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Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

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.



Map of employment of production occupations by state, May 2021


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


Map of location quotient of production occupations by state, May 2021


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


Map of annual mean wages of production occupations by state, May 2021


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



Map of employment of production occupations by area, May 2021


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


Map of location quotient of production occupations by area, May 2021


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


Map of annual mean wages of production occupations by area, May 2021


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