Jewelers and Precious Stone and Metal Workers Salary
The median pay for a jewelers and precious stone and metal workers in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA is $46,350/year ($22.28/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $43K at the entry level to $92K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 105.42), so that salary is closer to $43,967 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,922/month, about 60.1% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $46K get you in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro’s Regional Price Parity (105.42). 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 jewelers and precious stone and metal workers
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What this looks like in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro
Pay for jewelers and precious stone and metal workers in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro runs about 12% below the U.S. median of $53K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,922/month, which is 64.5% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost-of-living overall is 5% above the national average (BEA RPP 105.42), so groceries and services cost more too. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for jewelers and precious stone and metal workerss.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for jewelers and precious stone and metal workers in metros near Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Bend | $45K | $43K |
| Salem | $49K | $47K |
| Boise City | $56K | $56K |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $61K | $54K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA
Entry-level jewelers and precious stone and metal workers (10th percentile) start around $43K. Mid-career wages sit at $46K. Top earners bring in $92K or more, a $49K spread from bottom to top.
Jewelers and Precious Stone and Metal Workers pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Jewelers and Precious Stone and Metal Workers salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Connecticut | $70K | +33% | 140 |
| Virginia | $62K | +18% | 240 |
| New York | $62K | +17% | 4,300 |
| California | $61K | +16% | 2,300 |
| South Carolina | $60K | +15% | 200 |
| Washington | $60K | +15% | 290 |
| New Jersey | $59K | +13% | 780 |
| Vermont | $59K | +11% | 50 |
| Kansas | $58K | +10% | 110 |
| Colorado | $57K | +9% | 220 |
| North Dakota | $57K | +9% | 50 |
| Michigan | $57K | +8% | 460 |
| Missouri | $56K | +7% | 490 |
| Wisconsin | $56K | +6% | 280 |
| North Carolina | $55K | +5% | 770 |
| Mississippi | $55K | +5% | 40 |
| Illinois | $55K | +5% | 610 |
| Pennsylvania | $55K | +4% | 760 |
| Minnesota | $54K | +3% | 220 |
| Florida | $51K | -2% | 1,070 |
| Louisiana | $51K | -2% | 280 |
| Massachusetts | $51K | -3% | 830 |
| Iowa | $50K | -4% | 160 |
| Alabama | $49K | -7% | 110 |
| Rhode Island | $49K | -7% | 540 |
| Hawaii | $48K | -8% | 170 |
| Tennessee | $48K | -8% | 370 |
| Ohio | $48K | -8% | 430 |
| Maine | $48K | -8% | 50 |
| Georgia | $48K | -9% | 420 |
| Indiana | $48K | -9% | 380 |
| Texas | $48K | -9% | 1,810 |
| Kentucky | $47K | -10% | 320 |
| Idaho | $47K | -10% | 130 |
| Nebraska | $47K | -11% | 120 |
| West Virginia | $46K | -12% | 30 |
| New Mexico | $46K | -12% | 230 |
| Maryland | $45K | -14% | 80 |
| South Dakota | $45K | -14% | 90 |
| Oregon | $45K | -15% | 530 |
| New Hampshire | $44K | -17% | 170 |
| Arizona | $42K | -20% | 440 |
| Oklahoma | $42K | -21% | 180 |
| Nevada | $41K | -23% | 330 |
| Utah | $40K | -24% | 420 |
| Montana | $38K | -28% | 80 |
| Arkansas | $36K | -32% | 270 |
Showing 1–10 of 47 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track jewelers and precious stone and metal workers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a jewelers and precious stone and metal worker afford a 2BR apartment alone in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $46K, rent takes 64.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,922/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $900/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for jewelers and precious stone and metal workers in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new jewelers and precious stone and metal workers typically earn — is $43K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,577/month. At HUD’s $1,922/month FMR, rent would take 75% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is jewelers and precious stone and metal worker a high-paying job in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro?
Local pay runs 12% below the national median — $46K here vs. $53K nationally.
How does Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro compare to the national average for jewelers and precious stone and metal workers?
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro pays $46K median vs. the U.S. average of $53K — that’s -12%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 105.42), the purchasing-power equivalent is $44K — below the national median.
How much do jewelers and precious stone and metal workers make in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA?
The median is $46,350 a year, that works out to about $22 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $42,950, and experienced jewelers and precious stone and metal workers can clear $91,520. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $46K enough to live in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,979/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,922/month, which eats 64.5% 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 jewelers and precious stone and metal workers salary go in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro?
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro has a Regional Price Parity of 105.42 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median jewelers and precious stone and metal workers salary is worth about $43,967 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do jewelers and precious stone and metal workers 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.