Automotive Glass Installers and Repairers vs Riggers: $48K vs $63K Median Pay

Automotive Glass Installers and Repairers vs Riggers: what changes?

Consider Automotive Glass Installers and Repairers if you want to replace or repair broken windshields and window glass in motor vehicles. Consider Riggers if you would rather set up or repair rigging for construction projects, manufacturing plants, logging yards, ships and shipyards, or for the entertainment industry. Both list high school diploma or equivalent; compare training and prior experience separately.

Try this next: Compare three local entry-level postings for Automotive Glass Installers and Repairers and Riggers. List the duties, credentials, prior experience, and paid training each employer actually asks for. Try a supervised class or sample project from each field before choosing a program.

BLS 2025 wages and 2025–2035 projections. National medians are not starting offers. Occupation size is not a count of vacancies. View the BLS data.

Compare the practical differences

Automotive Glass Installers and Repairers

National median pay (2025): $47,630
Route into the job: High school diploma or equivalent; More than one month and up to 12 months of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing
Prior related experience: No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.
Training and licensing: More than one month and up to 12 months of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing.
Work to investigate: Prime all scratches on pinchwelds with primer and allow to dry.
Annual openings (2025–2035): 1,300

Know before you choose

This is a small national occupation (22,600 jobs in 2025), so location and employer concentration can matter more than the national median suggests.

See the full Automotive Glass Installers and Repairers brief

Riggers

National median pay (2025): $62,640
Route into the job: High school diploma or equivalent; More than one month and up to 12 months of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing
Prior related experience: No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.
Training and licensing: More than one month and up to 12 months of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing.
Work to investigate: Test rigging to ensure safety and reliability.
Annual openings (2025–2035): 1,700

Know before you choose

This is a small national occupation (22,500 jobs in 2025), so location and employer concentration can matter more than the national median suggests.

See the full Riggers brief

How the national numbers differ

Riggers has the edge on median pay

Riggers is at $62,640, compared with $47,630 for Automotive Glass Installers and Repairers.

Automotive Glass Installers and Repairers has the edge on projected growth

Automotive Glass Installers and Repairers is at 5.7% projected growth, compared with 3.9% projected growth for Riggers.

Riggers has the edge on annual openings

Riggers is at 1,700 annual openings, compared with 1,300 annual openings for Automotive Glass Installers and Repairers.

45.8/ 100

Automotive Glass Installers and Repairers

52.1/ 100

Riggers

Each available metric is ranked from 0 to 100 against the careers on ChooseField. The weighted average uses this profile: pay 30%, growth 25%, openings 30%, preparation level 15%. Missing values are not scored as zero; their weights are redistributed across available metrics. Occupation size has zero weight: employment is not accessible vacancies. Preparation categories do not measure admission difficulty or years without earnings. The score summarizes national measures; local opportunities and personal fit still need separate consideration.

Detailed evidence

Automotive Glass Installers and Repairers vs Riggers

Dimension	Automotive Glass Installers and Repairers	Riggers
Median pay (2025)	$47,630	$62,640
Pay percentile	25.1 percentile	52.6 percentile
Projected growth (2025–2035)	5.7%	3.9%
Annual openings (2025–2035)	1,300	1,700
2025 employment	22,600	22,500
How you qualify	High school diploma or equivalent; More than one month and up to 12 months of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing	High school diploma or equivalent; More than one month and up to 12 months of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing
O*NET preparation group	Job Zone 2	Job Zone 2
Related work experience	No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.	No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.
On-the-job training	More than one month and up to 12 months of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing.	More than one month and up to 12 months of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing.

The table reports national benchmarks and reviewed work descriptions. It does not rate personal suitability, job security, or physical safety.

Read Automotive Glass Installers and Repairers brief Read Riggers brief

Automotive Glass Installers and Repairers vs Riggers: what changes?

The facts most likely to affect your decision

Automotive Glass Installers and Repairers

Riggers

How the national numbers differ

Riggers has the edge on median pay

Automotive Glass Installers and Repairers has the edge on projected growth

Riggers has the edge on annual openings

Automotive Glass Installers and Repairers vs Riggers

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