Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2011

51-9141 Semiconductor Processors

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.


National estimates for this occupation
Industry profile for this occupation
Geographic profile for this occupation

National estimates for this occupation: Top

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for this occupation:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3)
Mean hourly
wage
Mean annual
wage (2)
Wage RSE (3)
22,070 4.8 % $16.45 $34,220 1.3 %

Percentile wage estimates for this occupation:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Hourly Wage $11.21 $12.99 $15.64 $18.87 $22.62
Annual Wage (2) $23,320 $27,020 $32,530 $39,260 $47,050


Industry profile for this occupation: Top

Industries with the highest published employment and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.

Industries with the highest levels of employment in this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Semiconductor and Other Electronic Component Manufacturing 19,960 5.26 $16.30 $33,910
Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing 800 0.20 $17.09 $35,540
Scientific Research and Development Services 30 0.01 $21.39 $44,490

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Semiconductor and Other Electronic Component Manufacturing 19,960 5.26 $16.30 $33,910
Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing 800 0.20 $17.09 $35,540
Scientific Research and Development Services 30 0.01 $21.39 $44,490

Top paying industries for this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Scientific Research and Development Services 30 0.01 $21.39 $44,490
Communications Equipment Manufacturing (8) (8) $17.69 $36,790
Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing 800 0.20 $17.09 $35,540
Semiconductor and Other Electronic Component Manufacturing 19,960 5.26 $16.30 $33,910
Employment Services (8) (8) $15.58 $32,400


Geographic profile for this occupation: Top

States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.





States with the highest employment level in this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
California 4,350 0.31 1.80 $17.32 $36,020
Texas 3,860 0.37 2.17 $16.82 $34,980
Oregon 2,250 1.42 8.24 $16.41 $34,140
Arizona 1,700 0.71 4.15 $15.70 $32,650
North Carolina 1,240 0.32 1.89 $15.91 $33,090




States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Idaho 890 1.51 8.76 $13.98 $29,070
Oregon 2,250 1.42 8.24 $16.41 $34,140
Arizona 1,700 0.71 4.15 $15.70 $32,650
Washington 1,110 0.41 2.36 $17.39 $36,170
Massachusetts 1,220 0.39 2.24 $16.68 $34,690




Top paying States for this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
New Hampshire 80 0.13 0.77 $22.26 $46,290
Florida 580 0.08 0.47 $18.13 $37,700
Washington 1,110 0.41 2.36 $17.39 $36,170
Pennsylvania 450 0.08 0.47 $17.36 $36,100
California 4,350 0.31 1.80 $17.32 $36,020





Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in this occupation:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA 3,210 3.27 19.01 $16.72 $34,770
Phoenix-Mesa-Glendale, AZ 1,700 1.00 5.80 $15.70 $32,660
Dallas-Plano-Irving, TX Metropolitan Division 1,690 0.83 4.81 $16.38 $34,060
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA 1,670 1.91 11.10 $18.39 $38,250
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI 960 0.56 3.26 $16.33 $33,970
Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX 890 1.13 6.57 (8) (8)
Durham-Chapel Hill, NC 780 2.91 16.89 $15.54 $32,320
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, CA Metropolitan Division 730 0.19 1.11 $15.99 $33,260
Oakland-Fremont-Hayward, CA Metropolitan Division 570 0.60 3.46 $19.19 $39,920
San Diego-Carlsbad-San Marcos, CA 420 0.34 1.99 $15.76 $32,780




Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA 3,210 3.27 19.01 $16.72 $34,770
Durham-Chapel Hill, NC 780 2.91 16.89 $15.54 $32,320
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA 1,670 1.91 11.10 $18.39 $38,250
Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX 890 1.13 6.57 (8) (8)
Phoenix-Mesa-Glendale, AZ 1,700 1.00 5.80 $15.70 $32,660
Dallas-Plano-Irving, TX Metropolitan Division 1,690 0.83 4.81 $16.38 $34,060
Worcester, MA-CT 160 0.68 3.94 $19.02 $39,570
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA 170 0.61 3.55 $16.82 $34,980
Oakland-Fremont-Hayward, CA Metropolitan Division 570 0.60 3.46 $19.19 $39,920
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI 960 0.56 3.26 $16.33 $33,970




Top paying metropolitan areas for this occupation:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Oakland-Fremont-Hayward, CA Metropolitan Division 570 0.60 3.46 $19.19 $39,920
Worcester, MA-CT 160 0.68 3.94 $19.02 $39,570
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA 1,670 1.91 11.10 $18.39 $38,250
Santa Barbara-Santa Maria-Goleta, CA 80 0.47 2.75 $17.82 $37,070
Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL (8) (8) (8) $17.77 $36,960
Edison-New Brunswick, NJ Metropolitan Division 70 0.07 0.40 $17.48 $36,350
Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL (8) (8) (8) $16.87 $35,080
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA 170 0.61 3.55 $16.82 $34,980
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA 3,210 3.27 19.01 $16.72 $34,770
Dallas-Plano-Irving, TX Metropolitan Division 1,690 0.83 4.81 $16.38 $34,060


About May 2011 National, State, Metropolitan, and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

These estimates are calculated with data collected from employers in all industry sectors, all metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, and all states and the District of Columbia. The top employment and wage figures are provided above. The complete list is available in the downloadable XLS files.

The percentile wage estimate is the value of a wage below which a certain percent of workers fall. The median wage is the 50th percentile wage estimate--50 percent of workers earn less than the median and 50 percent of workers earn more than the median. More about percentile wages.


(1) Estimates for detailed occupations do not sum to the totals because the totals include occupations not shown separately. Estimates do not include self-employed workers.

(2) Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly mean wage by a "year-round, full-time" hours figure of 2,080 hours; for those occupations where there is not an hourly mean wage published, the annual wage has been directly calculated from the reported survey data.

(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is a measure of the reliability of a survey statistic. The smaller the relative standard error, the more precise the estimate.

(8) Estimate not released.

(9) The location quotient is the ratio of the area concentration of occupational employment to the national average concentration. A location quotient greater than one indicates the occupation has a higher share of employment than average, and a location quotient less than one indicates the occupation is less prevalent in the area than average.


Other OES estimates and related information:

May 2011 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2011 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2011 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2011 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

List of Occupations in SOC Code Number Order

List of Occupations in Alphabetical Order

Download May 2011 Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates in Zipped XLS files

Technical Notes

 

Last Modified Date: March 27, 2012