Production Occuption Profiles
The Production occupation profiles compiled by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (released in May 2016 and modified in March 2017) include specific information about 108 distinct occupational job types.
Explore the qualifications and nature of each job type through links on this page and throughout the site.
Fast Facts: The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (“BLS”) estimates that 9,105,650 are employed in this occupational group earning the “mean annual wage” (as defined below) of $37,190.
If you are interested in assessing long-term trends and comparing the Bureau’s annual surveys beginning in 1988 see here.
In general, the “mean” is the sum of the total values (e.g., wages) in the data set or survey divided by number of values (while the “median” is the middle value in same the sequence. The term “mean annual wage” (or “MAW”) is calculated by multiplying the mean hourly wage as determined by the BLS by a “year-round, full-time” hours figure of 2,080 hours. So, for example, the Production group’s mean hourly wage of $17.879, multiplied by 2,080, results in the mean annual wage of $37,190.
Distinct Occupational Types (by size):
Largest Employment Category--Team Assemblers—1,112,780
Smallest Employment Category--Timing Device Assemblers and Adjusters--790
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Highest Paid (mean annual wage)
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Lowest Paid (from the lowest)
- Pressers - Textile, Garment, and Related Materials ($22,270)
- Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers ($23,210)
- Meat, Poultry and Fish Cutters and Trimmers ($25,510)
- Sewers, Hand ($25,630)
- Food Processing Workers, All Other ($25,800)
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What’s Hot: The Production group is comprised of the largest number of distinct occupations (108) and the fifth largest number of employees (9,105,650). The ‘power’ brokers have the power jobs in terms of income, with Nuclear Power Reactor Operators at $91,370, Power Distributors and Dispatchers at an annual mean wage of $81,500 and Power Plant Operators at $73,800 operating at #1-3 on the Best Paid list. This is also consistent with Nuclear Engineers $105,950 ranking fourth on the Architecture and Engineering group income list.
What’s Not: Garment/clothing personnel may find it more difficult to ‘dress for success’ as Pressers, Textile, Garment, and Related Materials have a mean annual wage of $22,270, Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers ($23,210) and Sewers, Hand ($25,630) represent three of the top four in the Least Paid group.
Wage Estimates for the entire group can be found here.
Sources: In addition to specific citations noted, supplementary source materials include the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics.
- Production Workers
- Metal Workers and Plastic Workers
- Textile, Apparel, and Furnishings Workers
- Patternmakers, Metal and Plastic
- Precious Metal Workers
- Shoe Machine Operators and Tenders
- Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
- Food Batchmakers
- Furniture Finishers
- Textile Cutting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
- Molding and Casting Workers
- Fiberglass Laminators and Fabricators
- Bookbinders
- Timing Device Assemblers, Adjusters, and Calibrators
- Shoe and Leather Workers and Repairers
- Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers
- Prepress Technicians and Workers
- Cementing and Gluing Machine Operators and Tenders
- Textile Bleaching and Dyeing Machine Operators and Tenders
- Upholsterers
- Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood
- Gem and Diamond Workers
- Managers of Production and Operating Workers
- Plating and Coating Machine Operators
- Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders
- Patternmakers, Wood
- Bindery Workers
- Plant and System Operators
- Tool Grinders, Filers, and Sharpeners
- Molders, Shapers, and Casters
- Nuclear Power Reactor Operators
- Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Operators
- Textile Knitting and Weaving Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
- Woodworkers
- Glass Blowers, Molders, Benders, and Finishers
- Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders
- Assemblers and Fabricators
- Fabric and Apparel Patternmakers
- Cutters and Trimmers, Hand
- Engine and Other Machine Assemblers
- Pressers, Textile, Garment, and Related Materials
- Lay-Out Workers, Metal and Plastic
- Painters, Transportation Equipment
- Solderers and Brazers
- Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
- Jewelers
- Sewers, Hand
- Cleaning, Washing, and Metal Pickling Equipment Operators and Tenders
- Drilling and Boring Machine Tool Operators
- Tailors, Dressmakers, and Custom Sewers
- Textile Winding, Twisting, and Drawing Out Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
- Welders, Cutters, and Welder Fitters
- Bakers
- Photographic Process Workers
- Electrical and Electronic Equipment Assemblers
- Power Distributors and Dispatchers
- Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
- Butchers and Meat Cutters
- Tire Builders
- Production Workers Helpers
- Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians
- Heat Treating Equipment Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
- Photographic Processing Machine Operators
- Etchers and Engravers
- Chemical Plant and System Operators
- Potters, Manufacturing
- Water and Liquid Waste Treatment Plant and System Operators
- Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
- Sewing Machine Operators
- Milling and Planing Machine Operators
- Numerical Tool and Process Control Programmers
- Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers
- Model Makers, Wood
- Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
- Metal Pourers and Casters
- Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
- Electromechanical Equipment Assemblers
- Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators and Tenders
- Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
- Food and Tobacco Roasting, Baking, and Drying Machine Operators and Tenders
- Team Assemblers
- Foundry Mold and Coremakers
- Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Synthetic and Glass Fibers
- Dental Laboratory Technicians
- Slaughterers and Meat Packers
- Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators
- Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
- Stone Cutters and Carvers, Manufacturing
- Coil Winders, Tapers, and Finishers
- Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand
- Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers
- Medical Appliance Technicians
- Jewelers and Precious Stone and Metal Workers
- Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
- Gas Plant Operators
- Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers
- Power Plant Operators
- Painting, Coating, and Decorating Workers
- Model Makers, Metal and Plastic
- Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
- Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders
- Job Printers
- Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
- Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
- Computer-Controlled Machine Tool Operators, Metal and Plastic
- Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters
- Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Operators
- Semiconductor Processors
- Machinists
- Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers
- Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders
- Tool and Die Makers
- Printing Machine Operators
- Cabinetmakers and Bench Carpenters
- Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers
- Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
- Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders
- Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
- Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic