 92.57 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 7% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for etchers and engraverss.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for etchers and engravers in metros near Knoxville, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Memphis | $48K | $52K |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia | $42K | $43K |
| Louisville/Jefferson County | $36K | $39K |
| St. Louis | $40K | $42K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Knoxville, TN
Entry-level etchers and engravers (10th percentile) start around $35K. Mid-career wages sit at $36K. Top earners bring in $56K or more, a $22K spread from bottom to top.
Etchers and Engravers pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Etchers and Engravers salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vermont | $65K | +51% | 40 |
| Rhode Island | $63K | +46% | 30 |
| Arizona | $60K | +38% | N/A |
| New Jersey | $58K | +34% | 60 |
| Maryland | $54K | +24% | 110 |
| Kansas | $52K | +20% | 40 |
| New York | $52K | +19% | 520 |
| Massachusetts | $51K | +17% | 320 |
| Ohio | $50K | +16% | 320 |
| Wisconsin | $50K | +16% | 390 |
| Pennsylvania | $48K | +10% | 260 |
| Maine | $48K | +10% | 70 |
| Arkansas | $47K | +8% | 180 |
| California | $46K | +7% | 1,040 |
| Minnesota | $46K | +7% | 210 |
| Connecticut | $45K | +4% | 140 |
| Indiana | $44K | +2% | 170 |
| Washington | $44K | +1% | 160 |
| Illinois | $43K | +0% | 330 |
| Michigan | $43K | -0% | 390 |
| Iowa | $43K | -1% | 70 |
| Idaho | $43K | -2% | 50 |
| Florida | $42K | -3% | 200 |
| Colorado | $41K | -6% | 50 |
| South Dakota | $41K | -6% | 60 |
| Georgia | $40K | -7% | 60 |
| Virginia | $39K | -9% | 160 |
| North Carolina | $39K | -9% | N/A |
| Tennessee | $38K | -12% | 300 |
| Missouri | $38K | -12% | 80 |
| Oregon | $38K | -13% | 220 |
| Kentucky | $37K | -16% | 250 |
| Oklahoma | $36K | -17% | 110 |
| Louisiana | $33K | -24% | 40 |
| Texas | $31K | -28% | 630 |
| Alabama | $31K | -28% | 60 |
| South Carolina | $28K | -35% | 50 |
Showing 1–10 of 37 states
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track etchers and engravers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Knoxville numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a etchers and engraver afford a 2BR apartment alone in Knoxville?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $36K, rent takes 57.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,471/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $800/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for etchers and engravers in Knoxville?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new etchers and engravers typically earn — is $35K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,080/month. At HUD’s $1,471/month FMR, rent would take 71% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is etchers and engraver a high-paying job in Knoxville?
Local pay runs 17% below the national median — $36K here vs. $43K nationally. Cost of living is 7% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Knoxville compare to the national average for etchers and engravers?
Knoxville pays $36K median vs. the U.S. average of $43K — that’s -17%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 92.57), the purchasing-power equivalent is $39K — below the national median.
How much do etchers and engravers make in Knoxville, TN?
The median is $35,820 a year, that works out to about $17 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $34,660, and experienced etchers and engravers can clear $56,300. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $36K enough to live in Knoxville?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,568/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,471/month, which eats 57.3% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a etchers and engravers salary go in Knoxville?
Knoxville has a Regional Price Parity of 92.57 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median etchers and engravers salary is worth about $38,695 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do etchers and engravers get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.