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Use hand tools or hand-held power tools to cut and trim a variety of manufactured items, such as carpet, fabric, stone, glass, or rubber.
Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for this occupation:
| Employment (1) | Employment RSE (3) |
Mean hourly wage |
Mean annual wage (2) |
Wage RSE (3) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14,250 | 6.5 % | $14.22 | $29,580 | 1.3 % |
Percentile wage estimates for this occupation:
| Percentile | 10% | 25% | 50% (Median) |
75% | 90% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hourly Wage | $9.65 | $10.73 | $13.27 | $16.76 | $20.41 |
| Annual Wage (2) | $20,060 | $22,320 | $27,600 | $34,850 | $42,450 |
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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cut and Sew Apparel Manufacturing | 2,220 | 2.05 | $13.18 | $27,410 |
| Household and Institutional Furniture and Kitchen Cabinet Manufacturing | 1,390 | 0.57 | $16.44 | $34,200 |
| Plastics Product Manufacturing | 1,120 | 0.20 | $13.76 | $28,610 |
| Rubber Product Manufacturing | 780 | 0.59 | $12.74 | $26,490 |
| Printing and Related Support Activities | 680 | 0.15 | $14.02 | $29,170 |
Industries with the highest concentration of employment in this occupation:
| Industry | Employment (1) | Percent of industry employment | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Leather and Hide Tanning and Finishing | 150 | 3.68 | $14.62 | $30,400 |
| Cut and Sew Apparel Manufacturing | 2,220 | 2.05 | $13.18 | $27,410 |
| Apparel Accessories and Other Apparel Manufacturing | 150 | 1.23 | $12.88 | $26,790 |
| Other Leather and Allied Product Manufacturing | 110 | 0.91 | $15.04 | $31,280 |
| Textile Furnishings Mills | 470 | 0.90 | $12.99 | $27,020 |
Top paying industries for this occupation:
| Industry | Employment (1) | Percent of industry employment | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Building Material and Supplies Dealers | (8) | (8) | $17.59 | $36,600 |
| Building Finishing Contractors | 80 | 0.01 | $17.51 | $36,410 |
| Foundation, Structure, and Building Exterior Contractors | 80 | 0.01 | $17.28 | $35,950 |
| Other Nonmetallic Mineral Product Manufacturing | 570 | 0.74 | $16.54 | $34,410 |
| Household and Institutional Furniture and Kitchen Cabinet Manufacturing | 1,390 | 0.57 | $16.44 | $34,200 |
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 | 2,770 | 0.17 | 1.71 | $12.73 | $26,480 |
| North Carolina | 1,040 | 0.25 | 2.42 | $16.53 | $34,380 |
| New York | 850 | 0.09 | 0.92 | $16.53 | $34,380 |
| Texas | 730 | 0.06 | 0.61 | $13.93 | $28,970 |
| Wisconsin | 590 | 0.21 | 2.07 | $13.90 | $28,910 |
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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Utah | 470 | 0.34 | 3.40 | $15.46 | $32,150 |
| Mississippi | 340 | 0.30 | 2.97 | $15.27 | $31,760 |
| Vermont | 80 | 0.26 | 2.55 | $17.63 | $36,660 |
| North Carolina | 1,040 | 0.25 | 2.42 | $16.53 | $34,380 |
| Wisconsin | 590 | 0.21 | 2.07 | $13.90 | $28,910 |
Top paying States for this occupation:
| State | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maine | 30 | 0.05 | 0.51 | $18.76 | $39,030 |
| Vermont | 80 | 0.26 | 2.55 | $17.63 | $36,660 |
| Nebraska | 120 | 0.12 | 1.18 | $16.89 | $35,130 |
| North Carolina | 1,040 | 0.25 | 2.42 | $16.53 | $34,380 |
| New York | 850 | 0.09 | 0.92 | $16.53 | $34,380 |
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 | 1,590 | 0.38 | 3.71 | $12.67 | $26,350 |
| New York-Jersey City-White Plains, NY-NJ Metropolitan Division | 690 | 0.10 | 1.03 | $16.40 | $34,100 |
| Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC | 640 | 4.34 | 42.73 | $17.73 | $36,880 |
| Anaheim-Santa Ana-Irvine, CA Metropolitan Division | 400 | 0.26 | 2.54 | $12.48 | $25,960 |
| Dallas-Plano-Irving, TX Metropolitan Division | 300 | 0.12 | 1.22 | $13.27 | $27,610 |
| Elgin, IL Metropolitan Division | 250 | 1.03 | 10.15 | $13.30 | $27,670 |
| San Francisco-Redwood City-South San Francisco, CA Metropolitan Division | 250 | 0.23 | 2.31 | $11.45 | $23,810 |
| Greensboro-High Point, NC | 220 | 0.63 | 6.17 | $14.71 | $30,590 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | 200 | 0.18 | 1.76 | $17.22 | $35,810 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | 190 | 0.10 | 1.00 | $16.22 | $33,730 |
Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:
| Metropolitan area | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC | 640 | 4.34 | 42.73 | $17.73 | $36,880 |
| Dalton, GA | 130 | 1.92 | 18.89 | $10.17 | $21,150 |
| Vineland-Bridgeton, NJ | 90 | 1.44 | 14.22 | $17.57 | $36,540 |
| Elgin, IL Metropolitan Division | 250 | 1.03 | 10.15 | $13.30 | $27,670 |
| Greensboro-High Point, NC | 220 | 0.63 | 6.17 | $14.71 | $30,590 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, CA Metropolitan Division | 1,590 | 0.38 | 3.71 | $12.67 | $26,350 |
| Ogden-Clearfield, UT | 90 | 0.36 | 3.54 | $16.87 | $35,090 |
| Elkhart-Goshen, IN | 40 | 0.35 | 3.42 | $14.36 | $29,880 |
| Gary, IN Metropolitan Division | 90 | 0.33 | 3.22 | $15.18 | $31,570 |
| Anaheim-Santa Ana-Irvine, CA Metropolitan Division | 400 | 0.26 | 2.54 | $12.48 | $25,960 |
Top paying metropolitan areas for this occupation:
| Metropolitan area | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 130 | 0.05 | 0.51 | $19.89 | $41,370 |
| Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC | 640 | 4.34 | 42.73 | $17.73 | $36,880 |
| Vineland-Bridgeton, NJ | 90 | 1.44 | 14.22 | $17.57 | $36,540 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | 200 | 0.18 | 1.76 | $17.22 | $35,810 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | (8) | (8) | (8) | $16.94 | $35,230 |
| Ogden-Clearfield, UT | 90 | 0.36 | 3.54 | $16.87 | $35,090 |
| Warren-Troy-Farmington Hills, MI Metropolitan Division | 30 | 0.03 | 0.25 | $16.61 | $34,540 |
| Seattle-Bellevue-Everett, WA Metropolitan Division | (8) | (8) | (8) | $16.50 | $34,310 |
| New York-Jersey City-White Plains, NY-NJ Metropolitan Division | 690 | 0.10 | 1.03 | $16.40 | $34,100 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | 190 | 0.10 | 1.00 | $16.22 | $33,730 |
Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest employment in this occupation:
| Nonmetropolitan area | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northeast Mississippi nonmetropolitan area | 320 | 1.38 | 13.55 | $15.32 | $31,860 |
| North Georgia nonmetropolitan area | 130 | 0.79 | 7.81 | $14.29 | $29,720 |
| Southeast Alabama nonmetropolitan area | 90 | 1.11 | 10.94 | $10.49 | $21,810 |
| Northwest Minnesota nonmetropolitan area | 90 | 0.49 | 4.86 | (8) | (8) |
| Middle Georgia nonmetropolitan area | 80 | 0.66 | 6.48 | $10.46 | $21,750 |
Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:
| Nonmetropolitan area | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northeast Mississippi nonmetropolitan area | 320 | 1.38 | 13.55 | $15.32 | $31,860 |
| Southeast Alabama nonmetropolitan area | 90 | 1.11 | 10.94 | $10.49 | $21,810 |
| North Georgia nonmetropolitan area | 130 | 0.79 | 7.81 | $14.29 | $29,720 |
| Middle Georgia nonmetropolitan area | 80 | 0.66 | 6.48 | $10.46 | $21,750 |
| Northeast Alabama nonmetropolitan area | 80 | 0.54 | 5.31 | $13.62 | $28,320 |
Top paying nonmetropolitan areas for this occupation:
| Nonmetropolitan area | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Piedmont North Carolina nonmetropolitan area | 30 | 0.12 | 1.17 | $16.26 | $33,830 |
| Northeast Mississippi nonmetropolitan area | 320 | 1.38 | 13.55 | $15.32 | $31,860 |
| Southern Vermont nonmetropolitan area | 50 | 0.48 | 4.75 | $14.64 | $30,460 |
| Hill Country Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | 50 | 0.23 | 2.29 | $14.37 | $29,880 |
| South Central Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area | (8) | (8) | (8) | $14.30 | $29,750 |
These estimates are calculated with data collected from employers in all industry sectors, all metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, and all states and the District of Columbia. The top employment and wage figures are provided above. The complete list is available in the downloadable XLS files.
The percentile wage estimate is the value of a wage below which a certain percent of workers fall. The median wage is the 50th percentile wage estimate--50 percent of workers earn less than the median and 50 percent of workers earn more than the median. More about percentile wages.
(1) Estimates for detailed occupations do not sum to the totals because the totals include occupations not shown separately. Estimates do not include self-employed workers.
(2) Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly mean wage by a "year-round, full-time" hours figure of 2,080 hours; for those occupations where there is not an hourly wage published, the annual wage has been directly calculated from the reported survey data.
(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is a measure of the reliability of a survey statistic. The smaller the relative standard error, the more precise the estimate.
(8) Estimate not released.
(9) The location quotient is the ratio of the area concentration of occupational employment to the national average concentration. A location quotient greater than one indicates the occupation has a higher share of employment than average, and a location quotient less than one indicates the occupation is less prevalent in the area than average.
Other OES estimates and related information:
May 2016 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
May 2016 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
May 2016 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
May 2016 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
Last Modified Date: March 31, 2017