Production & Manufacturing salaries

Production and manufacturing careers make the goods economy work, including machinists, welders, assemblers, and plant operators.

Below are all 99 production & manufacturing occupations the BLS tracks, ranked by median annual pay for May 2024. The best paid, nuclear power reactor operators, earns a median of $122,610 a year.

#	Job	Median annual	Hourly	Typical education	Employed
1	Nuclear Power Reactor Operators	$122,610	$58.95	High school diploma or equivalent	5,720
2	Power Distributors and Dispatchers	$107,240	$51.56	High school diploma or equivalent	9,180
3	Power Plant Operators	$99,670	$47.92	High school diploma or equivalent	30,720
4	Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers	$97,540	$46.90	High school diploma or equivalent	34,860
5	Gas Plant Operators	$83,400	$40.10	High school diploma or equivalent	15,910
6	Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators	$75,190	$36.15	High school diploma or equivalent	30,780
7	Chemical Plant and System Operators	$73,540	$35.35	High school diploma or equivalent	17,840
8	First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers	$71,190	$34.23	High school diploma or equivalent	685,140
9	Fabric and Apparel Patternmakers	$67,670	$32.54	High school diploma or equivalent	2,860
10	Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Programmers	$65,670	$31.57	Postsecondary nondegree award	28,230
11	Tool and Die Makers	$63,180	$30.38	Postsecondary nondegree award	55,130
12	Model Makers, Metal and Plastic	$62,700	$30.14	High school diploma or equivalent	3,230
13	Layout Workers, Metal and Plastic	$61,870	$29.74	High school diploma or equivalent	5,610
14	Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers	$61,680	$29.65	High school diploma or equivalent	32,890
15	Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators	$58,260	$28.01	High school diploma or equivalent	126,750
16	Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders	$57,090	$27.45	High school diploma or equivalent	127,410
17	Machinists	$56,150	$27.00	High school diploma or equivalent	298,790
18	Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders	$55,770	$26.81	High school diploma or equivalent	20,330
19	Tire Builders	$55,580	$26.72	High school diploma or equivalent	20,970
20	Patternmakers, Metal and Plastic	$54,540	$26.22	High school diploma or equivalent	1,570
21	Engine and Other Machine Assemblers	$52,540	$25.26	High school diploma or equivalent	38,420
22	Patternmakers, Wood	$52,520	$25.25	High school diploma or equivalent	180
23	Model Makers, Wood	$51,850	$24.93	High school diploma or equivalent	360
24	Semiconductor Processing Technicians	$51,180	$24.60	High school diploma or equivalent	32,150
25	Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers	$51,000	$24.52	High school diploma or equivalent	424,040
26	Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators	$49,970	$24.02	High school diploma or equivalent	176,950
27	Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters	$49,900	$23.99	High school diploma or equivalent	53,380
28	Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders	$49,500	$23.80	High school diploma or equivalent	54,200
29	Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders	$49,390	$23.75	High school diploma or equivalent	96,950
30	Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic	$49,240	$23.67	High school diploma or equivalent	8,760
31	Jewelers and Precious Stone and Metal Workers	$49,140	$23.63	High school diploma or equivalent	23,420
32	Tool Grinders, Filers, and Sharpeners	$48,970	$23.54	High school diploma or equivalent	5,730
33	Pourers and Casters, Metal	$48,940	$23.53	High school diploma or equivalent	5,830
34	Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic	$48,630	$23.38	High school diploma or equivalent	22,350
35	Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic	$48,620	$23.38	High school diploma or equivalent	18,970
36	Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic	$48,310	$23.22	High school diploma or equivalent	13,810
37	Dental Laboratory Technicians	$48,310	$23.23	High school diploma or equivalent	33,920
38	Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders	$47,680	$22.92	High school diploma or equivalent	100,840
39	Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders	$47,590	$22.88	High school diploma or equivalent	159,500
40	Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers	$47,460	$22.82	High school diploma or equivalent	591,180
41	Heat Treating Equipment Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic	$47,450	$22.81	High school diploma or equivalent	14,590
42	Prepress Technicians and Workers	$47,300	$22.74	Postsecondary nondegree award	23,070
43	Coil Winders, Tapers, and Finishers	$47,260	$22.72	High school diploma or equivalent	12,170
44	Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders	$47,060	$22.62	High school diploma or equivalent	36,290
45	Medical Appliance Technicians	$47,060	$22.63	High school diploma or equivalent	11,490
46	Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators and Tenders	$47,010	$22.60	High school diploma or equivalent	16,160
47	Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic	$46,980	$22.59	High school diploma or equivalent	65,700
48	Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders	$46,890	$22.54	High school diploma or equivalent	28,550
49	Drilling and Boring Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic	$46,630	$22.42	High school diploma or equivalent	5,310
50	Upholsterers	$46,190	$22.21	High school diploma or equivalent	20,990
51	Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic	$46,060	$22.14	High school diploma or equivalent	129,850
52	Cabinetmakers and Bench Carpenters	$46,020	$22.12	High school diploma or equivalent	79,540
53	Fiberglass Laminators and Fabricators	$45,760	$22.00	High school diploma or equivalent	18,520
54	Foundry Mold and Coremakers	$45,700	$21.97	High school diploma or equivalent	12,720
55	Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders	$45,700	$21.97	High school diploma or equivalent	47,540
56	Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic	$45,690	$21.97	High school diploma or equivalent	34,750
57	Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic	$45,590	$21.92	High school diploma or equivalent	174,430
58	Adhesive Bonding Machine Operators and Tenders	$45,210	$21.74	High school diploma or equivalent	12,170
59	Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic	$45,190	$21.73	High school diploma or equivalent	70,110
60	Printing Press Operators	$45,160	$21.71	High school diploma or equivalent	145,110
61	Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders	$45,130	$21.70	High school diploma or equivalent	57,310
62	Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Synthetic and Glass Fibers	$44,980	$21.63	High school diploma or equivalent	14,900
63	Electrical, Electronic, and Electromechanical Assemblers, Except Coil Winders, Tapers, and Finishers	$44,040	$21.17	High school diploma or equivalent	261,140
64	Food and Tobacco Roasting, Baking, and Drying Machine Operators and Tenders	$42,730	$20.54	No formal educational credential	19,500
65	Furniture Finishers	$42,530	$20.45	High school diploma or equivalent	14,230
66	Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators	$42,210	$20.29	High school diploma or equivalent	1,457,800
67	Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand	$41,690	$20.04	No formal educational credential	11,850
68	Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic	$41,600	$20.00	High school diploma or equivalent	31,510
69	Cleaning, Washing, and Metal Pickling Equipment Operators and Tenders	$41,460	$19.93	High school diploma or equivalent	13,890
70	Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic	$41,230	$19.82	High school diploma or equivalent	154,820
71	Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders	$40,900	$19.67	High school diploma or equivalent	383,860
72	Tailors, Dressmakers, and Custom Sewers	$40,860	$19.64	No formal educational credential	16,290
73	Painting, Coating, and Decorating Workers	$40,860	$19.64	No formal educational credential	8,470
74	Timing Device Assemblers and Adjusters	$40,790	$19.61	High school diploma or equivalent	230
75	Food Batchmakers	$40,790	$19.61	High school diploma or equivalent	171,660
76	Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders	$40,550	$19.49	High school diploma or equivalent	27,660
77	Etchers and Engravers	$40,450	$19.45	High school diploma or equivalent	8,390
78	Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing	$40,440	$19.44	High school diploma or equivalent	63,350
79	Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders	$40,160	$19.31	High school diploma or equivalent	6,590
80	Photographic Process Workers and Processing Machine Operators	$40,100	$19.28	High school diploma or equivalent	5,550
81	Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood	$39,950	$19.21	High school diploma or equivalent	43,140
82	Print Binding and Finishing Workers	$39,820	$19.14	High school diploma or equivalent	36,470
83	Slaughterers and Meat Packers	$39,790	$19.13	No formal educational credential	67,500
84	Butchers and Meat Cutters	$38,960	$18.73	No formal educational credential	140,040
85	Cutters and Trimmers, Hand	$38,800	$18.65	No formal educational credential	7,070
86	Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians	$38,420	$18.47	High school diploma or equivalent	18,740
87	Textile Knitting and Weaving Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders	$38,260	$18.40	High school diploma or equivalent	14,530
88	Helpers--Production Workers	$38,220	$18.38	High school diploma or equivalent	167,490
89	Shoe Machine Operators and Tenders	$38,160	$18.35	High school diploma or equivalent	3,270
90	Textile Cutting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders	$37,940	$18.24	High school diploma or equivalent	8,960
91	Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers	$37,700	$18.13	No formal educational credential	141,090
92	Textile Winding, Twisting, and Drawing Out Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders	$37,660	$18.11	High school diploma or equivalent	20,600
93	Textile Bleaching and Dyeing Machine Operators and Tenders	$37,320	$17.94	High school diploma or equivalent	5,820
94	Bakers	$36,650	$17.62	No formal educational credential	231,890
95	Sewing Machine Operators	$36,000	$17.31	No formal educational credential	109,590
96	Shoe and Leather Workers and Repairers	$35,950	$17.29	High school diploma or equivalent	7,640
97	Pressers, Textile, Garment, and Related Materials	$33,880	$16.29	No formal educational credential	26,830
98	Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers	$33,800	$16.25	No formal educational credential	195,360
99	Sewers, Hand	$33,760	$16.23	No formal educational credential	2,240

Ranked by median annual wage. National estimates from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS, May 2024.

Production & Manufacturing salary FAQ

What is the highest paying production & manufacturing job?

Nuclear Power Reactor Operators top the production & manufacturing field at a median of $122,610 a year, based on BLS data for May 2024.

How much do production & manufacturing jobs pay on average?

Pay varies widely across the 99 occupations in this field. The middle of the list, upholsterers, sits at a median of $46,190 a year. The overall U.S. median across all jobs is $49,500.

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Source. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2024. Figures shown as published, last updated 2025-04-02.