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Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2022

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; Butchers and Meat Cutters; Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers; 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; Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders; Etchers and Engravers; 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)
8,738,980 0.2 % $ 21.81 $ 45,370 0.2 %

Percentile wage estimates for Production Occupations:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Hourly Wage $ 13.93 $ 16.24 $ 19.19 $ 24.67 $ 31.94
Annual Wage (2) $ 28,980 $ 33,780 $ 39,910 $ 51,320 $ 66,430


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 637,260 16.23 $ 16.55 $ 34,420
Machinery Manufacturing (3331, 3332, 3334, and 3339 only) 363,940 48.64 $ 22.89 $ 47,610
Plastics Product Manufacturing 360,260 58.88 $ 19.78 $ 41,150
Motor Vehicle Parts Manufacturing 350,680 64.51 $ 21.51 $ 44,750
Animal Slaughtering and Processing 299,950 57.58 $ 18.10 $ 37,640

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in Production Occupations:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Footwear Manufacturing 8,780 77.38 $ 16.25 $ 33,790
Motor Vehicle Manufacturing 194,510 72.04 $ 27.55 $ 57,310
Motor Vehicle Body and Trailer Manufacturing 114,470 67.94 $ 22.87 $ 47,570
Fiber, Yarn, and Thread Mills 16,090 67.66 $ 17.07 $ 35,500
Foundries 70,790 67.30 $ 21.61 $ 44,940

Top paying industries for Production Occupations:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Motion Picture and Video Industries 2,580 0.62 $ 55.25 $ 114,910
Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution 45,480 12.03 $ 48.02 $ 99,880
Scheduled Air Transportation 520 0.12 $ 45.21 $ 94,040
Natural Gas Distribution 12,490 11.40 $ 44.97 $ 93,540
Other Pipeline Transportation 2,750 34.13 $ 43.56 $ 90,600


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 2022


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 822,790 46.65 0.79 $ 23.40 $ 48,670
Texas 659,010 50.72 0.86 $ 21.67 $ 45,080
Ohio 478,800 89.07 1.51 $ 21.23 $ 44,160
Michigan 438,970 103.35 1.75 $ 21.85 $ 45,450
Illinois 409,860 69.66 1.18 $ 21.81 $ 45,360


Map of location quotient of production occupations by state, May 2022


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 365,380 118.26 2.00 $ 22.18 $ 46,130
Wisconsin 320,110 113.60 1.92 $ 21.76 $ 45,250
Michigan 438,970 103.35 1.75 $ 21.85 $ 45,450
Alabama 204,650 102.12 1.73 $ 19.97 $ 41,530
Kentucky 185,670 97.75 1.65 $ 21.29 $ 44,280


Map of annual mean wages of production occupations by state, May 2022


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 5,170 7.49 0.13 $ 31.95 $ 66,460
Wyoming 13,110 48.91 0.83 $ 28.79 $ 59,880
Alaska 10,010 32.69 0.55 $ 26.38 $ 54,880
Washington 159,910 46.96 0.79 $ 25.83 $ 53,730
North Dakota 23,150 57.08 0.97 $ 25.59 $ 53,220



Map of employment of production occupations by area, May 2022


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 306,050 50.17 0.85 $ 22.51 $ 46,810
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI 286,680 64.91 1.10 $ 22.18 $ 46,130
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA 261,300 28.45 0.48 $ 23.45 $ 48,770
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 191,280 50.27 0.85 $ 21.08 $ 43,850
Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI 185,220 99.23 1.68 $ 23.10 $ 48,050
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX 167,690 54.90 0.93 $ 24.22 $ 50,380
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA 137,910 50.56 0.86 $ 20.52 $ 42,680
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI 127,380 67.60 1.14 $ 23.20 $ 48,260
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD 109,240 39.44 0.67 $ 23.53 $ 48,940
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH 102,070 37.75 0.64 $ 24.40 $ 50,750


Map of location quotient of production occupations by area, May 2022


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 52,620 370.07 6.26 $ 23.96 $ 49,850
Dalton, GA 15,070 233.91 3.96 $ 18.01 $ 37,460
Sheboygan, WI 13,430 229.18 3.88 $ 21.78 $ 45,310
Columbus, IN 10,380 211.34 3.58 $ 21.51 $ 44,730
Kokomo, IN 6,860 196.89 3.33 $ 28.14 $ 58,540
Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC 29,730 194.16 3.29 $ 19.42 $ 40,390
Morristown, TN 8,840 191.15 3.23 $ 18.27 $ 38,010
Fond du Lac, WI 7,650 170.14 2.88 $ 23.17 $ 48,200
Wausau, WI 11,780 170.08 2.88 $ 21.76 $ 45,260
Spartanburg, SC 26,580 169.68 2.87 $ 22.58 $ 46,970


Map of annual mean wages of production occupations by area, May 2022


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 6,600 70.09 1.19 $ 30.49 $ 63,420
Baton Rouge, LA 20,150 52.33 0.89 $ 30.17 $ 62,750
Bremerton-Silverdale, WA 4,470 49.30 0.83 $ 29.68 $ 61,740
Fairbanks, AK 810 23.41 0.40 $ 29.33 $ 61,010
Kokomo, IN 6,860 196.89 3.33 $ 28.14 $ 58,540
Norwich-New London-Westerly, CT-RI 5,550 46.35 0.78 $ 28.11 $ 58,480
Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX 12,510 82.69 1.40 $ 27.87 $ 57,970
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA 89,380 37.35 0.63 $ 27.72 $ 57,660
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA 86,580 42.49 0.72 $ 27.35 $ 56,890
Midland, TX 5,440 51.85 0.88 $ 27.34 $ 56,860

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) 54,750 170.09 2.88 $ 20.48 $ 42,600
West Northwestern Ohio nonmetropolitan area 51,280 208.57 3.53 $ 21.80 $ 45,340
Northern Indiana nonmetropolitan area 47,720 228.55 3.87 $ 21.50 $ 44,720
Kansas nonmetropolitan area 43,450 113.36 1.92 $ 20.61 $ 42,870
Balance of Lower Peninsula of Michigan nonmetropolitan area 37,930 144.74 2.45 $ 20.24 $ 42,100

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 47,720 228.55 3.87 $ 21.50 $ 44,720
Northwest Alabama nonmetropolitan area 15,320 227.90 3.86 $ 18.22 $ 37,900
Northeast Alabama nonmetropolitan area 31,290 215.10 3.64 $ 18.20 $ 37,860
West Northwestern Ohio nonmetropolitan area 51,280 208.57 3.53 $ 21.80 $ 45,340
Southern Indiana nonmetropolitan area 34,730 188.62 3.19 $ 21.26 $ 44,220

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 5,380 48.89 0.83 $ 31.62 $ 65,760
Western Wyoming nonmetropolitan area 4,810 50.00 0.85 $ 31.17 $ 64,840
Eastern Wyoming nonmetropolitan area 4,150 50.32 0.85 $ 29.84 $ 62,070
Nevada nonmetropolitan area 6,200 62.27 1.05 $ 26.39 $ 54,890
Eastern Sierra-Mother Lode Region of California nonmetropolitan area 2,150 35.39 0.60 $ 26.28 $ 54,670


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 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.

(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