Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
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Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2019
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 ;
Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators ;
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 ;
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 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 ;
Painting, Coating, and Decorating Workers ;
Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders ;
Semiconductor Processing Technicians ;
Photographic Process Workers and Processing Machine Operators ;
Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators ;
Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Programmers ;
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:
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) |
| 9,158,980 |
0.3 % |
$19.30 |
$40,140 |
0.2 % |
Percentile wage estimates for this major group:
| Percentile |
10% |
25% |
50%
(Median) |
75% |
90% |
| Hourly Wage |
$11.14 |
$13.39 |
$17.31 |
$23.21 |
$30.41 |
| Annual Wage (2) |
$23,160 |
$27,860 |
$36,000 |
$48,270 |
$63,250 |
Industry profile for this occupation:
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 |
702,580 |
19.09 |
$14.96 |
$31,130 |
| Motor Vehicle Parts Manufacturing |
395,100 |
65.54 |
$19.35 |
$40,250 |
| Machinery Manufacturing (3331, 3332, 3334, and 3339 only) |
377,160 |
50.14 |
$20.19 |
$42,000 |
| Plastics Product Manufacturing |
351,590 |
59.18 |
$17.55 |
$36,510 |
| Animal Slaughtering and Processing |
323,790 |
61.39 |
$15.20 |
$31,620 |
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 |
174,120 |
74.35 |
$23.93 |
$49,770 |
| Leather and Hide Tanning and Finishing |
2,100 |
71.28 |
$16.49 |
$34,290 |
| Motor Vehicle Body and Trailer Manufacturing |
115,350 |
70.20 |
$19.23 |
$40,000 |
| Footwear Manufacturing |
8,730 |
69.66 |
$15.49 |
$32,230 |
| Machine Shops; Turned Product; and Screw, Nut, and Bolt Manufacturing |
254,270 |
69.35 |
$21.38 |
$44,470 |
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 |
47,180 |
12.27 |
$41.30 |
$85,910 |
| Natural Gas Distribution |
11,230 |
10.26 |
$40.12 |
$83,450 |
| Pipeline Transportation of Crude Oil |
2,800 |
23.74 |
$38.11 |
$79,280 |
| Other Pipeline Transportation |
3,050 |
36.54 |
$34.89 |
$72,570 |
| Postal Service (federal government) |
140 |
0.02 |
$34.77 |
$72,310 |
Geographic profile for this occupation:
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 |
836,780 |
48.14 |
0.77 |
$19.99 |
$41,580 |
| Texas |
705,670 |
56.77 |
0.91 |
$19.27 |
$40,090 |
| Ohio |
509,690 |
93.56 |
1.50 |
$19.12 |
$39,780 |
| Michigan |
476,190 |
109.61 |
1.76 |
$19.61 |
$40,790 |
| Illinois |
430,840 |
71.50 |
1.15 |
$19.26 |
$40,060 |
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 |
386,740 |
125.82 |
2.02 |
$19.11 |
$39,750 |
| Wisconsin |
335,380 |
116.86 |
1.87 |
$19.23 |
$39,990 |
| Alabama |
219,280 |
111.07 |
1.78 |
$17.51 |
$36,410 |
| Michigan |
476,190 |
109.61 |
1.76 |
$19.61 |
$40,790 |
| Kentucky |
189,220 |
99.75 |
1.60 |
$19.09 |
$39,700 |
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 |
5,690 |
7.87 |
0.13 |
$27.24 |
$56,660 |
| Wyoming |
13,300 |
48.66 |
0.78 |
$27.13 |
$56,430 |
| Washington |
178,980 |
53.93 |
0.86 |
$23.67 |
$49,240 |
| Alaska |
9,810 |
30.95 |
0.50 |
$22.98 |
$47,790 |
| Connecticut |
93,440 |
56.12 |
0.90 |
$22.93 |
$47,700 |
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 |
341,020 |
54.65 |
0.88 |
$19.00 |
$39,520 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI |
311,220 |
66.55 |
1.07 |
$19.22 |
$39,980 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA |
286,420 |
29.66 |
0.48 |
$20.25 |
$42,120 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX |
205,810 |
56.28 |
0.90 |
$18.30 |
$38,070 |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI |
200,890 |
101.42 |
1.63 |
$20.75 |
$43,160 |
| Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX |
193,460 |
63.38 |
1.02 |
$21.50 |
$44,720 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA |
144,500 |
52.67 |
0.84 |
$17.73 |
$36,870 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI |
129,290 |
65.58 |
1.05 |
$20.80 |
$43,260 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD |
117,340 |
40.79 |
0.65 |
$20.82 |
$43,310 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH |
107,040 |
38.26 |
0.61 |
$21.44 |
$44,590 |
United States Department of Labor
