Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2011

51-0000 Production Occupations (Major Group)

This major group comprises the following occupations: First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers ; Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers ; Coil Winders, Tapers, and Finishers ; Electrical and Electronic Equipment Assemblers ; Electromechanical Equipment Assemblers ; Engine and Other Machine Assemblers ; Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters ; Fiberglass Laminators and Fabricators ; Team Assemblers ; Timing Device Assemblers and Adjusters ; Assemblers and Fabricators, All Other ; Bakers ; Butchers and Meat Cutters ; Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers ; Slaughterers and Meat Packers ; Food and Tobacco Roasting, Baking, and Drying Machine Operators and Tenders ; Food Batchmakers ; Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders ; Computer-Controlled Machine Tool Operators, Metal and Plastic ; Computer Numerically Controlled Machine Tool Programmers, Metal and Plastic ; Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic ; Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic ; Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic ; Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic ; Drilling and Boring Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic ; Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic ; Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic ; Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic ; Machinists ; Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders ; Pourers and Casters, Metal ; Model Makers, Metal and Plastic ; Patternmakers, Metal and Plastic ; Foundry Mold and Coremakers ; Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic ; Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic ; Tool and Die Makers ; Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers ; Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders ; Heat Treating Equipment Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic ; Layout Workers, Metal and Plastic ; Plating and Coating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic ; Tool Grinders, Filers, and Sharpeners ; Metal Workers and Plastic Workers, All Other ; Prepress Technicians and Workers ; Printing Press Operators ; Print Binding and Finishing Workers ; Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers ; Pressers, Textile, Garment, and Related Materials ; Sewing Machine Operators ; Shoe and Leather Workers and Repairers ; Shoe Machine Operators and Tenders ; Sewers, Hand ; Tailors, Dressmakers, and Custom Sewers ; Textile Bleaching and Dyeing Machine Operators and Tenders ; Textile Cutting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders ; Textile Knitting and Weaving Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders ; Textile Winding, Twisting, and Drawing Out Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders ; Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Synthetic and Glass Fibers ; Fabric and Apparel Patternmakers ; Upholsterers ; Textile, Apparel, and Furnishings Workers, All Other ; Cabinetmakers and Bench Carpenters ; Furniture Finishers ; Model Makers, Wood ; Patternmakers, Wood ; Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood ; Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing ; Woodworkers, All Other ; Nuclear Power Reactor Operators ; Power Distributors and Dispatchers ; Power Plant Operators ; Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators ; Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators ; Chemical Plant and System Operators ; Gas Plant Operators ; Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers ; Plant and System Operators, All Other ; Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders ; Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders ; Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders ; Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand ; Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders ; Cutters and Trimmers, Hand ; Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders ; Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders ; Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators and Tenders ; Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers ; Jewelers and Precious Stone and Metal Workers ; Dental Laboratory Technicians ; Medical Appliance Technicians ; Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians ; Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders ; Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders ; Painters, Transportation Equipment ; Painting, Coating, and Decorating Workers ; Semiconductor Processors ; Photographic Process Workers and Processing Machine Operators ; Adhesive Bonding Machine Operators and Tenders ; Cleaning, Washing, and Metal Pickling Equipment Operators and Tenders ; Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders ; Etchers and Engravers ; Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic ; Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders ; Tire Builders ; Helpers--Production Workers ; Production Workers, All Other*

National estimates for this occupation
Industry profile for this occupation
Geographic profile for this occupation

National estimates for this occupation: Top

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for this major group:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3) 		Mean hourly
wage		 Mean annual
wage (2) 		Wage RSE (3)
8,365,980 0.3 % $16.45 $34,220 0.2 %

Percentile wage estimates for this major group:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median) 		75% 90%
Hourly Wage $8.95 $10.99 $14.74 $20.07 $26.88
Annual Wage (2) $18,620 $22,860 $30,670 $41,740 $55,910

Industry profile for this occupation: Top

Industries with the highest published employment and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.

Industries with the highest levels of employment in this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Employment Services 576,280 19.53 $11.97 $24,890
Animal Slaughtering and Processing 330,500 67.44 $12.34 $25,670
Plastics Product Manufacturing 291,110 57.17 $15.09 $31,400
Motor Vehicle Parts Manufacturing 274,650 62.66 $17.45 $36,290
Printing and Related Support Activities 252,130 52.64 $16.99 $35,340

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Footwear Manufacturing 9,600 70.35 $12.76 $26,540
Machine Shops; Turned Product; and Screw, Nut, and Bolt Manufacturing 232,360 70.21 $18.43 $38,340
Foundries 81,500 68.76 $16.49 $34,300
Animal Slaughtering and Processing 330,500 67.44 $12.34 $25,670
Other Leather and Allied Product Manufacturing 7,670 66.96 $11.91 $24,770

Top paying industries for this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution 59,260 14.97 $33.08 $68,800
Natural Gas Distribution 9,620 8.87 $32.09 $66,760
Spectator Sports 570 0.45 $31.20 $64,900
Postal Service 180 0.03 $31.06 $64,600
Oil and Gas Extraction 12,150 7.48 $30.49 $63,430

Geographic profile for this occupation: Top

States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.





States with the highest employment level in this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
California 779,880 55.55 0.85 $16.30 $33,910
Texas 632,260 61.36 0.94 $16.02 $33,320
Ohio 452,990 91.00 1.40 $16.57 $34,460
Illinois 426,470 76.51 1.17 $16.87 $35,090
Pennsylvania 400,540 72.18 1.11 $16.99 $35,350




States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Indiana 323,350 117.24 1.80 $16.31 $33,930
Wisconsin 293,190 110.84 1.70 $16.74 $34,810
Iowa 150,580 103.91 1.59 $15.65 $32,560
Arkansas 115,400 101.26 1.55 $14.32 $29,790
Alabama 183,160 101.23 1.55 $15.54 $32,310




Top paying States for this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
District of Columbia 5,050 7.83 0.12 $23.92 $49,750
Wyoming 12,300 45.12 0.69 $22.37 $46,530
Alaska 13,310 42.51 0.65 $21.56 $44,840
Washington 152,420 56.02 0.86 $19.33 $40,210
Louisiana 108,660 59.06 0.91 $19.24 $40,020





Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in this occupation:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, CA Metropolitan Division 253,130 66.22 1.02 $15.25 $31,730
Chicago-Joliet-Naperville, IL Metropolitan Division 248,590 69.38 1.06 $16.73 $34,800
Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown, TX 175,330 68.72 1.05 $18.19 $37,830
New York-White Plains-Wayne, NY-NJ Metropolitan Division 147,610 29.16 0.45 $16.90 $35,160
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI 123,910 72.41 1.11 $17.47 $36,330
Dallas-Plano-Irving, TX Metropolitan Division 117,370 57.40 0.88 $14.90 $30,990
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Marietta, GA 113,930 51.14 0.78 $15.24 $31,690
Santa Ana-Anaheim-Irvine, CA Metropolitan Division 97,660 70.44 1.08 $15.67 $32,590
Warren-Troy-Farmington Hills, MI Metropolitan Division 96,900 93.38 1.43 $18.63 $38,740
Philadelphia, PA Metropolitan Division 92,900 51.18 0.78 $18.62 $38,720