Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
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Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2018
51-0000 Production Occupations (Major Group)
This major group 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 ;
Assemblers and Fabricators, All Other, Including Team Assemblers ;
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 ;
Computer-Controlled Machine Tool Operators, Metal and Plastic ;
Computer Numerically Controlled Machine Tool Programmers, Metal and Plastic ;
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 and Coating 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 ;
Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders ;
Painters, Transportation Equipment ;
Painting, Coating, and Decorating Workers ;
Semiconductor Processors ;
Photographic Process Workers and Processing Machine Operators ;
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 this occupation
Industry profile for this occupation
Geographic profile for this occupation
National estimates for this occupation: Top
Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for this major group:
| Employment (1) |
Employment
RSE (3) |
Mean hourly
wage |
Mean annual
wage (2) |
Wage RSE (3) |
| 9,115,530 |
0.3 % |
$18.84 |
$39,190 |
0.2 % |
Percentile wage estimates for this major group:
| Percentile |
10% |
25% |
50%
(Median) |
75% |
90% |
| Hourly Wage |
$10.66 |
$12.89 |
$16.86 |
$22.82 |
$30.03 |
| Annual Wage (2) |
$22,180 |
$26,820 |
$35,070 |
$47,470 |
$62,460 |
Industry profile for this occupation: Top
Industries with the highest published employment and wages for this occupation are provided.
For a list of all industries with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.
Industries with the highest levels of employment in this occupation:
| Industry |
Employment (1) |
Percent of industry employment |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| Employment Services |
719,720 |
19.65 |
$14.60 |
$30,370 |
| Motor Vehicle Parts Manufacturing |
390,920 |
65.13 |
$18.96 |
$39,430 |
| Machinery Manufacturing (3331, 3332, 3334, and 3339 only) |
363,550 |
49.99 |
$19.94 |
$41,480 |
| Plastics Product Manufacturing |
346,590 |
59.05 |
$17.14 |
$35,650 |
| Animal Slaughtering and Processing |
331,890 |
64.08 |
$14.66 |
$30,500 |
Industries with the highest concentration of employment in this occupation:
| Industry |
Employment (1) |
Percent of industry employment |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| Motor Vehicle Manufacturing |
176,470 |
75.59 |
$24.27 |
$50,480 |
| Apparel Accessories and Other Apparel Manufacturing |
7,700 |
71.38 |
$13.89 |
$28,890 |
| Motor Vehicle Body and Trailer Manufacturing |
114,570 |
70.81 |
$19.26 |
$40,050 |
| Fiber, Yarn, and Thread Mills |
19,710 |
69.57 |
$14.63 |
$30,430 |
| Machine Shops; Turned Product; and Screw, Nut, and Bolt Manufacturing |
248,770 |
69.53 |
$20.95 |
$43,580 |
Top paying industries for this occupation:
| Industry |
Employment (1) |
Percent of industry employment |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution |
50,300 |
12.80 |
$40.24 |
$83,710 |
| Natural Gas Distribution |
11,310 |
10.36 |
$39.28 |
$81,690 |
| Other Pipeline Transportation |
3,650 |
40.31 |
$34.79 |
$72,370 |
| Postal Service (federal government) |
140 |
0.02 |
$34.39 |
$71,540 |
| Pipeline Transportation of Crude Oil |
2,170 |
20.16 |
$33.75 |
$70,200 |
Geographic profile for this occupation: Top
States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for this occupation are provided.
For a list of all areas with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.
States with the highest employment level in this occupation:
| State |
Employment (1) |
Employment per thousand jobs |
Location quotient (9) |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| California |
836,260 |
49.17 |
0.78 |
$19.38 |
$40,320 |
| Texas |
679,950 |
56.13 |
0.89 |
$19.05 |
$39,620 |
| Ohio |
497,280 |
91.80 |
1.46 |
$18.81 |
$39,130 |
| Michigan |
472,680 |
109.47 |
1.74 |
$19.10 |
$39,730 |
| Illinois |
431,220 |
71.97 |
1.14 |
$18.85 |
$39,220 |
States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:
| State |
Employment (1) |
Employment per thousand jobs |
Location quotient (9) |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| Indiana |
388,180 |
127.35 |
2.02 |
$18.61 |
$38,710 |
| Wisconsin |
337,370 |
118.43 |
1.88 |
$18.72 |
$38,940 |
| Alabama |
218,860 |
112.60 |
1.79 |
$17.24 |
$35,850 |
| Michigan |
472,680 |
109.47 |
1.74 |
$19.10 |
$39,730 |
| Kentucky |
197,030 |
104.26 |
1.66 |
$18.77 |
$39,050 |
Top paying States for this occupation:
| State |
Employment (1) |
Employment per thousand jobs |
Location quotient (9) |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| District of Columbia |
5,110 |
7.18 |
0.11 |
$27.00 |
$56,150 |
| Wyoming |
12,540 |
46.56 |
0.74 |
$26.61 |
$55,340 |
| Washington |
177,600 |
54.49 |
0.87 |
$22.86 |
$47,560 |
| Alaska |
10,120 |
32.11 |
0.51 |
$22.49 |
$46,790 |
| Louisiana |
105,450 |
55.10 |
0.87 |
$22.22 |
$46,210 |
Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in this occupation:
| Metropolitan area |
Employment (1) |
Employment per thousand jobs |
Location quotient (9) |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA |
337,830 |
55.21 |
0.88 |
$18.39 |
$38,250 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI |
312,900 |
67.41 |
1.07 |
$18.73 |
$38,960 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA |
289,850 |
30.52 |
0.48 |
$19.69 |
$40,960 |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI |
199,070 |
100.95 |
1.60 |
$20.63 |
$42,910 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX |
194,760 |
54.58 |
0.87 |
$18.07 |
$37,580 |
| Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX |
183,520 |
61.54 |
0.98 |
$21.09 |
$43,870 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA |
137,460 |
51.24 |
0.81 |
$17.41 |
$36,200 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI |
131,820 |
67.38 |
1.07 |
$20.14 |
$41,900 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD |
118,600 |
41.63 |
0.66 |
$20.44 |
$42,520 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH |
107,550 |
38.98 |
0.62 |
$20.84 |
$43,350 |
United States Department of Labor
