Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
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Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2020
51-0000 Production Occupations (Major Group)
Production Occupations 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 Production Occupations
Industry profile for Production Occupations
Geographic profile for Production Occupations
National estimates for Production Occupations:
Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for Production Occupations:
| Employment (1) |
Employment
RSE (3) |
Mean hourly
wage |
Mean annual
wage (2) |
Wage RSE (3) |
| 8,519,410 |
0.3 % |
$ 20.08 |
$ 41,760 |
0.2 % |
Percentile wage estimates for Production Occupations:
| Percentile |
10% |
25% |
50%
(Median) |
75% |
90% |
| Hourly Wage |
$ 11.85 |
$ 14.12 |
$ 18.00 |
$ 24.00 |
$ 31.41 |
| Annual Wage (2) |
$ 24,650 |
$ 29,360 |
$ 37,440 |
$ 49,910 |
$ 65,330 |
Industry profile for Production Occupations:
Industries with the highest published employment and wages for Production Occupations are provided.
For a list of all industries with employment in Production Occupations, see the Create Customized Tables function.
Industries with the highest levels of employment in Production Occupations:
| Industry |
Employment (1) |
Percent of industry employment |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| Employment Services |
575,690 |
17.99 |
$ 15.69 |
$ 32,640 |
| Machinery Manufacturing (3331, 3332, 3334, and 3339 only) |
359,800 |
50.00 |
$ 20.90 |
$ 43,480 |
| Plastics Product Manufacturing |
329,400 |
58.68 |
$ 18.23 |
$ 37,920 |
| Animal Slaughtering and Processing |
312,820 |
58.81 |
$ 15.99 |
$ 33,260 |
| Motor Vehicle Parts Manufacturing |
308,700 |
64.83 |
$ 19.89 |
$ 41,370 |
Industries with the highest concentration of employment in Production Occupations:
| Industry |
Employment (1) |
Percent of industry employment |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| Motor Vehicle Manufacturing |
161,500 |
74.63 |
$ 24.56 |
$ 51,080 |
| Motor Vehicle Body and Trailer Manufacturing |
102,260 |
69.55 |
$ 19.85 |
$ 41,280 |
| Machine Shops; Turned Product; and Screw, Nut, and Bolt Manufacturing |
237,900 |
69.35 |
$ 21.92 |
$ 45,580 |
| Fiber, Yarn, and Thread Mills |
14,940 |
69.24 |
$ 15.60 |
$ 32,450 |
| Foundries |
72,340 |
68.16 |
$ 20.26 |
$ 42,140 |
Top paying industries for Production Occupations:
| Industry |
Employment (1) |
Percent of industry employment |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution |
47,310 |
12.45 |
$ 42.57 |
$ 88,540 |
| Natural Gas Distribution |
11,240 |
10.43 |
$ 41.30 |
$ 85,900 |
| Pipeline Transportation of Crude Oil |
3,090 |
25.60 |
$ 40.13 |
$ 83,470 |
| Oil and Gas Extraction |
7,830 |
6.29 |
$ 37.26 |
$ 77,500 |
| Other Pipeline Transportation |
3,310 |
40.59 |
$ 35.46 |
$ 73,750 |
Geographic profile for Production Occupations:
States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for Production Occupations are provided.
For a list of all areas with employment in Production Occupations, see the Create Customized Tables function.
States with the highest employment level in Production Occupations:
| State |
Employment (1) |
Employment per thousand jobs |
Location quotient (9) |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| California |
794,720 |
48.37 |
0.79 |
$ 21.03 |
$ 43,740 |
| Texas |
672,730 |
55.59 |
0.91 |
$ 19.99 |
$ 41,580 |
| Ohio |
464,130 |
90.34 |
1.48 |
$ 19.69 |
$ 40,960 |
| Illinois |
405,280 |
72.02 |
1.18 |
$ 20.05 |
$ 41,710 |
| Michigan |
398,810 |
101.63 |
1.66 |
$ 20.42 |
$ 42,470 |
States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Production Occupations:
| State |
Employment (1) |
Employment per thousand jobs |
Location quotient (9) |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| Indiana |
347,240 |
118.98 |
1.94 |
$ 19.83 |
$ 41,250 |
| Wisconsin |
313,570 |
115.71 |
1.89 |
$ 20.00 |
$ 41,600 |
| Alabama |
202,530 |
106.41 |
1.74 |
$ 18.38 |
$ 38,240 |
| Michigan |
398,810 |
101.63 |
1.66 |
$ 20.42 |
$ 42,470 |
| Kentucky |
172,360 |
96.69 |
1.58 |
$ 19.90 |
$ 41,400 |
Top paying states for Production Occupations:
| State |
Employment (1) |
Employment per thousand jobs |
Location quotient (9) |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| District of Columbia |
5,200 |
7.56 |
0.12 |
$ 28.17 |
$ 58,600 |
| Wyoming |
12,640 |
48.29 |
0.79 |
$ 27.88 |
$ 58,000 |
| Alaska |
9,690 |
32.70 |
0.53 |
$ 24.57 |
$ 51,100 |
| Washington |
168,080 |
52.61 |
0.86 |
$ 24.17 |
$ 50,270 |
| Louisiana |
100,060 |
55.55 |
0.91 |
$ 23.97 |
$ 49,870 |
Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in Production Occupations:
| Metropolitan area |
Employment (1) |
Employment per thousand jobs |
Location quotient (9) |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA |
320,810 |
55.10 |
0.90 |
$ 20.09 |
$ 41,780 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI |
294,700 |
67.56 |
1.10 |
$ 20.22 |
$ 42,050 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA |
257,690 |
29.17 |
0.48 |
$ 21.28 |
$ 44,260 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX |
197,330 |
54.99 |
0.90 |
$ 18.88 |
$ 39,270 |
| Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX |
185,630 |
62.53 |
1.02 |
$ 22.29 |
$ 46,370 |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI |
170,250 |
95.67 |
1.56 |
$ 21.51 |
$ 44,740 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA |
138,430 |
52.58 |
0.86 |
$ 18.32 |
$ 38,100 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI |
122,310 |
66.15 |
1.08 |
$ 21.49 |
$ 44,710 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD |
112,300 |
41.64 |
0.68 |
$ 21.71 |
$ 45,160 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH |
98,040 |
37.68 |
0.62 |
$ 22.47 |
$ 46,730 |
Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Production Occupations:
| Metropolitan area |
Employment (1) |
Employment per thousand jobs |
Location quotient (9) |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| Elkhart-Goshen, IN |
45,210 |
359.00 |
5.86 |
$ 19.98 |
$ 41,550 |
| Dalton, GA |
14,550 |
242.41 |
3.96 |
$ 16.13 |
$ 33,550 |
| Sheboygan, WI |
13,460 |
233.21 |
3.81 |
$ 20.30 |
$ 42,220 |
| Kokomo, IN |
8,060 |
222.19 |
3.63 |
(8) |
(8) |
| Morristown, TN |
8,960 |
205.03 |
3.35 |
$ 16.95 |
$ 35,260 |
| Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC |
29,530 |
204.27 |
3.34 |
$ 17.82 |
$ 37,070 |
| Wausau, WI |
12,140 |
177.23 |
2.89 |
$ 21.05 |
$ 43,790 |
| Oshkosh-Neenah, WI |
16,090 |
176.16 |
2.88 |
$ 20.95 |
$ 43,570 |
| Decatur, AL |
9,150 |
168.92 |
2.76 |
$ 21.24 |
$ 44,180 |
| Spartanburg, SC |
26,120 |
168.57 |
2.75 |
$ 20.81 |
$ 43,280 |
United States Department of Labor
