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 2025. The best paid, nuclear power reactor operators, earns a median of $122,890 a year.

#	Job	Median annual	Hourly	Typical education	Employed
1	Nuclear Power Reactor Operators	$122,890	$59.08	High school diploma or equivalent	5,150
2	Power Distributors and Dispatchers	$106,730	$51.31	High school diploma or equivalent	8,520
3	Power Plant Operators	$102,040	$49.06	High school diploma or equivalent	29,320
4	Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers	$96,710	$46.50	High school diploma or equivalent	33,160
5	Gas Plant Operators	$87,820	$42.22	High school diploma or equivalent	18,030
6	Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators	$78,620	$37.80	High school diploma or equivalent	28,250
7	Chemical Plant and System Operators	$78,120	$37.56	High school diploma or equivalent	16,610
8	First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers	$74,450	$35.79	High school diploma or equivalent	673,430
9	Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Programmers	$68,120	$32.75	Postsecondary nondegree award	28,500
10	Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers	$65,380	$31.43	High school diploma or equivalent	34,020
11	Tool and Die Makers	$64,050	$30.79	Postsecondary nondegree award	56,930
12	Layout Workers, Metal and Plastic	$63,870	$30.71	High school diploma or equivalent	5,970
13	Model Makers, Metal and Plastic	$63,340	$30.45	High school diploma or equivalent	2,610
14	Fabric and Apparel Patternmakers	$62,750	$30.17	High school diploma or equivalent	2,950
15	Timing Device Assemblers and Adjusters	$62,620	$30.11	High school diploma or equivalent	250
16	Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators	$60,020	$28.86	High school diploma or equivalent	128,490
17	Machinists	$58,750	$28.24	High school diploma or equivalent	287,050
18	Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders	$58,040	$27.90	High school diploma or equivalent	139,630
19	Patternmakers, Metal and Plastic	$58,000	$27.89	High school diploma or equivalent	1,470
20	Tire Builders	$57,390	$27.59	High school diploma or equivalent	20,770
21	Model Makers, Wood	$56,550	$27.19	High school diploma or equivalent	280
22	Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders	$54,430	$26.17	High school diploma or equivalent	16,780
23	Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers	$53,750	$25.84	High school diploma or equivalent	416,210
24	Engine and Other Machine Assemblers	$53,710	$25.82	High school diploma or equivalent	34,000
25	Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic	$52,800	$25.39	High school diploma or equivalent	12,460
26	Jewelers and Precious Stone and Metal Workers	$52,540	$25.26	High school diploma or equivalent	22,440
27	Pourers and Casters, Metal	$51,810	$24.91	High school diploma or equivalent	4,560
28	Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders	$51,610	$24.81	High school diploma or equivalent	60,100
29	Semiconductor Processing Technicians	$51,430	$24.73	High school diploma or equivalent	31,460
30	Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters	$51,330	$24.68	High school diploma or equivalent	52,360
31	Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators	$50,690	$24.37	High school diploma or equivalent	169,450
32	Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic	$50,620	$24.34	High school diploma or equivalent	16,710
33	Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders	$50,270	$24.17	High school diploma or equivalent	96,130
34	Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic	$50,140	$24.10	High school diploma or equivalent	25,250
35	Tool Grinders, Filers, and Sharpeners	$50,060	$24.07	High school diploma or equivalent	5,600
36	Patternmakers, Wood	$49,630	$23.86	High school diploma or equivalent	220
37	Dental Laboratory Technicians	$49,610	$23.85	High school diploma or equivalent	34,410
38	Drilling and Boring Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic	$49,080	$23.60	High school diploma or equivalent	4,680
39	Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic	$49,030	$23.57	High school diploma or equivalent	8,930
40	Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders	$48,990	$23.55	High school diploma or equivalent	94,920
41	Heat Treating Equipment Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic	$48,750	$23.44	High school diploma or equivalent	14,000
42	Prepress Technicians and Workers	$48,690	$23.41	Postsecondary nondegree award	23,840
43	Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers	$48,570	$23.35	High school diploma or equivalent	597,370
44	Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders	$48,540	$23.34	High school diploma or equivalent	26,000
45	Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders	$48,250	$23.20	High school diploma or equivalent	158,740
46	Coil Winders, Tapers, and Finishers	$48,220	$23.18	High school diploma or equivalent	12,840
47	Foundry Mold and Coremakers	$48,110	$23.13	High school diploma or equivalent	12,790
48	Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators and Tenders	$48,040	$23.10	High school diploma or equivalent	14,280
49	Medical Appliance Technicians	$48,030	$23.09	High school diploma or equivalent	11,280
50	Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders	$47,920	$23.04	High school diploma or equivalent	31,600
51	Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic	$47,720	$22.94	High school diploma or equivalent	60,840
52	Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic	$47,180	$22.68	High school diploma or equivalent	124,590
53	Fiberglass Laminators and Fabricators	$46,880	$22.54	High school diploma or equivalent	16,170
54	Cabinetmakers and Bench Carpenters	$46,680	$22.44	High school diploma or equivalent	77,170
55	Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders	$46,570	$22.39	High school diploma or equivalent	44,980
56	Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic	$46,550	$22.38	High school diploma or equivalent	67,000
57	Adhesive Bonding Machine Operators and Tenders	$46,460	$22.34	High school diploma or equivalent	11,500
58	Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Synthetic and Glass Fibers	$46,350	$22.29	High school diploma or equivalent	12,850
59	Upholsterers	$46,340	$22.28	High school diploma or equivalent	20,140
60	Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic	$46,330	$22.27	High school diploma or equivalent	171,200
61	Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic	$46,170	$22.20	High school diploma or equivalent	33,190
62	Electrical, Electronic, and Electromechanical Assemblers, Except Coil Winders, Tapers, and Finishers	$45,850	$22.04	High school diploma or equivalent	246,970
63	Printing Press Operators	$45,780	$22.01	High school diploma or equivalent	144,260
64	Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders	$45,760	$22.00	High school diploma or equivalent	58,770
65	Food and Tobacco Roasting, Baking, and Drying Machine Operators and Tenders	$44,810	$21.54	No formal educational credential	20,370
66	Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators	$44,650	$21.47	High school diploma or equivalent	1,405,030
67	Furniture Finishers	$44,540	$21.41	High school diploma or equivalent	14,480
68	Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic	$44,350	$21.32	High school diploma or equivalent	150,470
69	Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic	$43,960	$21.14	High school diploma or equivalent	32,410
70	Cleaning, Washing, and Metal Pickling Equipment Operators and Tenders	$43,530	$20.93	High school diploma or equivalent	14,760
71	Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing	$43,380	$20.86	High school diploma or equivalent	61,420
72	Etchers and Engravers	$43,310	$20.82	High school diploma or equivalent	7,750
73	Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders	$43,220	$20.78	High school diploma or equivalent	379,060
74	Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood	$42,770	$20.56	High school diploma or equivalent	40,850
75	Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand	$42,660	$20.51	No formal educational credential	10,510
76	Food Batchmakers	$42,290	$20.33	High school diploma or equivalent	174,520
77	Print Binding and Finishing Workers	$42,290	$20.33	High school diploma or equivalent	33,180
78	Tailors, Dressmakers, and Custom Sewers	$41,640	$20.02	No formal educational credential	13,920
79	Painting, Coating, and Decorating Workers	$41,600	$20.00	No formal educational credential	7,940
80	Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders	$41,590	$20.00	High school diploma or equivalent	31,250
81	Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders	$41,330	$19.87	High school diploma or equivalent	6,900
82	Photographic Process Workers and Processing Machine Operators	$40,610	$19.52	High school diploma or equivalent	4,800
83	Butchers and Meat Cutters	$40,140	$19.30	No formal educational credential	136,430
84	Slaughterers and Meat Packers	$40,130	$19.29	No formal educational credential	69,950
85	Textile Knitting and Weaving Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders	$39,530	$19.01	High school diploma or equivalent	13,030
86	Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians	$39,460	$18.97	High school diploma or equivalent	18,660
87	Helpers--Production Workers	$39,070	$18.78	High school diploma or equivalent	165,700
88	Textile Cutting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders	$38,760	$18.64	High school diploma or equivalent	9,000
89	Textile Winding, Twisting, and Drawing Out Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders	$38,670	$18.59	High school diploma or equivalent	22,020
90	Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers	$38,300	$18.41	No formal educational credential	145,700
91	Textile Bleaching and Dyeing Machine Operators and Tenders	$38,180	$18.36	High school diploma or equivalent	5,310
92	Cutters and Trimmers, Hand	$38,020	$18.28	No formal educational credential	6,060
93	Shoe and Leather Workers and Repairers	$37,800	$18.17	High school diploma or equivalent	7,450
94	Bakers	$37,160	$17.86	No formal educational credential	236,200
95	Sewing Machine Operators	$36,670	$17.63	No formal educational credential	104,880
96	Sewers, Hand	$36,480	$17.54	No formal educational credential	2,190
97	Shoe Machine Operators and Tenders	$35,650	$17.14	High school diploma or equivalent	3,280
98	Pressers, Textile, Garment, and Related Materials	$35,060	$16.85	No formal educational credential	26,120
99	Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers	$34,890	$16.78	No formal educational credential	198,040

Ranked by median annual wage. National estimates from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS, May 2025.

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 $122,890 a year, based on BLS data for May 2025.

How much do production & manufacturing jobs pay on average?

Pay varies widely across the 99 occupations in this field. The middle of the list, welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders, sits at a median of $47,920 a year. The overall U.S. median across all jobs is $50,980.

Browse other fields

Source. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025. Figures shown as published, last updated 2026-05-15.