National » Production

Salary of Production Occupations

The average annual salary of production occupations is shown in Table 1. Table 2 compares the median salaries across all production occupations in the United States. The production occupations salary statistics are from the national compensation survey published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) in April 2023 [1].

Table 1. Salary of Production Occupations in the United States (2022 Survey)

Percentile BracketAverage Annual Salary
10th Percentile Wage
$28,980
25th Percentile Wage
$33,780
50th Percentile Wage
$39,910
75th Percentile Wage
$51,320
90th Percentile Wage
$66,430

Table 1 shows the average annual salary for production occupations. The salary is shown in 5 percentile scales. The average annual salary for the 90th percentile (the top 10 percent of the highest paid) production occupations is $66,430. The median annual salary is $39,910. The average annual salary for the bottom 10 percent is $28,980.

Median salary trend (2012 to 2022)

The table and chart below show the trend of the median salary of production occupations from 2012 to 2022.

YearMedian SalaryYearly Growth10-Year Growth
2022
$39,910
5.51% 22.53%
2021
$37,710
0.72% -
2020
$37,440
3.85% -
2019
$36,000
2.58% -
2018
$35,070
3.08% -
2017
$33,990
2.53% -
2016
$33,130
2.66% -
2015
$32,250
1.64% -
2014
$31,720
1.48% -
2013
$31,250
1.06% -
2012
$30,920
- -

Table 2. Compare Salaries of All Production Occupations (2022 survey)

Table 2 shows the median annual wage for each Production Occupations in the United States. Note that the median annual salaries vary considerably among production professions, ranging from $29,060 to $115,870. The highest-paid production occupations are nuclear power reactor operators with a median annual salary of $115,870. The lowest-paid production occupations in the United States are laundry and dry-cleaning workers with a median annual salary of $29,060. For more salary information about a specific production profession, use the links in the table.

Occupation Group Median Annual Salary
Nuclear Power Reactor Operators
$115,870
Power Distributors and Dispatchers
$101,650
Power Plant Operators, Distributors, and Dispatchers
$97,570
Power Plant Operators
$93,060
Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers
$85,090
Chemical Plant and System Operators
$82,670
Gas Plant Operators
$79,460
Miscellaneous Plant and System Operators
$79,210
Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators
$67,120
Plant and System Operators
$64,990
First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers
$63,510
Fabric and Apparel Patternmakers
$60,320
Tool and Die Makers
$59,800
Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers
$58,430
Layout Workers, Metal and Plastic
$58,260
Model Makers, Metal and Plastic
$57,620
Other Plant and System Operators
$57,470
Model Makers and Patternmakers, Metal and Plastic
$56,170
Patternmakers, Metal and Plastic
$54,970
Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators
$51,600
Engine and Other Machine Assemblers
$50,850
Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders
$50,280
Metal Furnace Operators, Tenders, Pourers, and Casters
$49,110
Machinists
$48,510
Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers
$47,540
Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Workers
$47,430
Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters
$47,200
Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
$47,020
Wood Model Makers
$46,940
Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
$46,870
Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
$46,540
Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
$46,310
Wood Model Makers and Patternmakers
$46,100
Metal Workers and Plastic Workers
$45,080
Pourers and Casters, Metal
$45,070
Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
$44,920
Wood Patternmakers
$44,290
Prepress Technicians and Workers
$43,560
Coil Winders, Tapers, and Finishers
$43,160
Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
$42,540
Drilling and Boring Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
$42,450
Timing Device Assemblers and Adjusters
$42,290
Tool Grinders, Filers, and Sharpeners
$41,940
Heat Treating Equipment Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
$40,900
Foundry Mold and Coremakers
$40,120
Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
$39,970
Machine Tool Cutting Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
$39,880
Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Synthetic and Glass Fibers
$39,860
Upholsterers
$39,600
Miscellaneous Metal Workers and Plastic Workers
$39,520
Printing Press Operators
$39,350
Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
$39,340
Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
$39,210
Grinding/Lapping/Polishing/Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Pla
$38,910
Printing Workers
$38,890
Cabinetmakers and Bench Carpenters
$38,810
Electrical, Electronics, and Electromechanical Assemblers
$38,640
Electrical, electronic, and electromechanical assemblers
$38,580
Miscellaneous Textile, Apparel, and Furnishings Workers
$38,460
Metal Workers and Plastic Workers, All Other
$38,340
Fiberglass Laminators and Fabricators
$38,110
Furniture Finishers
$37,960
Assemblers and Fabricators
$37,930
Plating and Coating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
$37,900
Food and Tobacco Roasting, Baking, and Drying Machine Operators and Tenders
$37,790
Woodworkers
$37,520
Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators
$37,280
Molders and Molding Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
$37,160
Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
$37,050
Print Binding and Finishing Workers
$36,970
Butchers and Meat Cutters
$36,930
Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing
$36,830
Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders
$36,700
Food Batchmakers
$36,580
Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
$36,580
Wood Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
$36,270
Miscellaneous Food Processing Workers
$36,190
Butchers and Other Meat, Poultry, and Fish Processing Workers
$35,870
Textile Knitting and Weaving Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
$35,750
Other Woodworkers
$35,370
Food Processing Workers
$35,320
Slaughterers and Meat Packers
$35,240
Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers
$35,070
Food Processing Workers, All Other
$34,710
Textile Cutting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
$34,420
Tailors, Dressmakers, and Custom Sewers
$34,280
Textile Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
$34,170
Tailors, Dressmakers, and Sewers
$33,850
Textile Winding, Twisting, and Drawing Out Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
$33,720
Shoe Machine Operators and Tenders
$33,060
Shoe and Leather Workers
$32,790
Bakers
$32,780
Textile Bleaching and Dyeing Machine Operators and Tenders
$32,680
Other Textile, Apparel, and Furnishings Workers
$32,640
Shoe and Leather Workers and Repairers
$32,460
Sewing Machine Operators
$31,740
Sewers, Hand
$31,530
Textile, Apparel, and Furnishings Workers
$31,200
Pressers, Textile, Garment, and Related Materials
$29,690
Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers
$29,060