What is the salary and career path for a robotics technician?
Robotics technician is a close match to Electro-Mechanical and Mechatronics Technologists and Technicians (SOC 17-3024), the BLS code for technicians who maintain automated and robotic equipment; the OEWS May 2025 median is $73,900 a year ($35.53 an hour), from $47,840 at the 10th percentile to $109,890 at the 90th. BLS projects only 1.1% employment growth for the code over 2024–2034 — slower than average — with about 1,300 openings a year in a small occupation. It is reached through a technical associate degree or apprenticeship rather than a four-year degree.
- Robotics Technicians earn a national median $73,900/yr ($35.53/hr) (BLS OEWS May 2025, SOC 17-3024); the top 10% clear $109,890.
- It is a close-match role: BLS Electro-Mechanical and Mechatronics Technologists and Technicians (SOC 17-3024) is the code for robotics technicians at a $73,900 median, shared with automation technicians.
- No four-year degree is required; a two-year mechatronics/robotics associate degree, robot-manufacturer certifications and OSHA LOTO training are the standard credentials.
- BLS projects only 1.1% growth for SOC 17-3024 through 2034 — slower than average — with about 1,300 openings a year in a small occupation; the ladder runs trainee ($47,840) to robotics technician ($73,900 median) to senior tech ($88,540) to automation lead ($109,890 top decile).
Career Path
How do you become a robotics technician?
Maintenance / robotics trainee
Assisting on robot preventive maintenance and cell troubleshooting under a senior tech; entry pay sits near the 10th percentile of $47,840 for SOC 17-3024.
Robotics technician
Maintaining, troubleshooting and touching up robotic cells around the $73,900 median for the code.
Senior robotics / automation technician
Leading installs, integration and complex controls troubleshooting pays toward the 75th percentile of $88,540.
Robotics / automation lead or specialist
Leading the automation-maintenance team or a robot-integration role reaches the 90th percentile of $109,890.
BLS Salary Data
Which state pays robotics technicians the most in 2026?
Source: BLS OEWS May 2025, SOC 17-3024. National median: $73,900. Full salary guide →
Pay Comparison
How does robotics technician pay compare to related roles?
Head-to-head against the roles robotics technicians most often weigh against. BLS OEWS May 2025 medians.
Takeaway: robotics technicians rank 2 of 4 on median pay among the comparable roles above, with a projected +1.1% employment change 2024–34 (BLS Employment Projections). Pay position and projected demand together are what determine how quickly robotics technicians clear offers across the GlobalCybers placement network.
Methodology & Sources
How this guide is sourced and reviewed
Wages (BLS): All median and percentile figures are BLS OEWS May 2025, SOC 17-3024 (robotics technicians) and the matching SOC codes for each comparison role. OEWS is sampled on a rolling 3-year basis and published ~10 months after collection, so treat it as a firm anchor rather than a spot rate.
Job growth: Projected 2024–34 employment change, and the average annual openings figure, are from the BLS Employment Projections program, by occupation. Openings are a per-year average over the projection decade, not a decade total.
Licensing & credentials:Requirements are drawn from the issuing state licensing boards and the certifying body behind each credential — not from third-party aggregators.
Demand signal:Any statement about how quickly this role clears offers reflects GlobalCybers placement request volume across the trailing 12 months — our own network data, offered as a directional real-world indicator alongside BLS, not a market-wide survey.
Credentials
What licences and certifications do robotics technicians need?
A two-year associate degree or technical certificate covering electrical, mechanical and controls fundamentals — the common entry credential. See all state licences →
FANUC, ABB, KUKA or Yaskawa operation and maintenance certifications specific to the robots the plant runs.
Lockout/tagout (1910.147) and robotic-cell safety training required to service energized and guarded automation safely.
An Allen-Bradley/Siemens PLC or industrial-controls certificate for the logic that runs the cell around the robot.
Tools & Software
What tools and software do robotics technicians use on the job?
⚙️ Core Tools & Equipment
📊 BLS Employment Data, SOC 17-3024
Salary Levers
How do robotics technicians earn above the $73,900 BLS median?
Robot-platform breadth
Certification on multiple robot brands and controllers moves pay from the $47,840 band toward the $73,900 median
Integration and install work
Leading robot installs and cell integration rather than only maintenance pays toward the $88,540 seventy-fifth percentile
Controls and PLC depth
Adding strong PLC/HMI troubleshooting to robotics skills commands a premium
Lead / specialist role
Leading the automation-maintenance team or a robot-integration specialty is what reaches the $109,890 top decile
This Route vs. College
Is becoming a robotics technician worth it vs. a 4-year degree?
The entry route into this role, set against a four-year degree. Same starting line, side by side.
Entry-level (10th percentile) and all-level median wages: BLS OEWS May 2025, SOC 17-3024. Student-debt figure: median federal borrower balance for bachelor's-degree completers. Starting-salary comparison is illustrative and varies by field and region.
FAQ
Robotics Technician Career, Frequently Asked Questions
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