Career profile · 51-9141
Semiconductor Processing Technicians
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.
What the work can involve
- Inspect materials, components, or products for surface defects and measure circuitry, using electronic test equipment, precision measuring instruments, microscope, and standard procedures.
- Study work orders, instructions, formulas, and processing charts to determine specifications and sequence of operations.
- Clean semiconductor wafers using cleaning equipment, such as chemical baths, automatic wafer cleaners, or blow-off wands.
- Maintain processing, production, and inspection information and reports.
- Place semiconductor wafers in processing containers or equipment holders, using vacuum wand or tweezers.
- Load and unload equipment chambers and transport finished product to storage or to area for further processing.
Selected core tasks from O*NET 31.0. Responsibilities vary by employer, specialization and experience.
Preparation and entry routes
This broad O*NET group commonly involves some prior preparation and on-the-job learning. Check the specific employer, occupational credential and state requirements.
Check the route for the specific occupation where you plan to work. Education, employer experience requirements, occupational licensing and industry certification can be separate steps.
Understand the different credentials →Skills used in this occupation
- Critical Thinking
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Listening
- Monitoring
- Speaking
Selected from the highest importance ratings available in O*NET 31.0. These describe the occupation, not a particular school's curriculum.
Knowledge to build
- Production and Processing
- English Language
- Public Safety and Security
- Computers and Electronics
- Education and Training
Selected from the highest importance ratings available in O*NET 31.0. These describe the occupation, not a particular school's curriculum.
Common work activities
- Getting Information
- Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
- Controlling Machines and Processes
- Documenting/Recording Information
- Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work
Selected from the highest importance ratings available in O*NET 31.0. These describe the occupation, not a particular school's curriculum.
Training subjects to investigate
The federal education-to-occupation crosswalk connects this role to the subjects below. These links do not endorse a school or guarantee that any particular award qualifies a graduate for the job.
Working conditions to consider
These are the most common published responses to selected O*NET work-setting questions. They describe occupation-level survey findings, not every employer or a particular job.
| Work-setting question | Most common response | Share giving that response |
|---|---|---|
| Contact With Others | Contact with others most of the time | 51.5%08/2026 · sample 14 |
| Exposed to Hazardous Conditions | Every day | 54.0%08/2026 · sample 14 |
| Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls | Continually or almost continually | 71.9%08/2026 · sample 14 |
| Time Pressure | Every day | 72.5%08/2026 · sample 14 |
| Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets | Every day | 75.1%08/2026 · sample 14 |
| Work Schedules | Regular (established routine, set schedule) | 96.8%08/2026 · sample 14 |
O*NET 31.0 Work Context, selected topics. Only unsuppressed source responses with sample size at least 10 are shown. A most-common response need not be a majority. Sampling uncertainty applies; source dates vary. Ask employers about actual schedules, accessibility, protective equipment and working conditions.
Software used in the workplace
Use these O*NET examples to ask how a course builds practical digital skills. They are workplace examples, not a required shopping list or confirmation of a school’s curriculum.
- Analytical or scientific software: yieldWerx
- Data base user interface and query software: Database software
- Development environment software: National Instruments TestStand
- Enterprise resource planning ERP software: SAP software
- Industrial control software: Camstar Systems Camstar Semiconductor Suite, Eyelit Manufacturing
- Object or component oriented development software: Python
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software
- Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word
Selected categories and examples from O*NET 31.0 Software Skills. Products and employer requirements change. These examples are not endorsements; check the complete official occupation profile.
Pay & employment outlook
Salary estimates for semiconductor processing technicians
The median divides workers into two equally sized groups by pay. It is not a starting salary, a school’s graduate outcome or a promise of employment. Lower percentiles are not automatically new graduates.
National outlook: 2025–2035
- Typical education for entry
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Related work experience
- None
- Typical on-the-job training
- Moderate-term on-the-job training
BLS national employment projections, 2025–2035. Openings include people leaving occupations or the labor force; these are not advertised vacancies. Education categories describe typical entry, not legal eligibility or a guarantee that any specific program is sufficient.
Compare wages across 21 state/DC estimates
| State | Annual median | Hourly median | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arizona | $78,940 | $37.95 | 2,270 |
| Arkansas | $40,610 | $19.53 | 40 |
| California | $48,030 | $23.09 | 4,650 |
| Colorado | $52,360 | $25.17 | 790 |
| Connecticut | $47,000 | $22.60 | 50 |
| Florida | $62,330 | $29.97 | 190 |
| Georgia | $48,580 | $23.35 | Not published |
| Maine | $47,270 | $22.73 | 320 |
| Maryland | $47,610 | $22.89 | 120 |
| Massachusetts | $51,410 | $24.72 | 1,190 |
| Michigan | Not published | Not published | 270 |
| Minnesota | $57,780 | $27.78 | Not published |
| Nevada | $37,290 | $17.93 | Not published |
| New Hampshire | $47,710 | $22.94 | 130 |
| New York | $49,400 | $23.75 | 1,750 |
| North Carolina | $56,160 | $27.00 | 60 |
| Oregon | $63,330 | $30.45 | 6,620 |
| Pennsylvania | $46,430 | $22.32 | 340 |
| Texas | $38,440 | $18.48 | 6,110 |
| Utah | $40,760 | $19.60 | 120 |
| Washington | $58,710 | $28.22 | 990 |
Metropolitan and nonmetropolitan wages
Search the 17 published local-area estimates for this occupation. Metropolitan areas can cross state lines; a city’s postal name is not necessarily the statistical area’s name.
Sources: BLS May 2025 OEWS public downloads and 2025–2035 employment projections, retrieved September 9, 2026. Unpublished estimates stay unavailable. “+” means BLS’s upper reporting threshold ($239,200 annually or $115 hourly). Wages exclude self-employment and nonwage benefits. How to interpret these figures.
Compare the route and prepare for work
Questions to test the fit
- What does an entry-level working day look like, and how does it differ from the experienced role described here?
- Which tasks, work environments and schedules would I enjoy or find difficult?
- What education, supervised practice and credentials do local employers actually request?
- Can I speak with someone in the occupation or arrange a suitable workplace visit?
- How does the complete training cost compare with my realistic budget and available routes?
Related occupations to compare
- Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians→
- Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Commercial and Industrial Equipment→
Related through shared training-subject mappings. Entry requirements can differ substantially.
Sources and attribution
This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under CC BY 4.0. Trade School Guides selects and organizes the material and adds explanatory guidance. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed or tested these modifications. Occupation code: 51-9141.00.
Training connections: CIP 2020–SOC 2018 crosswalk. Snapshot: September 8, 2026. See the methodology.