Production occupations: pay, outlook, and education
Official pay, projected growth, openings, and entry requirements for 831 U.S. occupations. Filter, sort, and open any career for state and metro pay, skills, programs, and licenses.
105 occupations. Wages Verified data Growth and openings Official projection
| Occupation | Median wage | Change 2025 to 2035 | Openings per year | Employment | Typical entry education |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders SOC 51-4122 | $47,920 | -8.9% | 2,500 | 32,900 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Extruding and drawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic SOC 51-4021 | $47,720 | +0.7% | 5,400 | 60,900 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Multiple machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic SOC 51-4081 | $47,180 | +0.6% | 11,600 | 127,100 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Fiberglass laminators and fabricators SOC 51-2051 | $46,880 | +4.6% | 1,700 | 16,300 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Cabinetmakers and bench carpenters SOC 51-7011 | $46,680 | -2.9% | 6,900 | 81,800 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Cutting and slicing machine setters, operators, and tenders SOC 51-9032 | $46,570 | -0.9% | 5,400 | 45,900 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Grinding, lapping, polishing, and buffing machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic SOC 51-4033 | $46,550 | -10.8% | 4,500 | 68,500 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Adhesive bonding machine operators and tenders SOC 51-9191 | $46,460 | +1.3% | 1,300 | 12,100 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Extruding and forming machine setters, operators, and tenders, synthetic and glass fibers SOC 51-6091 | $46,350 | -3.3% | 1,100 | 13,500 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Upholsterers SOC 51-6093 | $46,340 | -2.3% | 1,700 | 22,700 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic SOC 51-4031 | $46,330 | -10.5% | 13,200 | 171,000 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Molders, shapers, and casters, except metal and plastic SOC 51-9195 | $46,170 | +5.8% | 5,100 | 43,000 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Metal workers and plastic workers, all other SOC 51-4199 | $45,950 | -7.1% | 1,300 | 16,300 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Electrical, electronic, and electromechanical assemblers, except coil winders, tapers, and finishers SOC 51-2028 | $45,850 | +5.0% | 25,900 | 246,300 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Printing press operators SOC 51-5112 | $45,780 | -8.7% | 12,100 | 144,000 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Extruding, forming, pressing, and compacting machine setters, operators, and tenders SOC 51-9041 | $45,760 | +1.5% | 5,200 | 58,300 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Food and tobacco roasting, baking, and drying machine operators and tenders SOC 51-3091 | $44,810 | +0.4% | 2,500 | 21,600 | No formal educational credential |
| Miscellaneous assemblers and fabricators SOC 51-2090 | $44,650 | +1.1% | 138,700 | 1,403,500 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Furniture finishers SOC 51-7021 | $44,540 | -3.5% | 1,500 | 15,900 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Woodworkers, all other SOC 51-7099 | $44,530 | -2.3% | 1,700 | 15,400 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic SOC 51-4072 | $44,350 | -3.4% | 13,800 | 150,000 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Plating machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic SOC 51-4193 | $43,960 | -9.7% | 2,500 | 33,300 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Cleaning, washing, and metal pickling equipment operators and tenders SOC 51-9192 | $43,530 | +3.4% | 1,700 | 16,200 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Woodworking machine setters, operators, and tenders, except sawing SOC 51-7042 | $43,380 | -2.5% | 5,300 | 60,900 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Etchers and engravers SOC 51-9194 | $43,310 | -0.7% | 800 | 8,900 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Packaging and filling machine operators and tenders SOC 51-9111 | $43,220 | +4.1% | 41,400 | 377,700 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Sawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, wood SOC 51-7041 | $42,770 | -1.0% | 4,500 | 41,200 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Grinding and polishing workers, hand SOC 51-9022 | $42,660 | -19.2% | 700 | 10,800 | No formal educational credential |
| Food batchmakers SOC 51-3092 | $42,290 | +6.5% | 23,100 | 176,800 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Print binding and finishing workers SOC 51-5113 | $42,290 | -17.5% | 2,300 | 32,300 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Tailors, dressmakers, and custom sewers SOC 51-6052 | $41,640 | -8.8% | 3,700 | 33,200 | No formal educational credential |
| Painting, coating, and decorating workers SOC 51-9123 | $41,600 | +1.3% | 700 | 8,200 | No formal educational credential |
| Food cooking machine operators and tenders SOC 51-3093 | $41,590 | -0.3% | 3,700 | 31,200 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Cooling and freezing equipment operators and tenders SOC 51-9193 | $41,330 | +5.9% | 800 | 7,700 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Photographic process workers and processing machine operators SOC 51-9151 | $40,610 | -5.6% | 600 | 5,300 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Butchers and meat cutters SOC 51-3021 | $40,140 | +2.4% | 15,100 | 138,400 | No formal educational credential |
| Slaughterers and meat packers SOC 51-3023 | $40,130 | +2.0% | 7,700 | 71,200 | No formal educational credential |
| Production workers, all other SOC 51-9199 | $40,110 | +0.8% | 27,300 | 275,700 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Food processing workers, all other SOC 51-3099 | $39,680 | +5.5% | 7,400 | 67,400 | No formal educational credential |
| Textile knitting and weaving machine setters, operators, and tenders SOC 51-6063 | $39,530 | -13.7% | 1,300 | 13,900 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Ophthalmic laboratory technicians SOC 51-9083 | $39,460 | +2.2% | 2,200 | 18,600 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Helpers--production workers SOC 51-9198 | $39,070 | -8.2% | 20,900 | 167,400 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Textile cutting machine setters, operators, and tenders SOC 51-6062 | $38,760 | -13.6% | 900 | 9,400 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Textile winding, twisting, and drawing out machine setters, operators, and tenders SOC 51-6064 | $38,670 | -10.3% | 2,400 | 23,500 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Meat, poultry, and fish cutters and trimmers SOC 51-3022 | $38,300 | +5.7% | 17,000 | 149,800 | No formal educational credential |
| Textile bleaching and dyeing machine operators and tenders SOC 51-6061 | $38,180 | -12.5% | 600 | 5,700 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Cutters and trimmers, hand SOC 51-9031 | $38,020 | -18.9% | 500 | 5,900 | No formal educational credential |
| Shoe and leather workers and repairers SOC 51-6041 | $37,800 | -6.5% | 1,000 | 10,300 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Textile, apparel, and furnishings workers, all other SOC 51-6099 | $37,280 | -13.4% | 900 | 14,100 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Bakers SOC 51-3011 | $37,160 | +5.5% | 36,500 | 262,400 | No formal educational credential |
Employment is from BLS Employment Projections (2025) when OEWS does not publish it. Median wage is the OEWS May 2025 national median annual wage; hourly medians are shown where BLS publishes hourly wages only.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, National. May 2025 reference period. Published April 30, 2026. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, Table 1.2: Occupational projections, 2025-35, and worker characteristics, 2025. Base year 2025, projected year 2035. Published August 27, 2026. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.