Shapes glass and quartz into custom laboratory apparatus for chemists, physicists and manufacturers, from vacuum manifolds to specialty reactors. BLS does not publish separate figures for glass blowers, molders, benders, and finishers; it counts them within glass blower, molder, bender, and finisher (SOC 51-9195), whose median pay is $46,170 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Typical entry-level education: Associate's degree.
- SOC 51-9195
- Production
- Last updated October 9, 2026
At a glance
Scientific Glassblower in four numbers
- Median pay
- $46,170a year, or $22.20/hrBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $36KTop 10% $62K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- +5.8%Faster than averageBLS EP, 2025–2035This career+5.8%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career +5.8% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 5,10043,000 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 202543K
- Projected 203545.5K
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 43K Projected 2035 45.5K - Typical education
- Associate'sneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
Also advertised as: Scientific Glass Technician, Laboratory Glassblower, Glass Apparatus Maker, Research Glassblower, Quartz Fabricator.
Pay
How much do Glass Blowers, Molders, Benders, and Finishers make?
Every scientific glassblower in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$46,170
Middle half earn $39,280 to $53,000
- 10th
- $35,850
- 25th
- $39,280
- 75th
- $53,000
- 90th
- $61,530
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $35,850 |
| 25th | $39,280 |
| Median | $46,170 |
| 75th | $53,000 |
| 90th | $61,530 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage
- $46,170
- Median hourly wage
- $22.20/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $47,500
- People employed
- 33,190
Versus all US occupations
At $46,170, Glass Blowers, Molders, Benders, and Finishers earn 9% below the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $4,810 a year.
Versus production occupations
Inside the Production group, where the middle occupation pays $48,030, this is 4% below the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $61,530 or more while the bottom 10% earn $35,850, a gap of 1.7×. That is a narrow spread, so experience and employer move pay less than in most occupations.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 13% of the 1,741 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Highest-paying state
Montana pays the most at $57,860, and still leads at $61,134 once local prices are taken into account.
Pay by state
Which states pay Glass Blowers, Molders, Benders, and Finishers the most?
State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1Montana | $57,860 | $61,134 | 150 |
| 2Hawaii | $55,990 | $50,923 | 40 |
| 3Oregon | $52,740 | $51,025 | 410 |
| 4Connecticut | $52,520 | $50,690 | 170 |
| 5Washington | $51,780 | $48,387 | 1,130 |
| 6New Hampshire | $51,470 | $49,412 | 160 |
| 7Massachusetts | $50,550 | $47,798 | 1,200 |
| 8Maryland | $50,360 | $47,981 | 110 |
| 9Colorado | $49,530 | $48,063 | 390 |
| 10California | $49,190 | $44,427 | 3,590 |
Job outlook
Is Scientific Glassblower a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
Faster than average. +5.8% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Glass Blowers, Molders, Benders, and Finishers | +5.8% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
Faster than average
BLS projects employment of Glass Blowers, Molders, Benders, and Finishers to change 5.8% over 2025–2035, against 3.5% projected for all occupations. That is 2,500 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 5,100 openings are projected each year, 11.9% of the 43,000 jobs that existed in 2025. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Getting in
How to become a Scientific Glassblower
The best-known training route in the US is the associate's degree in scientific glass technology at Salem Community College in New Jersey, which teaches lampworking, lathe work and apparatus design. Others learn through apprenticeships with university or industrial glass shops.
The American Scientific Glassblowers Society is the professional association for the field, offering continuing education, workshops and an annual symposium where glassblowers share techniques. Precision, spatial reasoning and the ability to talk with scientists about what an experiment needs are what set strong glassblowers apart.
- 1
Typical entry-level education
Associate's degree
- 2
Work experience in a related occupation
None
- 3
Typical on-the-job training
Long-term on-the-job training
- 4
Preparation needed (O*NET job zone)
Little or no preparation
BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035; job zone from O*NET 31.0 Database.
The work
What does a Scientific Glassblower do?
Scientific glassblowers build and repair the custom glassware that research labs and industry rely on. Working at a bench torch or glass lathe, they shape borosilicate glass and fused quartz into vacuum lines, distillation columns, reaction vessels, condensers, specialty tubes and one-of-a-kind apparatus designed with the scientists who will use it.
Glassblowers work in university chemistry and physics departments, national laboratories, pharmaceutical and semiconductor companies, and specialty glass shops. They read technical drawings, join glass to metal, grind and polish, anneal finished pieces to relieve stress, and repair broken glassware that would be costly or slow to replace.
Day-to-day tasks
- Fabricate custom laboratory glassware from borosilicate and quartz
- Read technical drawings and consult with scientists on designs
- Operate bench torches and glass lathes
- Repair broken laboratory glassware
- Join glass to metal and other materials
- Anneal finished pieces to relieve internal stress
- Grind, cut and polish glass components
- Inspect glassware for strain with a polariscope
Typical tasks, researched by NueCareer from the sources below.
Working conditions and hours
Scientific glassblowers work in shops within universities, laboratories and manufacturing plants, at torches and lathes that run very hot. They wear protective eyewear to filter intense light, and shops need good ventilation. Hours are typically regular, and the work involves long periods of focused, seated handwork.
Where the work happens
Indoors, climate-controlled
NeverEvery dayOutdoors in all weather
NeverEvery dayAlmost never works outdoors.
Physical demands
Sitting
NeverAlmost all the timeStanding
NeverAlmost all the timeBending or twisting
NeverAlmost all the time
Working with people
Contact with other people
NoneConstantFace-to-face discussions
NeverEvery dayDealing with the public
Not importantExtremely important
Pressure and stakes
Strict deadlines
NeverEvery dayConflict situations
NeverEvery dayCost of a mistake
Not seriousExtremely serious
Autonomy
Freedom to decide
NoneA lotA lot of freedom to make decisions without checking first.
Conditions: O*NET Work Context survey. Each item has its own scale, so each dot is read against the two answers that end its own line.
Core skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Monitoring3.1
- Active Listening3.0
- Speaking3.0
- Critical Thinking3.0
- Reading Comprehension2.9
- Writing2.9
- Mathematics2.5
- Active Learning2.5
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Monitoring | 3.1 |
| Active Listening | 3.0 |
| Speaking | 3.0 |
| Critical Thinking | 3.0 |
| Reading Comprehension | 2.9 |
| Writing | 2.9 |
| Mathematics | 2.5 |
| Active Learning | 2.5 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Quality Control Analysis3.1
- Operations Monitoring3.0
- Operation and Control3.0
- Complex Problem Solving2.9
- Judgment and Decision Making2.9
- Social Perceptiveness2.8
- Time Management2.8
- Coordination2.5
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Quality Control Analysis | 3.1 |
| Operations Monitoring | 3.0 |
| Operation and Control | 3.0 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 2.9 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 2.9 |
| Social Perceptiveness | 2.8 |
| Time Management | 2.8 |
| Coordination | 2.5 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Tools and software
- Electronic mail software · in demand
- Spreadsheet software · in demand
- Billing and invoicing software
- Inventory management software
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
Personality fit
What personality type suits a Scientific Glassblower?
NueCareer estimate (Holland code RIA) built on O*NET's Glass Blower, Molder, Bender, and Finisher profile, scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Scientific Glassblower |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 7 |
| Investigative | 4 |
| Artistic | 3 |
| Social | 1 |
| Enterprising | 1 |
| Conventional | 5 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
What the work is built around
Day to day this is work built around hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors, combined with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data.
- Realistic6.8
- Conventional5.1
- Investigative3.6
- Artistic2.7
- Enterprising1.5
- Social1.0
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Explore further
Careers related to Scientific Glassblower
O*NET related occupations
- Production
Glass Blower, Molder, Bender, and Finisher
$46,170median a year
Most earn $36K to $62K
+5.8%High school - Production
Molder, Shaper, and Caster, Except Metal and Plastic
$46,170median a year
Most earn $36K to $62K
+5.8%High school - Production
Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setter, Operator, and Tender
$45,760median a year
Most earn $35K to $63K
+1.5%High school - Production
Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setter, Operator, and Tender, Metal and Plastic
$44,350median a year
Most earn $34K to $62K
−3.4%High school - Production
Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setter, Operator, and Tender
$47,920median a year
Most earn $37K to $67K
−8.9%High school - Production
Cutting and Slicing Machine Setter, Operator, and Tender
$46,570median a year
Most earn $36K to $61K
−0.9%High school
More production careers
Median annual pay, with glass blowers, molders, benders, and finishers highlighted
- Power Plant Operator$102,040
- Tool and Die Maker$64,050
- Machinist$58,750
- Welder$53,750
- Structural Metal Fabricator and Fitter$51,330
- Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operator$50,690
- Scientific Glassblower$46,170
- Butcher and Meat Cutter$40,140
- Baker$37,160
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Power Plant Operator | $102,040 |
| Tool and Die Maker | $64,050 |
| Machinist | $58,750 |
| Welder | $53,750 |
| Structural Metal Fabricator and Fitter | $51,330 |
| Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operator | $50,690 |
| Scientific Glassblower | $46,170 |
| Butcher and Meat Cutter | $40,140 |
| Baker | $37,160 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lists Scientific Glassblower appears on
Questions
Scientific Glassblower: frequently asked questions
How much do Glass Blowers, Molders, Benders, and Finishers make?
BLS does not publish a separate wage for glass blowers, molders, benders, and finishers. It counts them within glass blower, molder, bender, and finisher, whose median pay is $46,170 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The middle half of that occupation earn between $39,280 and $53,000, and the top 10% earn $61,530 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a Scientific Glassblower?
Usually a two-year degree rather than a four-year one. BLS lists an associate's degree as the typical entry-level education for Glass Blowers, Molders, Benders, and Finishers. BLS also lists long-term on-the-job training as typical on-the-job training.
Is Scientific Glassblower a growing career?
Yes. Employment is projected to grow 5.8% over 2025–2035, faster than the 3.5% average for all occupations (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 5,100 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a Scientific Glassblower do?
Scientific glassblowers build and repair the custom glassware that research labs and industry rely on. A typical task: fabricate custom laboratory glassware from borosilicate and quartz. Employers most often ask for Electronic mail software, Spreadsheet software.
Which states pay Glass Blowers, Molders, Benders, and Finishers the most?
The highest state medians for Glass Blowers, Molders, Benders, and Finishers are Montana ($57,860), Hawaii ($55,990), Oregon ($52,740) (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
What personality type suits a Scientific Glassblower?
O*NET scores Glass Blowers, Molders, Benders, and Finishers highest on the Realistic, Conventional and Investigative interest areas, so the work mixes hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping that lines up most closely with ISTJ personalities. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 1,731 careers in the bank.