How Much Does a Gunsmith Make in a Year?

Gunsmiths maintain, repair and customize firearms.

Gunsmiths repair, maintain and customize rifles, shotguns, pistols and other firearms. While the Bureau of Labor Statistics doesn't provide separate salary figures for gunsmiths, a survey by Payscale.com shows gunsmiths make one-third more than the average American worker.

Education

Nearly three in five gunsmiths are self-taught, according to a survey by The Association of Gunsmiths and Related Trades, a trade group. Associate degrees in gunsmithing are available at several colleges, but one of the most common educational routes is an apprenticeship with a gunsmith. Eighty-five percent of gunsmiths polled by the trade group said they'd consider taking on an apprentice.

Salary

The average gunsmith makes $14.08 per hour, or about $39,034 annually, according to a survey by Payscale.com. Top gunsmiths make as much as $59,236 annually, the website said. Those wages compare very favorably with the 2009 average per capita income of $27,041 annually, according to the Census Bureau's American Community Survey.

Specialization

Most gunsmiths focus on rifles and handguns, according to The Association of Gunsmiths and Related Trades. Time spent on projects ranges from an hour or two for basic gunsmithing to four to 20 hours for firearms engraving. General gunsmithing accounts for slightly less than half of the business done at a gunsmithing company.

Outlook

The outlook for gunsmiths would appear to be excellent. The average gunsmith has been in business for 19 years, according to the trade group survey, and slightly more than half own their shop. The survey found that 97 percent of gunsmiths surveyed had a backlog.

References

• College Grad: How to Begin a Career in Gunsmithing
• The Association of Gunsmiths and Related Trades
• Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook 2010-11, Maintenance and Repair Workers, General
• Census Bureau American Factfinder, United States, Economic Characteristics
• The Best Degrees: How to Become a Gunsmith
• Payscale.com: Gunsmiths

Resources

• NRA Gunsmithing Schools
• W3 Schools: Gunsmithing Degree Online and Campus Schools