United States · Pay by job
Production jobs: pay and take-home
BLS counts 105 production jobs, done by about 8,565,770 people. The best paid is nuclear power reactor operator at a median of $122,890; the most common is miscellaneous assembler, at $44,650 (BLS, May 2025).
BLS group: Production Occupations. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025.
What does each production job pay?
| Job | Median pay | Take-home in Texas | People | Growth to 2035 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nuclear Power Reactor Operator | $122,890 | $95,261 | 5,150 | -5.9% |
| Power Distributor and Dispatcher | $106,730 | $83,915 | 8,520 | +1.2% |
| Power Plant Operator | $102,040 | $80,615 | 29,320 | -5.1% |
| Refinery Operator | $96,710 | $76,865 | 33,160 | -1.9% |
| Gas Plant Operator | $87,820 | $70,611 | 18,030 | -6% |
| Stationary Engineer | $78,620 | $64,139 | 28,250 | +3.1% |
| Chemical Plant and System Operator | $78,120 | $63,787 | 16,610 | -5.2% |
| Production Supervisor | $74,450 | $61,206 | 673,430 | +1.8% |
| CNC Programmer | $68,120 | $56,752 | 28,500 | +5.9% |
| Aircraft Assembler | $65,380 | $54,713 | 34,020 | -5.6% |
| Tool and Die Maker | $64,050 | $53,644 | 56,930 | -9.2% |
| Metal and Plastic Layout Worker | $63,870 | $53,500 | 5,970 | -3.4% |
| Metal and Plastic Model Maker | $63,340 | $53,074 | 2,610 | -17.3% |
| Fabric and Apparel Patternmaker | $62,750 | $52,600 | 2,950 | -15% |
| Timing Device Assembler | $62,620 | $52,495 | 250 | -6.1% |
| Other Plant and System Operator | $62,470 | $52,375 | 14,080 | +2.3% |
| Water Treatment Plant Operator | $60,020 | $50,406 | 128,490 | -5.7% |
| Machinist | $58,750 | $49,386 | 287,050 | +1% |
| Chemical Equipment Operator | $58,040 | $48,815 | 139,630 | +3.6% |
| Metal and Plastic Patternmaker | $58,000 | $48,783 | 1,470 | -22.8% |
| Tire Builder | $57,390 | $48,293 | 20,770 | +0.8% |
| Wood Model Maker | $56,550 | $47,618 | 280 | -3.3% |
| Metal-Refining Furnace Operator | $54,430 | $45,915 | 16,780 | -2.9% |
| Welder | $53,750 | $45,368 | 416,210 | +2.4% |
| Engine and Other Machine Assembler | $53,710 | $45,336 | 34,000 | -17% |
| Milling Machine Operator | $52,800 | $44,605 | 12,460 | -13.2% |
| Jeweler | $52,540 | $44,396 | 22,440 | -3.2% |
| Metal Pourer and Caster | $51,810 | $43,809 | 4,560 | -5% |
| Separating Machine Operator | $51,610 | $43,649 | 60,100 | -5.7% |
| Semiconductor Processing Technician | $51,430 | $43,504 | 31,460 | +8.2% |
| Structural Metal Fabricator | $51,330 | $43,424 | 52,360 | -6.2% |
| CNC Machine Operator | $50,690 | $42,909 | 169,450 | -9.4% |
| Lathe Operator | $50,620 | $42,853 | 16,710 | -11.3% |
| Paper Goods Machine Operator | $50,270 | $42,572 | 96,130 | -3.6% |
| Rolling Machine Operator | $50,140 | $42,467 | 25,250 | -8.3% |
| Tool Grinder, Filer, and Sharpener | $50,060 | $42,403 | 5,600 | -6.8% |
| Wood Patternmaker | $49,630 | $42,058 | 220 | -2% |
| Dental Laboratory Technician | $49,610 | $42,042 | 34,410 | -5.9% |
| Drilling Machine Operator | $49,080 | $41,616 | 4,680 | -9.5% |
| Forging Machine Operator | $49,030 | $41,576 | 8,930 | -17.2% |
| Mixing Machine Operator | $48,990 | $41,543 | 94,920 | -6.1% |
| Heat Treating Equipment Operator | $48,750 | $41,351 | 14,000 | -9.5% |
| Prepress Technician and Worker | $48,690 | $41,302 | 23,840 | -15.3% |
| Quality Control Inspector | $48,570 | $41,206 | 597,370 | +2.5% |
| Crushing and Grinding Machine Operator | $48,540 | $41,182 | 26,000 | -1.7% |
| Coating and Painting Machine Operator | $48,250 | $40,949 | 158,740 | +2.5% |
| Coil Winder, Taper, and Finisher | $48,220 | $40,925 | 12,840 | -4% |
| Foundry Mold and Coremaker | $48,110 | $40,836 | 12,790 | -23% |
| Furnace and Kiln Operator | $48,040 | $40,780 | 14,280 | +2.6% |
| Medical Appliance Technician | $48,030 | $40,772 | 11,280 | +3.5% |
| Welding Machine Operator | $47,920 | $40,684 | 31,600 | -8.9% |
| Metal Extruding Machine Operator | $47,720 | $40,523 | 60,840 | +0.7% |
| Multiple Machine Tool Operator | $47,180 | $40,089 | 124,590 | +0.6% |
| Fiberglass Laminator and Fabricator | $46,880 | $39,848 | 16,170 | +4.6% |
| Cabinetmaker and Bench Carpenter | $46,680 | $39,687 | 77,170 | -2.9% |
| Cutting Machine Operator | $46,570 | $39,599 | 44,980 | -0.9% |
| Grinding Machine Operator | $46,550 | $39,583 | 67,000 | -10.8% |
| Adhesive Bonding Machine Operator | $46,460 | $39,511 | 11,500 | +1.3% |
| Fiber Extruding Machine Operator | $46,350 | $39,422 | 12,850 | -3.3% |
| Upholsterer | $46,340 | $39,414 | 20,140 | -2.3% |
| Cutting and Press Machine Operator | $46,330 | $39,406 | 171,200 | -10.5% |
| Molder, Shaper, and Caster | $46,170 | $39,278 | 33,190 | +5.8% |
| Other Metal and Plastic Worker | $45,950 | $39,101 | 15,900 | -7.1% |
| Electrical and Electronic Assembler | $45,850 | $39,020 | 246,970 | +5% |
| Printing Press Operator | $45,780 | $38,964 | 144,260 | -8.7% |
| Forming and Pressing Machine Operator | $45,760 | $38,948 | 58,770 | +1.5% |
| Food Roasting Machine Operator | $44,810 | $38,185 | 20,370 | +0.4% |
| Miscellaneous Assembler | $44,650 | $38,056 | 1,405,030 | +1.1% |
| Furniture Finisher | $44,540 | $37,968 | 14,480 | -3.5% |
| Other Woodworker | $44,530 | $37,960 | 5,490 | -2.3% |
| Metal Molding Machine Operator | $44,350 | $37,815 | 150,470 | -3.4% |
| Plating Machine Operator | $43,960 | $37,502 | 32,410 | -9.7% |
| Cleaning Equipment Operator | $43,530 | $37,156 | 14,760 | +3.4% |
| Woodworking Machine Operator | $43,380 | $37,036 | 61,420 | -2.5% |
| Etcher and Engraver | $43,310 | $36,980 | 7,750 | -0.7% |
| Packaging Machine Operator | $43,220 | $36,907 | 379,060 | +4.1% |
| Wood Sawing Machine Operator | $42,770 | $36,546 | 40,850 | -1% |
| Hand Grinding and Polishing Worker | $42,660 | $36,457 | 10,510 | -19.2% |
| Food Batchmaker | $42,290 | $36,160 | 174,520 | +6.5% |
| Print Binding and Finishing Worker | $42,290 | $36,160 | 33,180 | -17.5% |
| Tailor and Dressmaker | $41,640 | $35,638 | 13,920 | -8.8% |
| Painting and Coating Worker | $41,600 | $35,606 | 7,940 | +1.3% |
| Food Cooking Machine Operator | $41,590 | $35,598 | 31,250 | -0.3% |
| Freezing Equipment Operator | $41,330 | $35,389 | 6,900 | +5.9% |
| Photo Processing Worker | $40,610 | $34,810 | 4,800 | -5.6% |
| Butcher and Meat Cutter | $40,140 | $34,432 | 136,430 | +2.4% |
| Slaughterer and Meat Packer | $40,130 | $34,424 | 69,950 | +2% |
| Other Production Worker | $40,110 | $34,408 | 251,700 | +0.8% |
| Other Food Processing Worker | $39,680 | $34,063 | 65,000 | +5.5% |
| Knitting and Weaving Machine Operator | $39,530 | $33,942 | 13,030 | -13.7% |
| Ophthalmic Laboratory Technician | $39,460 | $33,886 | 18,660 | +2.2% |
| Production Helper | $39,070 | $33,573 | 165,700 | -8.2% |
| Textile Cutting Machine Operator | $38,760 | $33,324 | 9,000 | -13.6% |
| Textile Winding Machine Operator | $38,670 | $33,251 | 22,020 | -10.3% |
| Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutter | $38,300 | $32,954 | 145,700 | +5.7% |
| Textile Dyeing Machine Operator | $38,180 | $32,858 | 5,310 | -12.5% |
| Hand Cutter and Trimmer | $38,020 | $32,729 | 6,060 | -18.9% |
| Shoe and Leather Worker | $37,800 | $32,552 | 7,450 | -6.5% |
| Other Textile Worker | $37,280 | $32,134 | 13,530 | -13.4% |
| Baker | $37,160 | $32,038 | 236,200 | +5.5% |
| Sewing Machine Operator | $36,670 | $31,644 | 104,880 | -15.1% |
| Hand Sewer | $36,480 | $31,492 | 2,190 | -12% |
| Shoe Machine Operator | $35,650 | $30,825 | 3,280 | -6.9% |
| Garment Presser | $35,060 | $30,351 | 26,120 | -15.7% |
| Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Worker | $34,890 | $30,214 | 198,040 | +4.3% |
Take-home is for a single filer on the national median (hourly-only jobs: 2,080 hours), after federal income tax, Social Security and Medicare for 2026; Texas has no state income tax. Each job’s page has every state.
What do other kinds of jobs pay?
- Management 37 jobs
- Business and Finance 32 jobs
- Computer and Math 21 jobs
- Architecture and Engineering 36 jobs
- Science 48 jobs
- Community and Social Service 17 jobs
- Legal 8 jobs
- Education and Library 64 jobs
- Arts, Design, Sports and Media 41 jobs
- Healthcare Practitioners 71 jobs
- Healthcare Support 17 jobs
- Protective Service 24 jobs
- Food Service 17 jobs
- Cleaning and Grounds 10 jobs
- Personal Care and Service 32 jobs
- Sales 22 jobs
- Office and Admin Support 54 jobs
- Farming, Fishing and Forestry 13 jobs
- Construction and Extraction 60 jobs
- Installation, Maintenance and Repair 51 jobs
- Transportation and Material Moving 50 jobs
Search every job: pay by job.
Questions about production pay
What is the highest-paying production job?
Nuclear Power Reactor Operator, with a median of $122,890 (BLS, May 2025). Next come power distributor and dispatcher ($106,730) and power plant operator ($102,040).
What is the most common production job?
Miscellaneous Assembler: about 1,405,030 people across the US, with a median of $44,650.
Which production jobs are growing fastest?
BLS expects the most growth from 2025 to 2035 in semiconductor processing technician (+8.2%), food batchmaker (+6.5%), CNC programmer (+5.9%).
What do production jobs pay after tax?
On the median pay, a single filer in Texas keeps $95,261 a year as nuclear power reactor operator and $38,056 as miscellaneous assembler, after federal income tax, Social Security and Medicare. Each job’s page works it out for 19 states.
What education do production jobs need?
For 88 of the 105 jobs here, BLS lists “high school diploma or equivalent” as the usual education. Each job’s page gives its own.