Jeweler vs jewelry maker

The differences between jewelers and jewelry makers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a jeweler and a jewelry maker. Additionally, a jewelry maker has an average salary of $58,352, which is higher than the $43,022 average annual salary of a jeweler.

The top three skills for a jeweler include customer service, CAD and laser welding. The most important skills for a jewelry maker are customer service, custom orders, and wire wrapping.

Jeweler vs jewelry maker overview

	Jeweler	Jewelry Maker
Yearly salary	$43,022	$58,352
Hourly rate	$20.68	$28.05
Growth rate	1%	1%
Number of jobs	359	10,516
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 43%	Bachelor's Degree, 52%
Average age	46	46
Years of experience	2	2

Jeweler vs jewelry maker salary

Jewelers and jewelry makers have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Jeweler	Jewelry Maker
Average salary	$43,022	$58,352
Salary range	Between $26,000 And $69,000	Between $30,000 And $110,000
Highest paying City	Minnetonka, MN	-
Highest paying state	Pennsylvania	-
Best paying company	Tesoro	-
Best paying industry	-	-

Differences between jeweler and jewelry maker education

There are a few differences between a jeweler and a jewelry maker in terms of educational background:

	Jeweler	Jewelry Maker
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 43%	Bachelor's Degree, 52%
Most common major	Fine Arts	Business
Most common college	-	-

Jeweler vs jewelry maker demographics

Here are the differences between jewelers' and jewelry makers' demographics:

	Jeweler	Jewelry Maker
Average age	46	46
Gender ratio	Male, 49.5% Female, 50.5%	Male, 23.2% Female, 76.8%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 2.7% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 14.5% Asian, 11.7% White, 62.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 3.9%	Black or African American, 2.2% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 13.1% Asian, 12.0% White, 64.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 4.0%
LGBT Percentage	10%	10%

Differences between jeweler and jewelry maker duties and responsibilities

Jeweler example responsibilities.

Process and manage blanket purchase order for tier one customer.
Create releases, update pricing and resolve accounting issues between BPA and customer invoice.
Create customized jewelry by engraving gems
Assist primary jeweler with minor repairs, polishing and machine engraving
Demonstrate time management skills via maintenance of appointment itineraries for Medicare and Medicaid patients.
Identify process and systems improvements for order management, supply chain and planning.

Jewelry maker example responsibilities.

Manage buying and selling of goods online via third-party sales venues such as eBay and Etsy.
Design professional quality jewelry which consist of bracelets, necklaces and earrings.
Design professional quality jewelry which consist of bracelets, necklaces and earrings.

Jeweler vs jewelry maker skills

Common jeweler skills

Customer Service, 27%
CAD, 16%
Laser Welding, 12%
Laser Machine, 12%
Product Knowledge, 8%
Engraving, 5%

Common jewelry maker skills

Customer Service, 74%
Custom Orders, 17%
Wire Wrapping, 9%

Updated January 8, 2025

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