Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
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Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2021
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;
Slaughterers and Meat Packers;
Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers;
Butchers and Meat Cutters;
Food Processing Workers, All Other;
Food and Tobacco Roasting, Baking, and Drying Machine Operators and Tenders;
Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders;
Food Batchmakers;
Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic;
Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic;
Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic;
Drilling and Boring Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic;
Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic;
Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic;
Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic;
Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic;
Machinists;
Pourers and Casters, Metal;
Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders;
Patternmakers, Metal and Plastic;
Model Makers, 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;
Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders;
Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers;
Metal Workers and Plastic Workers, All Other;
Tool Grinders, Filers, and Sharpeners;
Layout Workers, Metal and Plastic;
Heat Treating Equipment Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic;
Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic;
Prepress Technicians and Workers;
Print Binding and Finishing Workers;
Printing Press Operators;
Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers;
Pressers, Textile, Garment, and Related Materials;
Sewing Machine Operators;
Shoe Machine Operators and Tenders;
Shoe and Leather Workers and Repairers;
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;
Textile, Apparel, and Furnishings Workers, All Other;
Fabric and Apparel Patternmakers;
Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Synthetic and Glass Fibers;
Upholsterers;
Cabinetmakers and Bench Carpenters;
Furniture Finishers;
Patternmakers, Wood;
Model Makers, 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;
Plant and System Operators, All Other;
Gas Plant Operators;
Chemical Plant and System Operators;
Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers;
Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders;
Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders;
Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand;
Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders;
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;
Medical Appliance Technicians;
Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians;
Dental 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 Programmers;
Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators;
Production Workers, All Other;
Etchers and Engravers;
Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders;
Adhesive Bonding Machine Operators and Tenders;
Cleaning, Washing, and Metal Pickling Equipment Operators and Tenders;
Tire Builders;
Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic;
Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders;
Helpers--Production Workers
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) |
| 8,408,030 |
0.2 % |
$ 20.71 |
$ 43,070 |
0.2 % |
Percentile wage estimates for Production Occupations:
| Percentile |
10% |
25% |
50%
(Median) |
75% |
90% |
| Hourly Wage |
$ 13.26 |
$ 14.44 |
$ 18.13 |
$ 23.23 |
$ 29.96 |
| Annual Wage (2) |
$ 27,590 |
$ 30,040 |
$ 37,710 |
$ 48,310 |
$ 62,310 |
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 |
572,290 |
16.41 |
$ 15.10 |
$ 31,410 |
| Machinery Manufacturing (3331, 3332, 3334, and 3339 only) |
352,070 |
50.24 |
$ 21.88 |
$ 45,510 |
| Motor Vehicle Parts Manufacturing |
344,840 |
64.10 |
$ 20.47 |
$ 42,580 |
| Plastics Product Manufacturing |
342,240 |
58.57 |
$ 18.77 |
$ 39,040 |
| Animal Slaughtering and Processing |
304,460 |
58.50 |
$ 16.64 |
$ 34,600 |
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 |
186,530 |
76.34 |
$ 25.87 |
$ 53,810 |
| Fiber, Yarn, and Thread Mills |
16,440 |
69.04 |
$ 16.26 |
$ 33,830 |
| Footwear Manufacturing |
7,450 |
68.49 |
$ 15.73 |
$ 32,710 |
| Motor Vehicle Body and Trailer Manufacturing |
105,620 |
67.63 |
$ 21.08 |
$ 43,850 |
| Machine Shops; Turned Product; and Screw, Nut, and Bolt Manufacturing |
219,370 |
67.50 |
$ 22.73 |
$ 47,280 |
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 |
43,880 |
11.66 |
$ 45.56 |
$ 94,770 |
| Scheduled Air Transportation |
420 |
0.11 |
$ 44.60 |
$ 92,780 |
| Pipeline Transportation of Crude Oil |
3,340 |
29.16 |
$ 43.46 |
$ 90,400 |
| Natural Gas Distribution |
12,760 |
11.62 |
$ 42.73 |
$ 88,870 |
| Oil and Gas Extraction |
6,290 |
5.91 |
$ 41.21 |
$ 85,710 |
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 |
799,620 |
48.37 |
0.81 |
$ 21.83 |
$ 45,400 |
| Texas |
630,880 |
51.60 |
0.86 |
$ 20.55 |
$ 42,740 |
| Ohio |
466,570 |
89.71 |
1.50 |
$ 20.18 |
$ 41,980 |
| Michigan |
416,810 |
102.67 |
1.72 |
$ 20.82 |
$ 43,300 |
| Illinois |
383,640 |
68.28 |
1.14 |
$ 20.82 |
$ 43,310 |
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 |
355,540 |
119.17 |
2.00 |
$ 21.06 |
$ 43,800 |
| Wisconsin |
306,070 |
111.10 |
1.86 |
$ 20.84 |
$ 43,350 |
| Alabama |
200,950 |
104.22 |
1.75 |
$ 18.85 |
$ 39,210 |
| Michigan |
416,810 |
102.67 |
1.72 |
$ 20.82 |
$ 43,300 |
| Kentucky |
181,820 |
98.90 |
1.66 |
$ 19.89 |
$ 41,360 |
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 |
4,670 |
7.05 |
0.12 |
$ 32.29 |
$ 67,170 |
| Wyoming |
11,770 |
45.18 |
0.76 |
$ 28.29 |
$ 58,840 |
| Alaska |
9,630 |
32.55 |
0.55 |
$ 25.93 |
$ 53,930 |
| North Dakota |
22,200 |
56.19 |
0.94 |
$ 24.89 |
$ 51,780 |
| Washington |
158,120 |
49.32 |
0.83 |
$ 24.66 |
$ 51,280 |
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 |
302,280 |
52.85 |
0.89 |
$ 20.86 |
$ 43,380 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI |
271,070 |
64.04 |
1.07 |
$ 21.31 |
$ 44,320 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA |
242,220 |
27.91 |
0.47 |
$ 22.72 |
$ 47,260 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX |
183,560 |
51.15 |
0.86 |
$ 19.75 |
$ 41,070 |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI |
175,010 |
97.14 |
1.63 |
$ 21.89 |
$ 45,540 |
| Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX |
164,580 |
56.81 |
0.95 |
$ 22.98 |
$ 47,790 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA |
126,930 |
49.05 |
0.82 |
$ 19.57 |
$ 40,710 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI |
118,810 |
65.18 |
1.09 |
$ 22.04 |
$ 45,840 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD |
107,300 |
40.42 |
0.68 |
$ 22.63 |
$ 47,080 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH |
100,040 |
38.70 |
0.65 |
$ 23.27 |
$ 48,400 |
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 |
48,490 |
362.62 |
6.08 |
$ 21.78 |
$ 45,290 |
| Sheboygan, WI |
13,270 |
229.30 |
3.84 |
$ 20.63 |
$ 42,900 |
| Dalton, GA |
14,000 |
224.13 |
3.76 |
$ 16.81 |
$ 34,960 |
| Kokomo, IN |
7,360 |
204.14 |
3.42 |
(8) |
(8) |
| Morristown, TN |
8,850 |
195.98 |
3.28 |
$ 17.29 |
$ 35,950 |
| Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC |
28,670 |
195.73 |
3.28 |
$ 18.17 |
$ 37,780 |
| Columbus, IN |
8,190 |
170.09 |
2.85 |
$ 19.84 |
$ 41,260 |
| Wausau, WI |
11,350 |
166.38 |
2.79 |
$ 21.37 |
$ 44,460 |
| Oshkosh-Neenah, WI |
14,500 |
160.94 |
2.70 |
$ 22.02 |
$ 45,800 |
| Decatur, AL |
8,750 |
157.96 |
2.65 |
$ 21.81 |
$ 45,360 |
Top paying metropolitan areas for Production Occupations:
| Metropolitan area |
Employment (1) |
Employment per thousand jobs |
Location quotient (9) |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| Lake Charles, LA |
5,950 |
65.87 |
1.10 |
$ 29.79 |
$ 61,970 |
| Fairbanks, AK |
790 |
22.97 |
0.38 |
$ 29.52 |
$ 61,400 |
| Bremerton-Silverdale, WA |
4,360 |
50.52 |
0.85 |
$ 28.85 |
$ 60,000 |
| Baton Rouge, LA |
19,170 |
52.20 |
0.87 |
$ 28.16 |
$ 58,570 |
| Norwich-New London-Westerly, CT-RI |
5,300 |
45.97 |
0.77 |
$ 27.54 |
$ 57,270 |
| Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX |
12,740 |
86.62 |
1.45 |
$ 27.44 |
$ 57,080 |
| Anchorage, AK |
2,970 |
18.39 |
0.31 |
$ 26.99 |
$ 56,130 |
| Farmington, NM |
1,580 |
38.43 |
0.64 |
$ 26.39 |
$ 54,890 |
| Corpus Christi, TX |
7,940 |
45.26 |
0.76 |
$ 26.06 |
$ 54,200 |
| Bismarck, ND |
2,170 |
31.27 |
0.52 |
$ 26.02 |
$ 54,120 |
Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest employment in Production Occupations:
| Nonmetropolitan area |
Employment (1) |
Employment per thousand jobs |
Location quotient (9) |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| North Northeastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area (noncontiguous) |
53,770 |
171.08 |
2.87 |
$ 19.55 |
$ 40,670 |
| West Northwestern Ohio nonmetropolitan area |
49,070 |
204.82 |
3.43 |
$ 20.44 |
$ 42,520 |
| Northern Indiana nonmetropolitan area |
47,940 |
234.51 |
3.93 |
$ 20.47 |
$ 42,570 |
| Kansas nonmetropolitan area |
40,330 |
107.36 |
1.80 |
$ 19.13 |
$ 39,790 |
| Balance of Lower Peninsula of Michigan nonmetropolitan area |
37,230 |
147.31 |
2.47 |
$ 19.13 |
$ 39,790 |
Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Production Occupations:
| Nonmetropolitan area |
Employment (1) |
Employment per thousand jobs |
Location quotient (9) |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| Northern Indiana nonmetropolitan area |
47,940 |
234.51 |
3.93 |
$ 20.47 |
$ 42,570 |
| Northwest Alabama nonmetropolitan area |
14,660 |
225.85 |
3.78 |
$ 17.02 |
$ 35,400 |
| Northeast Alabama nonmetropolitan area |
31,380 |
221.08 |
3.70 |
$ 17.12 |
$ 35,610 |
| West Northwestern Ohio nonmetropolitan area |
49,070 |
204.82 |
3.43 |
$ 20.44 |
$ 42,520 |
| Southern Indiana nonmetropolitan area |
36,650 |
199.96 |
3.35 |
$ 21.51 |
$ 44,740 |
Top paying nonmetropolitan areas for Production Occupations:
| Nonmetropolitan area |
Employment (1) |
Employment per thousand jobs |
Location quotient (9) |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| West North Dakota nonmetropolitan area |
5,090 |
48.08 |
0.81 |
$ 33.30 |
$ 69,270 |
| Western Wyoming nonmetropolitan area |
4,600 |
48.92 |
0.82 |
$ 30.52 |
$ 63,470 |
| Eastern Wyoming nonmetropolitan area |
3,760 |
47.06 |
0.79 |
$ 28.97 |
$ 60,270 |
| Nevada nonmetropolitan area |
5,960 |
61.54 |
1.03 |
$ 25.00 |
$ 51,990 |
| Alaska nonmetropolitan area |
5,820 |
59.79 |
1.00 |
$ 24.88 |
$ 51,750 |
About May 2021 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 OEWS estimates and related information:
May 2021 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
May 2021 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
May 2021 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
May 2021 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
May 2021 Occupation Profiles
Technical Notes
Last Modified Date: March 31, 2022
United States Department of Labor
