Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2018

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, Electronic, and Electromechanical Assemblers, Except Coil Winders, Tapers, and Finishers ; Engine and Other Machine Assemblers ; Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters ; Fiberglass Laminators and Fabricators ; Timing Device Assemblers and Adjusters ; Assemblers and Fabricators, All Other, Including Team Assemblers ; 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 ; Food Processing Workers, All Other ; 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

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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)
9,115,530	0.3 %	$18.84	$39,190	0.2 %

Percentile wage estimates for this major group:

Percentile	10%	25%	50% (Median)	75%	90%
Hourly Wage	$10.66	$12.89	$16.86	$22.82	$30.03
Annual Wage (2)	$22,180	$26,820	$35,070	$47,470	$62,460

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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	719,720	19.65	$14.60	$30,370
Motor Vehicle Parts Manufacturing	390,920	65.13	$18.96	$39,430
Machinery Manufacturing (3331, 3332, 3334, and 3339 only)	363,550	49.99	$19.94	$41,480
Plastics Product Manufacturing	346,590	59.05	$17.14	$35,650
Animal Slaughtering and Processing	331,890	64.08	$14.66	$30,500

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in this occupation:

Industry	Employment (1)	Percent of industry employment	Hourly mean wage	Annual mean wage (2)
Motor Vehicle Manufacturing	176,470	75.59	$24.27	$50,480
Apparel Accessories and Other Apparel Manufacturing	7,700	71.38	$13.89	$28,890
Motor Vehicle Body and Trailer Manufacturing	114,570	70.81	$19.26	$40,050
Fiber, Yarn, and Thread Mills	19,710	69.57	$14.63	$30,430
Machine Shops; Turned Product; and Screw, Nut, and Bolt Manufacturing	248,770	69.53	$20.95	$43,580

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	50,300	12.80	$40.24	$83,710
Natural Gas Distribution	11,310	10.36	$39.28	$81,690
Other Pipeline Transportation	3,650	40.31	$34.79	$72,370
Postal Service (federal government)	140	0.02	$34.39	$71,540
Pipeline Transportation of Crude Oil	2,170	20.16	$33.75	$70,200

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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	836,260	49.17	0.78	$19.38	$40,320
Texas	679,950	56.13	0.89	$19.05	$39,620
Ohio	497,280	91.80	1.46	$18.81	$39,130
Michigan	472,680	109.47	1.74	$19.10	$39,730
Illinois	431,220	71.97	1.14	$18.85	$39,220

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	388,180	127.35	2.02	$18.61	$38,710
Wisconsin	337,370	118.43	1.88	$18.72	$38,940
Alabama	218,860	112.60	1.79	$17.24	$35,850
Michigan	472,680	109.47	1.74	$19.10	$39,730
Kentucky	197,030	104.26	1.66	$18.77	$39,050

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	5,110	7.18	0.11	$27.00	$56,150
Wyoming	12,540	46.56	0.74	$26.61	$55,340
Washington	177,600	54.49	0.87	$22.86	$47,560
Alaska	10,120	32.11	0.51	$22.49	$46,790
Louisiana	105,450	55.10	0.87	$22.22	$46,210

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-Anaheim, CA	337,830	55.21	0.88	$18.39	$38,250
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI	312,900	67.41	1.07	$18.73	$38,960
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA	289,850	30.52	0.48	$19.69	$40,960
Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI	199,070	100.95	1.60	$20.63	$42,910
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX	194,760	54.58	0.87	$18.07	$37,580
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX	183,520	61.54	0.98	$21.09	$43,870
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA	137,460	51.24	0.81	$17.41	$36,200
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI	131,820	67.38	1.07	$20.14	$41,900
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD	118,600	41.63	0.66	$20.44	$42,520
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH	107,550	38.98	0.62	$20.84	$43,350