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Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

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




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 7,430 72.95 1.19 $ 30.42 $ 63,270
Baton Rouge, LA 20,570 55.36 0.90 $ 29.25 $ 60,850
Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX 13,350 87.39 1.43 $ 28.82 $ 59,950
Norwich-New London-Westerly, CT-RI 4,850 43.62 0.71 $ 28.07 $ 58,390
Bremerton-Silverdale, WA 4,870 56.34 0.92 $ 28.01 $ 58,250
Fairbanks, AK 650 21.06 0.34 $ 27.99 $ 58,210
Anchorage, AK 3,250 19.77 0.32 $ 26.56 $ 55,240
Gulfport-Biloxi-Pascagoula, MS 9,100 64.26 1.05 $ 26.53 $ 55,170
Odessa, TX 5,050 68.49 1.12 $ 26.22 $ 54,540
Napa, CA 3,890 56.21 0.92 $ 26.06 $ 54,210

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) 53,600 171.88 2.81 $ 18.99 $ 39,500
West Northwestern Ohio nonmetropolitan area 48,880 204.75 3.34 $ 19.94 $ 41,470
Northern Indiana nonmetropolitan area 48,030 237.14 3.87 $ 19.43 $ 40,420
Kansas nonmetropolitan area 42,110 111.29 1.82 $ 18.66 $ 38,810
Balance of Lower Peninsula of Michigan nonmetropolitan area 36,930 150.11 2.45 $ 18.47 $ 38,420

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 48,030 237.14 3.87 $ 19.43 $ 40,420
Northwest Alabama nonmetropolitan area 14,680 228.33 3.73 $ 16.29 $ 33,890
Northeast Alabama nonmetropolitan area 32,270 227.08 3.71 $ 17.41 $ 36,210
West Northwestern Ohio nonmetropolitan area 48,880 204.75 3.34 $ 19.94 $ 41,470
Southern Indiana nonmetropolitan area 34,550 192.13 3.14 $ 20.38 $ 42,390

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)
Western Wyoming nonmetropolitan area 4,710 49.96 0.82 $ 30.11 $ 62,630
West North Dakota nonmetropolitan area 5,800 50.13 0.82 $ 29.74 $ 61,850
Eastern Wyoming nonmetropolitan area 3,850 46.67 0.76 $ 28.12 $ 58,490
Northwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area 2,400 20.98 0.34 $ 25.76 $ 53,580
Eastern New Mexico nonmetropolitan area 6,180 39.64 0.65 $ 24.27 $ 50,490


About May 2020 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 2020 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2020 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2020 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2020 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2020 Occupation Profiles

Technical Notes

 

Last Modified Date: March 31, 2021