EXPLORE A CAREER FAMILY · SOC 51

ProductionFind the work that fits.

Discover manufacturing and production work in machining, assembly, processing, fabrication and quality-related operations.

National occupation wages · across employer industries

The occupational wage group is distinct from an employer’s pay grade, shift premium, overtime or production incentive plan. Native units and source groupings remain visible in each profile.

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114 careers · Page 5 of 5

Occupational wages · May 2025
Production

Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters

Fabricate, position, align, and fit parts of structural metal products.

National median annual wage$51,330Source occupation group · May 2025
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Production

Tailors, Dressmakers, and Custom Sewers

Design, make, alter, repair, or fit garments.

National median annual wage$41,640Source occupation group · May 2025
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Production

Team Assemblers

Work as part of a team having responsibility for assembling an entire product or component of a product. Team assemblers can perform all tasks conducted by the team in the assembly process and rotate through all or most of them, rather than being assigned to a specific task on a permanent basis. May participate in making management decisions affecting the work. Includes team leaders who work as part of the team.

National median annual wage$44,650Source occupation group · May 2025
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Production

Textile Bleaching and Dyeing Machine Operators and Tenders

Operate or tend machines to bleach, shrink, wash, dye, or finish textiles or synthetic or glass fibers.

National median annual wage$38,180Source occupation group · May 2025
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Production

Textile Cutting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders

Set up, operate, or tend machines that cut textiles.

National median annual wage$38,760Source occupation group · May 2025
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Production

Textile Knitting and Weaving Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders

Set up, operate, or tend machines that knit, loop, weave, or draw in textiles.

National median annual wage$39,530Source occupation group · May 2025
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Production

Textile Winding, Twisting, and Drawing Out Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders

Set up, operate, or tend machines that wind or twist textiles; or draw out and combine sliver, such as wool, hemp, or synthetic fibers. Includes slubber machine and drawing frame operators.

National median annual wage$38,670Source occupation group · May 2025
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Production

Textile, Apparel, and Furnishings Workers, All Other

All textile, apparel, and furnishings workers not listed separately.

National median annual wage$37,280Source occupation group · May 2025
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Production

Timing Device Assemblers and Adjusters

Perform precision assembling or adjusting, within narrow tolerances, of timing devices such as digital clocks or timing devices with electrical or electronic components.

National median annual wage$62,620Source occupation group · May 2025
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Production

Tire Builders

Operate machines to build tires.

National median annual wage$57,390Source occupation group · May 2025
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Production

Tool Grinders, Filers, and Sharpeners

Perform precision smoothing, sharpening, polishing, or grinding of metal objects.

National median annual wage$50,060Source occupation group · May 2025
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Production

Tool and Die Makers

Analyze specifications, lay out metal stock, set up and operate machine tools, and fit and assemble parts to make and repair dies, cutting tools, jigs, fixtures, gauges, and machinists' hand tools.

National median annual wage$64,050Source occupation group · May 2025
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Production

Upholsterers

Make, repair, or replace upholstery for household furniture or transportation vehicles.

National median annual wage$46,340Source occupation group · May 2025
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Production

Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators

Operate or control an entire process or system of machines, often through the use of control boards, to transfer or treat water or wastewater.

National median annual wage$60,020Source occupation group · May 2025
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Production

Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers

Use hand-welding, flame-cutting, hand-soldering, or brazing equipment to weld or join metal components or to fill holes, indentations, or seams of fabricated metal products.

National median annual wage$53,750Source occupation group · May 2025
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Production

Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders

Set up, operate, or tend welding, soldering, or brazing machines or robots that weld, braze, solder, or heat treat metal products, components, or assemblies. Includes workers who operate laser cutters or laser-beam machines.

National median annual wage$47,920Source occupation group · May 2025
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Production

Woodworkers, All Other

All woodworkers not listed separately.

National median annual wage$44,530Source occupation group · May 2025
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Production

Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing

Set up, operate, or tend woodworking machines, such as drill presses, lathes, shapers, routers, sanders, planers, and wood nailing machines. May operate computer numerically controlled (CNC) equipment.

National median annual wage$43,380Source occupation group · May 2025
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About these career references

Occupation descriptions are adapted from the O*NET® 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), under CC BY 4.0. Wages.fyi organizes the profiles into career-family guides and adds navigation and explanatory context. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. Database license and attribution requirements.

Where shown, occupational wages use the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics reference available through official O*NET wage exports. A detailed career may share a broader wage group. Missing values remain unavailable; percentiles are not career levels or starting-salary promises. Read the methodology.