Data current as of August 2026 · sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET
Average base salary, Virginia
$64,500 / year
≈ $5,400 per month · $31.01 per hour
BLS May 2025 state data for Virginia · median $64,000
25th percentile
$53,500Average
$64,50075th percentile
$83,000
$53,500Average
$64,50075th percentile
$83,000
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025 (occupation group), with detailed role definition from O*NET, aged to 2026 using compounded market movement. State selections show BLS state-level figures where published. Actual pay varies with experience, industry, and organization size.
Gem and Diamond Workers salary by state
Alabama$51,000
Arizona$50,500
Arkansas$44,500
California$64,000
Colorado$60,500
Connecticut$69,000
Florida$60,500
Georgia$57,000
Hawaii$54,000
Idaho$51,500
Illinois$57,500
Indiana$51,000
Iowa$55,500
Kansas$58,000
Kentucky$52,500
Louisiana$53,000
Maine$59,000
Maryland$51,500
Massachusetts$57,000
Michigan$59,500
Minnesota$53,500
Mississippi$54,000
Missouri$58,000
Montana$48,000
Nebraska$53,000
Nevada$49,000
New Hampshire$54,000
New Jersey$63,500
New Mexico$48,000
New York$71,000
North Carolina$60,500
North Dakota$55,500
Ohio$56,000
Oklahoma$46,000
Oregon$57,000
Pennsylvania$59,000
Rhode Island$57,500
South Carolina$60,500
South Dakota$50,000
Tennessee$51,000
Texas$55,500
Utah$46,000
Vermont$61,000
Virginia$64,500
Washington$68,000
West Virginia$45,500
Wisconsin$57,500
About this role
Gem and Diamond Workers is a professional role within the function in the Production job family.
Pay for this title reflects both its level and its scope; see our Title Level and Organization Responsibility guides for how WePayFairly defines them.
What Gem and Diamond Workerss do
Typical education: High School Diploma
- Examine gems during processing to ensure accuracy of angles and positions of cuts or bores, using magnifying glasses, loupes, or shadowgraphs.
- Assign polish, symmetry, and clarity grades to stones, according to established grading systems.
- Estimate wholesale and retail value of gems, following pricing guides, market fluctuations, and other relevant economic factors.
- Examine gem surfaces and internal structures, using polariscopes, refractometers, microscopes, and other optical instruments, to differentiate between stones, to identify rare specimens, or to detect flaws, defects, or peculiarities affecting gem values.
- Identify and document stones' clarity characteristics, using plot diagrams.
Top skills: Quality Control Analysis Speaking Active Listening Monitoring Critical Thinking Reading Comprehension
Includes information from O*NET OnLine by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (CC BY 4.0).
Gem and Diamond Workers pay by experience level
Entry level$37,000
Typical starting pay (about the 10th percentile)
Early career$41,000
A few years in (about the 25th percentile)
Experienced$54,500
Mid-career median pay
Senior$72,500
Seasoned professionals (about the 75th percentile)
Top earners$90,500
Highest earners (about the 90th percentile)
Experience tiers are derived from the BLS wage percentile distribution for this occupation, aged to 2026. Actual pay varies by employer, location, and specialization.
Job outlook
-5.5%
projected change in jobs, 2024–2034
4,000
projected openings per year
Declining
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program (2024–2034). Openings include growth and replacement needs.
Gem and Diamond Workers salary by industry
Clothing, Clothing Accessories, Shoe, and Jewelry Retailers
12,070 workers
$59,500Jewelry, Luggage, and Leather Goods Retailers
11,740 workers
$59,500Miscellaneous Manufacturing
5,080 workers
$55,000Other Miscellaneous Manufacturing
5,080 workers
$55,000Merchant Wholesalers, Durable Goods
2,100 workers
$67,500Merchant Wholesalers, Durable Goods (4232, 4233, 4235, 4236, 4237, and 4239 only)
2,100 workers
$67,500Repair and Maintenance
1,210 workers
$56,000Personal and Household Goods Repair and Maintenance
1,210 workers
$56,000Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
460 workers
$64,500Management of Companies and Enterprises
380 workers
$89,500National sector-level figures, BLS OEWS May 2025, aged to 2026.
How this role compares
Gem and Diamond Workers pays 7% above the average across 112 roles in the Production job family (family average $56,000).
Similar-paying roles in Production
Careers related to Gem and Diamond Workers
Related occupations from O*NET OnLine, U.S. Department of Labor.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a Gem and Diamond Workers make?
The average base salary for a Gem and Diamond Workers in the United States is $60,000 per year, or about $28.85 per hour.
What is the typical salary range?
Pay typically falls between $41,000 and $72,000 per year (25th to 75th percentile) depending on experience, location, industry, and organization size.
How does this compare with other Production roles?
The Production job family averages $56,000 across 112 roles tracked by WePayFairly.
Need a defensible market price for this role?
WePayFairly data is compiled from published survey sources and maintained by compensation professionals.
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