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Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2022

51-9198 Helpers--Production Workers

Help production workers by performing duties requiring less skill. Duties include supplying or holding materials or tools, and cleaning work area and equipment. Apprentice workers are classified in the appropriate production occupations (51-0000).


National estimates for Helpers--Production Workers
Industry profile for Helpers--Production Workers
Geographic profile for Helpers--Production Workers

National estimates for Helpers--Production Workers:

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for Helpers--Production Workers:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3)
Mean hourly
wage
Mean annual
wage (2)
Wage RSE (3)
190,680 1.1 % $ 17.18 $ 35,740 0.4 %

Percentile wage estimates for Helpers--Production Workers:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Hourly Wage $ 12.38 $ 14.54 $ 16.67 $ 18.93 $ 22.92
Annual Wage (2) $ 25,740 $ 30,250 $ 34,670 $ 39,370 $ 47,680


Industry profile for Helpers--Production Workers:

Industries with the highest published employment and wages for Helpers--Production Workers are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in Helpers--Production Workers, see the Create Customized Tables function.

Industries with the highest levels of employment in Helpers--Production Workers:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Employment Services 28,170 0.72 $ 14.15 $ 29,430
Animal Slaughtering and Processing 18,760 3.60 $ 16.95 $ 35,250
Converted Paper Product Manufacturing 9,110 3.36 $ 18.34 $ 38,140
Printing and Related Support Activities 8,540 2.25 $ 15.98 $ 33,230
Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (3323 and 3324 only) 8,510 1.75 $ 16.66 $ 34,660

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in Helpers--Production Workers:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Pulp, Paper, and Paperboard Mills 3,330 3.82 $ 23.96 $ 49,840
Animal Slaughtering and Processing 18,760 3.60 $ 16.95 $ 35,250
Converted Paper Product Manufacturing 9,110 3.36 $ 18.34 $ 38,140
Coating, Engraving, Heat Treating, and Allied Activities 3,610 2.86 $ 17.09 $ 35,550
Sawmills and Wood Preservation 2,180 2.39 $ 16.36 $ 34,020

Top paying industries for Helpers--Production Workers:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Tobacco Manufacturing 50 0.42 $ 29.68 $ 61,730
Motor Vehicle Manufacturing 450 0.17 $ 27.12 $ 56,410
Coal Mining (8) (8) $ 24.52 $ 51,010
Pulp, Paper, and Paperboard Mills 3,330 3.82 $ 23.96 $ 49,840
Rail Transportation 50 0.02 $ 23.72 $ 49,330


Geographic profile for Helpers--Production Workers:

States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for Helpers--Production Workers are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in Helpers--Production Workers, see the Create Customized Tables function.



Map of employment of helpers--production workers by state, May 2022


States with the highest employment level in Helpers--Production Workers:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Texas 24,170 1.86 1.44 $ 16.25 $ 33,800
California 20,950 1.19 0.92 $ 18.68 $ 38,860
Alabama 10,120 5.05 3.92 $ 14.69 $ 30,560
North Carolina 9,500 2.04 1.59 $ 15.87 $ 33,000
Illinois 7,550 1.28 1.00 $ 18.35 $ 38,160


Map of location quotient of helpers--production workers by state, May 2022


States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Helpers--Production Workers:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Alabama 10,120 5.05 3.92 $ 14.69 $ 30,560
Arkansas 5,630 4.57 3.54 $ 16.24 $ 33,780
Mississippi 3,930 3.48 2.70 $ 14.71 $ 30,610
North Carolina 9,500 2.04 1.59 $ 15.87 $ 33,000
Iowa 2,910 1.91 1.48 $ 19.50 $ 40,560


Map of annual mean wages of helpers--production workers by state, May 2022


Top paying states for Helpers--Production Workers:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Alaska 170 0.55 0.43 $ 21.97 $ 45,700
Massachusetts 1,740 0.49 0.38 $ 20.19 $ 41,990
Wyoming 270 1.01 0.78 $ 20.18 $ 41,970
Iowa 2,910 1.91 1.48 $ 19.50 $ 40,560
Washington 2,430 0.71 0.55 $ 19.34 $ 40,230



Map of employment of helpers--production workers by area, May 2022


Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in Helpers--Production Workers:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 7,580 1.24 0.96 $ 18.26 $ 37,970
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX 6,590 2.16 1.67 $ 16.53 $ 34,370
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 6,500 1.71 1.33 $ 16.59 $ 34,500
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI 5,100 1.16 0.90 $ 18.18 $ 37,820
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA 4,870 0.53 0.41 $ 18.83 $ 39,170
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI 2,750 1.46 1.13 $ 17.70 $ 36,810
Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI 2,480 1.33 1.03 $ 17.90 $ 37,240
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA 2,470 0.91 0.70 $ 16.40 $ 34,120
Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC 2,400 1.89 1.47 $ 16.79 $ 34,930
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD 2,350 0.85 0.66 $ 18.26 $ 37,980


Map of location quotient of helpers--production workers by area, May 2022


Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Helpers--Production Workers:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Pine Bluff, AR 470 16.21 12.57 (8) (8)
Harrisonburg, VA 450 7.11 5.51 $ 16.82 $ 34,980
Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL 350 6.59 5.11 $ 12.83 $ 26,690
Elkhart-Goshen, IN 900 6.30 4.88 $ 21.09 $ 43,870
Gettysburg, PA 190 6.00 4.65 $ 18.06 $ 37,560
Florence, SC 510 5.93 4.60 $ 16.90 $ 35,140
Lebanon, PA 290 5.78 4.48 $ 16.72 $ 34,770
Tuscaloosa, AL 540 5.39 4.18 $ 15.54 $ 32,330
Morristown, TN 240 5.24 4.07 $ 14.85 $ 30,890
Joplin, MO 400 5.06 3.92 $ 17.79 $ 37,000


Map of annual mean wages of helpers--production workers by area, May 2022


Top paying metropolitan areas for Helpers--Production Workers:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Pittsfield, MA 80 2.22 1.72 $ 24.21 $ 50,350
Anchorage, AK 110 0.63 0.49 $ 22.55 $ 46,900
Owensboro, KY 110 2.13 1.65 $ 22.39 $ 46,560
Wausau, WI 200 2.91 2.25 $ 22.21 $ 46,190
Napa, CA 210 2.88 2.23 $ 21.68 $ 45,090
Reno, NV 690 2.78 2.15 $ 21.44 $ 44,600
Cedar Rapids, IA 290 2.09 1.62 $ 21.30 $ 44,300
Elkhart-Goshen, IN 900 6.30 4.88 $ 21.09 $ 43,870
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA 1,130 0.56 0.43 $ 20.99 $ 43,670
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA 870 0.77 0.60 $ 20.70 $ 43,060

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest employment in Helpers--Production Workers:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Northeast Alabama nonmetropolitan area 1,380 9.45 7.33 $ 17.07 $ 35,510
North Texas Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area 1,300 4.77 3.70 $ 15.77 $ 32,800
Piedmont North Carolina nonmetropolitan area 1,160 4.66 3.61 $ 15.56 $ 32,360
Northeast Mississippi nonmetropolitan area 1,040 4.58 3.55 $ 15.16 $ 31,530
Southeast Coastal North Carolina nonmetropolitan area 1,010 4.11 3.19 $ 17.75 $ 36,920

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Helpers--Production Workers:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Southwest Alabama nonmetropolitan area 770 12.03 9.33 $ 15.85 $ 32,970
West Arkansas nonmetropolitan area 960 11.35 8.80 $ 16.35 $ 34,020
South Arkansas nonmetropolitan area 860 9.52 7.38 $ 15.77 $ 32,800
Northeast Virginia nonmetropolitan area 460 9.48 7.35 $ 15.85 $ 32,970
Northeast Alabama nonmetropolitan area 1,380 9.45 7.33 $ 17.07 $ 35,510

Top paying nonmetropolitan areas for Helpers--Production Workers:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Upper Peninsula of Michigan nonmetropolitan area 220 2.00 1.55 $ 24.98 $ 51,950
Western Wyoming nonmetropolitan area 70 0.73 0.57 $ 24.09 $ 50,100
Nevada nonmetropolitan area 210 2.07 1.61 $ 22.52 $ 46,840
Northern Vermont nonmetropolitan area 70 1.04 0.81 $ 22.17 $ 46,120
Northeast Maine nonmetropolitan area 230 3.33 2.58 $ 21.51 $ 44,740


About May 2022 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 top employment and wage figures are provided above. The complete list is available in the downloadable XLS files.

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 2022 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 Occupation Profiles

Technical Notes

 

Last Modified Date: April 25, 2023