Construction and Extraction · Holland code RC
Glaziers
Install glass in windows, skylights, store fronts, and display cases, or on surfaces, such as building fronts, interior walls, ceilings, and tabletops.
Also called: Commercial Glazier, Field Glazier, Glazer, Glazier, Auto Glass Tech (Automobile Glass Technician), Glass Installer, Glass Technician (Glass Tech), Glassman.
O*NET 47-2121.00
At a glance
- US median annual pay
- $57,080
- Middle half earn $46,320 to $66,610. BLS OEWS, May 2025.
- Most common education
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)
- 44% of workers surveyed by O*NET report this level.
- Preparation needed
- Job Zone 2 of 5
- Some preparation. Zone 1 is little or none; zone 5 is graduate-level.
- US employment outlook, 2024 to 2034
- +3% · As fast as average
- 60,500 jobs in 2024, projected 62,500. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, which groups this with similar roles as "Glaziers".
What the work involves
The tasks workers in this occupation rate as most important, from the O*NET survey.
- Read and interpret blueprints or specifications to determine size, shape, color, type, or thickness of glass, location of framing, installation procedures, or staging or scaffolding materials required.
- Determine plumb of walls or ceilings, using plumb lines and levels.
- Install pre-assembled metal or wood frameworks for windows or doors to be fitted with glass panels, using hand tools.
- Fabricate or install metal sashes or moldings for glass installation, using aluminum or steel framing.
- Operate cranes or hoists with suction cups to lift large, heavy pieces of glass.
- Set glass doors into frames and bolt metal hinges, handles, locks, or other hardware to attach doors to frames and walls.
- Cut, fit, install, repair, or replace glass or glass substitutes, such as plastic or aluminum, in building interiors or exteriors or in furniture or other products.
- Drive trucks to installation sites and unload mirrors, glass equipment, or tools.
Skills and knowledge it leans on
Skills
- Reading Comprehension3.0 / 5
- Speaking3.0 / 5
- Critical Thinking3.0 / 5
- Active Listening2.9 / 5
- Monitoring2.8 / 5
- Writing2.3 / 5
Knowledge areas
- Building and Construction4.3 / 5
- Mechanical3.5 / 5
- Mathematics3.5 / 5
- Administration and Management3.5 / 5
- Design3.4 / 5
- Customer and Personal Service3.4 / 5
Importance ratings on O*NET’s 1 to 5 scale. Higher means the occupation depends on it more.
Who tends to enjoy it
How strongly this occupation draws on each of the six Holland interest types, which is the same profile the career interests test compares you against.
- Realistic89
- Investigative18
- Artistic22
- Social11
- Enterprising11
- Conventional43
The same work abroad
Other countries classify jobs differently, so these are the closest matches through the international ISCO-08 standard, not exact equivalents.
European occupation titles (ESCO)
- glass artist · DE Kunstglaser/Kunstglaserin · FR vitrailliste
- glass installation supervisor · DE Polier Glas/Polierin Glas · FR superviseur de poseurs de vitrage/superviseuse de poseurs de vitrage
- kitchen unit installer · DE Küchenbauer/Küchenbauerin · FR installateur de cuisines/installatrice de cuisines
- window installer · DE Fensterbauer/Fensterbauerin · FR installateur de fenêtres/installatrice de fenêtres
- plate glass installer · DE Bauglaser/Bauglaserin · FR monteur techniverrier/monteuse techniverrière
- vehicle glazier · DE Fahrzeugglaser/Fahrzeugglaserin · FR vitrier automobile/vitrière automobile
Closest UK occupation groups (SOC 2020)
- Window cleaners (9221)22,400 employed
- Construction and building trades supervisors (5330)53,100 employed
- Glaziers, window fabricators and fitters (5317)33,400 employed
Employment is the UK Annual Population Survey for April 2025 to March 2026, all workers in the group, which can be broader than this one occupation.
Pay across Europe, for the whole group
Median annual earnings of all employees in “Craft and related trades workers”. This is the broad ISCO group this occupation falls in, not the occupation itself, so treat it as context for the wage level, not as a salary for this job.
| Country | Median pay |
|---|---|
| Belgium | €40,086 |
| Germany | €38,638 |
| Austria | €38,194 |
| Sweden | €37,856 |
| Netherlands | €37,077 |
| Ireland | €36,098 |
| France | €27,145 |
| Italy | €26,488 |
| Spain | €22,817 |
| Portugal | €11,142 |
| Poland | €10,099 |
Eurostat Structure of Earnings Survey, businesses with ten or more employees outside public administration, in euro and not adjusted for the cost of living. Reference years differ between sources: the US, Japan and Europe figures on this page come from different survey years, so compare them as rough levels, not to the euro or yen.
Exposure to AI
This occupation sits in the lower third of the 774 occupations scored, with an exposure score of -1.39. The scores are standardized across those occupations, so 0 is the average and a score of 1 is about one standard deviation above it.
Our note on reading it: the dataset links AI applications to the abilities that occupations require, so the score reflects overlap between the two. It is a comparison between occupations, not a forecast about jobs. It does not say whether exposure means tasks are replaced or workers get more done with the tools, and it says little about one employer or one role.
Source: Felten, E., Raj, M., & Seamans, R. (2021). Occupational, industry, and geographic exposure to artificial intelligence: A novel dataset and its potential uses. Strategic Management Journal, 42(12), 2195-2217. Matched to this page by 6-digit SOC code (47-2121).
Related careers
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