Money · 1 of 5

What jewelers make

Typical

$52,540

Starting at the bench

$35,580

Master bench jeweler or owner

$87,540

The national median is $52,540 a year, and the bottom tenth are near $35,580. The wage survey groups this as Jewelers and Precious Stone and Metal Workers, so bench jewelers, stone setters, appraisers and factory metal workers all sit in one number. Where you live matters a lot, because the work follows money.