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Bicycle Repairers vs Musical Instrument Repairers and Tuners: what changes?

Consider Bicycle Repairers if you want to repair and service bicycles. Consider Musical Instrument Repairers and Tuners if you would rather repair percussion, stringed, reed, or wind instruments. Both list high school diploma or equivalent; compare training and prior experience separately.

Try this next: Compare three local entry-level postings for Bicycle Repairers and Musical Instrument Repairers and Tuners. 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
What this means in practice

The facts most likely to affect your decision

Start with earnings, the route into the job, training, available openings, and a day-to-day reality.

Bicycle Repairers

National median pay (2025)
$42,780
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
Install and adjust brakes and brake pads.
Annual openings (2025–2035)
1,200
Know before you choose

BLS projects employment to shrink 5.7% from 2025 to 2035. Openings can still occur when existing workers leave.

See the full Bicycle Repairers brief

Musical Instrument Repairers and Tuners

National median pay (2025)
$46,420
Route into the job
High school diploma or equivalent; Apprenticeship combines paid work and instruction; duration is not reported here. Check the full program and licensing requirements
Prior related experience
No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.
Training and licensing
Apprenticeship combines paid work and instruction; duration is not reported here. Check the full program and licensing requirements.
Work to investigate
Adjust string tensions to tune instruments, using hand tools and electronic tuning devices.
Annual openings (2025–2035)
600
Know before you choose

The usual entry route includes an apprenticeship. Interest in the subject is not a substitute for supervised, paid training.

See the full Musical Instrument Repairers and Tuners brief
See scores, detailed data, and how the comparison works

How the national numbers differ

1

Musical Instrument Repairers and Tuners has the edge on projected growth

Musical Instrument Repairers and Tuners is at 1.9% projected growth, compared with -5.7% projected growth for Bicycle Repairers.

2

Typical preparation differs.

Bicycle Repairers: 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 Musical Instrument Repairers and Tuners: High school diploma or equivalent; Apprenticeship combines paid work and instruction; duration is not reported here. Check the full program and licensing requirements Preparation categories do not establish admission difficulty, calendar time, tuition, time without earnings, or licensing difficulty.

3

Bicycle Repairers has the edge on annual openings

Bicycle Repairers is at 1,200 annual openings, compared with 600 annual openings for Musical Instrument Repairers and Tuners.

4

Musical Instrument Repairers and Tuners has the edge on median pay

Musical Instrument Repairers and Tuners is at $46,420, compared with $42,780 for Bicycle Repairers.

26.1/ 100

Bicycle Repairers

vs
27/ 100

Musical Instrument Repairers and Tuners

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

Bicycle Repairers vs Musical Instrument Repairers and Tuners

DimensionBicycle RepairersMusical Instrument Repairers and Tuners
Median pay (2025)$42,780$46,420
Pay percentile15 percentile21.6 percentile
Projected growth (2025–2035)-5.7%1.9%
Annual openings (2025–2035)1,200600
2025 employment12,2006,000
How you qualifyHigh 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 licensingHigh school diploma or equivalent; Apprenticeship combines paid work and instruction; duration is not reported here. Check the full program and licensing requirements
O*NET preparation groupJob Zone 2Job Zone 3
Related work experienceNo prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.
On-the-job trainingMore than one month and up to 12 months of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing.Apprenticeship combines paid work and instruction; duration is not reported here. Check the full program and licensing requirements.

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