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Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

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




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)
Elkhart-Goshen, IN 52,060 380.50 6.10 $19.97 $41,540
Sheboygan, WI 14,040 233.15 3.74 $19.82 $41,230
Dalton, GA 14,970 232.63 3.73 $15.99 $33,250
Kokomo, IN 8,200 214.44 3.44 (8) (8)
Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC 31,690 206.38 3.31 $17.45 $36,300
Morristown, TN 8,930 197.98 3.17 $16.88 $35,120
Columbus, IN 9,360 182.77 2.93 $18.47 $38,420
Wausau, WI 12,660 178.16 2.86 $19.97 $41,530
Gadsden, AL 6,380 175.48 2.81 $14.09 $29,310
Spartanburg, SC 27,680 173.96 2.79 $19.90 $41,400




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)
Lake Charles, LA 7,930 68.49 1.10 $30.16 $62,720
Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX 14,140 87.91 1.41 $28.01 $58,260
Baton Rouge, LA 21,420 54.21 0.87 $27.32 $56,830
Fairbanks, AK 640 19.20 0.31 $27.14 $56,460
Bremerton-Silverdale, WA 4,640 51.69 0.83 $26.48 $55,080
Farmington, NM 2,300 48.54 0.78 $26.46 $55,040
Norwich-New London-Westerly, CT-RI 5,230 40.50 0.65 $26.40 $54,900
California-Lexington Park, MD 570 11.88 0.19 $25.49 $53,030
Casper, WY 2,620 67.16 1.08 $25.30 $52,630
Anchorage, AK 3,220 18.46 0.30 $25.21 $52,430

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)
North Northeastern Ohio non-metropolitan area (non-contiguous) 58,960 176.47 2.83 $18.14 $37,730
West Northwestern Ohio nonmetropolitan area 54,990 214.23 3.44 $19.41 $40,360
Northern Indiana nonmetropolitan area 54,820 252.22 4.04 $18.40 $38,260
Kansas nonmetropolitan area 46,510 118.01 1.89 $17.97 $37,390
Balance of Lower Peninsula of Michigan nonmetropolitan area 44,820 164.11 2.63 $17.57 $36,530

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)
Northern Indiana nonmetropolitan area 54,820 252.22 4.04 $18.40 $38,260
Northeast Alabama nonmetropolitan area 35,530 241.33 3.87 $16.53 $34,380
Northwest Alabama nonmetropolitan area 15,660 238.60 3.83 $15.88 $33,030
West Northwestern Ohio nonmetropolitan area 54,990 214.23 3.44 $19.41 $40,360
Southern Indiana nonmetropolitan area 37,640 199.66 3.20 $19.29 $40,120

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)
Western Wyoming nonmetropolitan area 4,930 49.40 0.79 $29.13 $60,580
Eastern Wyoming nonmetropolitan area 4,030 47.33 0.76 $27.35 $56,890
West North Dakota nonmetropolitan area 6,050 48.13 0.77 $26.57 $55,270
Northwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area 2,670 21.70 0.35 $25.04 $52,080
Eastern New Mexico nonmetropolitan area 7,240 44.22 0.71 $23.23 $48,320


About May 2019 National, State, Metropolitan, and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

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 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 2019 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2019 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2019 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2019 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2019 Occupation Profiles

Technical Notes

 

Last Modified Date: July 6, 2020