New Manufacturing Marketing Guide 2026

Last Updated: March 11, 2026

85+ Manufacturing Employee Turnover Statistics for 2025-2026

Manufacturing turnover averaged 28% annually across all subsectors in 2025. That means a plant with 200 production workers replaced roughly 56 people over the course of a year. Each departure costs thousands of dollars in recruiting, training, overtime, and lost productivity. And it's not slowing down. The sector will need 3.8 million new workers between 2024 and 2033, with nearly half of those positions at risk of going unfilled.

We pulled together over 85 data points from the Bureau of Labor Statistics JOLTS program, Deloitte, the National Association of Manufacturers, SHRM, the Manufacturers Alliance, and other authoritative sources. Every statistic links directly to its original source so you can verify, cite, or use the data in your own workforce planning.

28%

Average annual manufacturing turnover rate in 2025

415K

Unfilled manufacturing positions as of December 2025

$7,800-$11,900

Estimated cost per departing production worker

Table of Contents

Manufacturing Employee Turnover Overview

The manufacturing sector's turnover challenge sits at the intersection of an aging workforce, rising skill requirements, and persistent competition for talent. Here are the headline numbers every plant manager and HR director should know.

  • Overall manufacturing turnover averages 24% to 32% annually, with a median of approximately 28%. (The Resource Company, 2025)
  • Total manufacturing employment stood at approximately 12.69 million workers as of December 2025. (BLS Employment Situation, 2026)
  • Manufacturing job openings ranged from 394,000 to 426,000 between October and December 2025. (BLS JOLTS, December 2025)
  • Unfilled manufacturing positions rose to 415,000 as of December 2025, up from 388,000 in November. (IndustrySelect, 2026)
  • The average manufacturer had 4.2% of positions unfilled in Q3 2025, with nearly one in four manufacturers reporting vacancy rates above 5%. (NAM Q3 2025 Survey)
  • 78% of member companies reported voluntary turnover rates of 10% or more among hourly workers, and 22% saw turnover higher than 20%. (Manufacturers Alliance)
  • Production roles experience higher turnover (30% to 38%) than skilled trades positions (12% to 18%). (The Resource Company, 2025)
  • Manufacturing's share of the US economy declined to 9.4% of GDP in Q2 2025, down from 15.1% in 2000. (Deloitte, December 2025)
  • Average hourly earnings in manufacturing reached $36.07 per hour for all employees and $29.51 per hour for production and nonsupervisory workers as of December 2025. (BLS CES, December 2025)
  • Manufacturing union membership rate stood at 7.8% in 2024. (BLS Union Members Summary, 2025)

JOLTS Data: Manufacturing Quits, Hires & Separations

The Bureau of Labor Statistics' Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) provides the most authoritative monthly data on manufacturing workforce movement. These figures capture the full picture of how workers enter and leave manufacturing jobs.

  • Total nonfarm separations rate decreased to 3.1% in August 2024, with the quits rate at 1.9%. (BLS, October 2024)
  • Total nonfarm job openings trended down to 6.5 million in December 2025. (BLS JOLTS Summary, February 2026)
  • Manufacturing job openings in December 2025: ~415,000 (up from ~388,000 in November). (IndustrySelect/JOLTS, 2026)
  • The manufacturing sector lost 12,000 jobs in February 2026, a 500% increase in losses compared to February 2025 when the sector lost just 2,000 jobs. (Amtec Staffing/BLS, March 2026)
  • Manufacturing employment declined from 12.71 million in September to 12.69 million in December 2025. (Amtec Staffing/BLS, March 2026)
  • Production and nonsupervisory roles account for roughly 70% of the manufacturing workforce. (Amtec Staffing/BLS, March 2026)
  • Historical comparison: manufacturing turnover rate was 44% in 2020, 40% in 2021, and 39% in 2022. (Gear Solutions/AGMA)

Key Insight

Manufacturing turnover has declined from pandemic-era highs (44% in 2020) to a median of 28% in 2025. But this stabilization masks a structural problem: the industry's workforce is shrinking while skill demands are rising. The 415,000 unfilled positions in December 2025 represent not just turnover replacement needs but genuine expansion demand that the labor market can't fill.

Manufacturing Turnover Rates by Sub-Industry (2025)

Turnover varies significantly across manufacturing subsectors. Operating conditions, automation levels, pay compression, and physical demands all play a role. The following benchmarks help plant managers compare their attrition rates against peers in the same segment.

Manufacturing Sub-Industry Average Annual Turnover Primary Turnover Drivers
Food & Beverage Processing 28% to 36% Shift volatility, sanitation demands, seasonal peaks
Textiles & Apparel 26% to 34% Repetitive work, limited advancement, heat exposure
Plastics & Rubber 24% to 32% Physical demands, equipment heat, safety requirements
Wood & Paper Products 22% to 30% Moderate rates, safety culture is key moderator
Metal Fabrication 20% to 28% Upskilling pathways help retain operators
Automotive Components 18% to 26% Pay scale ladders, cross-training reduce churn
Electronics Assembly 16% to 24% Ergonomics, clean environments support retention
Chemicals 14% to 22% Higher wages, certifications stabilize tenure

Source: The Resource Company, 2025 Manufacturing Turnover Research

Food and beverage processing consistently leads in turnover because of seasonal demand spikes, physically demanding sanitation requirements, and shift schedule instability. On the other end, chemicals manufacturing retains workers more effectively thanks to above-average pay, required certifications that create career investment, and relatively stable production schedules.

Durable goods sectors like computer and electronic products manufacturing have seen payroll declines of 2.3% on average per year between 2000 and 2025, despite strong output growth, because automation and capital intensity have replaced labor needs. (Deloitte, December 2025)

Manufacturing Turnover Rates by Job Category (2025)

Entry-level and general production roles see the highest churn, while skilled trades and maintenance technicians stay longer. The 90-day turnover rate is especially important for manufacturers because early exits represent the highest cost-to-value ratio.

Job Category Annual Turnover 90-Day Turnover Key Retention Factors
General Production 30% to 38% 15% to 22% Shift flexibility, supervisor relationships
Warehouse/Logistics 28% to 36% 14% to 20% Physical demands, scheduling consistency
Machine Operators 26% to 34% 12% to 18% Training investment, equipment specialization
Quality Control 18% to 26% 8% to 14% Career advancement, professional development
Production Supervisors 14% to 20% 5% to 9% Leadership development, compensation growth
Maintenance Technicians 12% to 18% 4% to 8% Skill premiums, job security, certification value
Safety Coordinators 12% to 18% 4% to 8% Regulatory expertise, professional recognition
Skilled Trades 10% to 16% 3% to 7% Market demand, internal mobility opportunities

Source: The Resource Company, 2025 Manufacturing Turnover Research

90-Day Turnover Is Your Most Expensive Problem

General production roles lose 15% to 22% of new hires within the first 90 days. These early exits carry the full cost of recruiting and onboarding with almost zero return on the training investment. Realistic job previews (including floor walks and video tours before the offer) have been shown to reduce 90-day turnover by 20% to 28%.

Geographic Variations in Manufacturing Turnover (2025)

Regional labor markets, wage competition, commute patterns, and industry concentration all influence turnover rates. Southern manufacturing regions consistently run 4% to 6% higher than national averages.

Region Average Annual Turnover Key Market Factors
Southeast 26% to 34% Rapid hiring cycles, competitive entry wages
Southwest 24% to 32% Heat exposure, long commute corridors
Mountain West 24% to 32% Energy sector competition, rural labor challenges
Pacific Northwest 22% to 30% Technology sector competition, lifestyle factors
Midwest 22% to 30% Legacy plants with stable talent pools
Northeast 20% to 28% Higher cost of living offset by wage bands

Source: The Resource Company, 2025 Manufacturing Turnover Research

The Midwest historically benefits from established manufacturing corridors where multi-generational workforces and strong community ties reduce job-hopping. The Southeast, despite rapid growth in new facility construction, struggles with higher turnover due to intense competition for entry-level workers across retail, warehousing, and manufacturing.

Financial Cost of Manufacturing Employee Turnover

The true cost of replacing a manufacturing worker goes far beyond the recruiting expense. Overtime coverage, training ramp-up, quality dips during the learning curve, and institutional knowledge loss all add up. Here's what the data shows.

  • Replacing an employee typically costs six to nine months of that person's salary, according to SHRM. (SHRM Turnover Cost Calculator)
  • Gallup reports replacement costs range from 50% to 200% of annual salary depending on the role's complexity. (Forma/Gallup)
  • Direct replacement costs (recruiting, HR time, PPE, onboarding) are 50% to 60% of annual salary, while total costs including lost productivity reach 90% to 200%. (Enboarder/SHRM)
  • Manufacturing-specific cost breakdown per departing production worker: vacancy coverage (overtime, missed throughput) at $2,800 to $4,200, recruiting and onboarding at $1,800 to $2,600, and training productivity loss at $3,200 to $5,100. (The Resource Company, 2025)
  • Directional total cost per departing production worker: $7,800 to $11,900. (The Resource Company, 2025)
  • High millennial turnover across all industries costs US businesses $30.5 billion per year. (TeamStage, 2024)
  • The Work Institute's 2023 Retention Report pegs the cost of every resignation at approximately 33% of the outgoing employee's base salary. (Reward Gateway/Work Institute)

Sample Cost Calculation: Mid-Sized Manufacturing Plant

200 production FTEs at 28% annual turnover = 56 departures per year

At $7,800 to $11,900 per departure: $436,800 to $666,400 in annual turnover costs

Reducing turnover by just 5 percentage points (from 28% to 23%) would save approximately $39,000 to $59,500 per year for a plant this size.

Top Drivers of Manufacturing Employee Turnover

Understanding why manufacturing workers leave is essential for building effective retention programs. Research consistently points to a handful of controllable factors.

Turnover Driver Leading Indicator to Track Practical Target
Pay progression clarity % of new hires achieving first raise within 60-90 days 70%+ within 90 days when standards are met
Supervisor effectiveness New hire satisfaction pulse score at day 60 75%+ favorable; coach at team level
Schedule fit % of schedule change requests resolved within 30 days 85%+ resolution rate
Job reality vs. expectation Realistic job preview completion rate before offer 100% for heat/cold, repetitive motion, PPE roles
Advancement visibility % of operators enrolled in cross-training tracks 35%+ in year one
Commute friction Median one-way commute minutes for new hires 30 minutes or less where feasible

Source: The Resource Company, 2025

Some workers leave for as little as $0.10 more per hour at a competitor. The Manufacturers Alliance noted that when total rewards packages are similar between companies, the employee experience at work becomes the differentiator. (Manufacturers Alliance)

Generational differences in turnover are smaller than many assume. Workers aged 25 to 34 in 2024 (Millennials and Gen Z) had a median job tenure of 2.7 years, only slightly lower than Baby Boomers at the same age in 1983, who averaged 3.0 years. (NIRS, 2025)

Manufacturing Employee Retention Benchmarks

Companies with structured retention programs reduce turnover by 20% to 28%. Here are specific interventions with their expected impact windows.

Retention Strategy What to Implement Metric to Watch Impact Timeline
Day-30 pay step Pre-defined skill check for early raise % completing pay step by day 45 60 to 90 days
Realistic job preview Video plus floor walk pre-offer 90-day turnover in target roles 1 to 2 quarters
Supervisor coaching Weekly 1:1 template for first 60 days New hire satisfaction at day 60 Immediate to 1 quarter
Schedule guardrails Fixed start times or posted rotations Absence and tardy rate by crew 1 to 2 quarters
Cross-training ladder Visible path with skill badges and pay bands Enrollments and badge completions 2 to 3 quarters
Commute-friendly recruiting Targeted routes and shift alignment Acceptance rate by ZIP cluster Immediate to 1 quarter

Source: The Resource Company, 2025

  • Companies with structured retention programs reduce turnover by 20% to 28%. (The Resource Company, 2025)
  • Total compensation costs in manufacturing rise at roughly 3% to 4% annually, with benefits representing about one-third of total labor costs. (Amtec Staffing/BLS, 2026)
  • Total compensation per hour worked in manufacturing reached approximately $46 per hour in Q2 2025. (Amtec Staffing/BLS ECEC, 2025)
  • More than one-third of manufacturing executives cite workforce skills as their top talent concern as investment accelerates in automation, analytics, and smart manufacturing. (Deloitte, December 2025)

Seasonal Patterns in Manufacturing Turnover

Manufacturing turnover follows predictable seasonal cycles. Understanding these patterns helps HR teams plan proactive retention efforts instead of reacting to spikes after they happen.

Quarter Turnover Pattern Primary Drivers Retention Focus
Q1 (Jan-Mar) 18% above average Post-holiday departures, new year job searches Engagement initiatives, goal setting
Q2 (Apr-Jun) 6% above average Spring hiring season, graduation entries Career development, advancement discussions
Q3 (Jul-Sep) 12% above average Summer schedule conflicts, back-to-school Flexible scheduling, family support
Q4 (Oct-Dec) 8% below average Holiday retention bonuses, reduced job market Year-end bonuses, recognition programs

Source: The Resource Company, 2025

Q1 represents the highest turnover risk period for manufacturing plants. Workers who stayed through the holidays for year-end bonuses often begin searching in January. Frontline employees leave for better opportunities when they feel burnout from mandatory overtime or lack autonomy over their schedules. Smart manufacturers address this by front-loading retention efforts in December and January, including annual reviews, pay adjustments, and career path conversations. Employee engagement surveys timed for early Q1 can identify at-risk teams before the exits begin. The best practices involve creating a work environment where every employer signals investment in their people's growth.

To reduce employee turnover in manufacturing, HR teams should track seasonal quit patterns at the crew level and deploy targeted interventions during high turnover windows. High turnover during Q1 and Q3 often reflects scheduling conflicts that are preventable with better planning.

Manufacturing Turnover by Company Size

Larger manufacturers tend to see slightly higher turnover, partly because of more bureaucratic environments and less direct supervisor engagement. But smaller companies face their own challenges with limited HR resources and fewer formal retention programs.

Company Size Typical Turnover Most Effective Strategies Budget-Friendly Focus
Small (Under 100) 24% to 32% Direct supervisor engagement, cross-training Peer recognition, flexible scheduling
Mid-Size (100-500) 26% to 34% Formal mentoring, skills-based advancement Supervisor training, performance systems
Large (500+) 28% to 36% Analytics-based interventions, leadership development Retention technology, culture transformation

Source: The Resource Company, 2025

Manufacturing Workforce Outlook (2025-2033)

The long-term outlook for manufacturing workforce availability is a story of structural constraint. Even if turnover rates continue to moderate from pandemic highs, the supply of available workers is tightening.

  • The manufacturing sector will need 3.8 million new workers between 2024 and 2033, but approximately 1.9 million of those jobs could go unfilled, representing a 50% fulfillment gap. (Deloitte, December 2025)
  • The manufacturing skills gap could result in 2.1 million unfilled jobs by 2030, potentially costing the US economy as much as $1 trillion. (NAM/Deloitte/Manufacturing Institute)
  • In August 2025, there were approximately 409,000 unfilled positions in manufacturing. (Deloitte, December 2025)
  • Manufacturing output per hour grew 2.4% year-over-year as of Q3 2025, the strongest gain since 2011, though partly driven by declining hours worked. (Amtec Staffing/BLS, 2026)
  • Real gross value added in manufacturing has grown at just 1.5% per year on average since 2000, below the 2.1% average annual GDP growth. (Deloitte, December 2025)
  • Manufacturing payrolls declined from 17.2 million in 2000 to 12.7 million in September 2025. (Deloitte, December 2025)
  • High value-added, capital-intensive manufacturing sectors like computer and electronic products have seen real GVA growth of 6.9% per year since 2000, yet payrolls in these sectors have still declined. (Deloitte, December 2025)
  • The fastest payroll declines since 2000 occurred in apparel manufacturing (6.8% decline per year) and textile mills (5.8% decline per year). (Deloitte, December 2025)
  • Manufacturing executives cite workforce skills as their top talent concern as investment accelerates in automation, analytics, and smart manufacturing. More than one-third of executives flagged this issue. (Deloitte, December 2025)

The Bottom Line for Manufacturers

Turnover isn't just an HR headache. It's a strategic threat. With a labor shortage of 1.9 million manufacturing positions at risk of going unfilled over the next decade, every unnecessary departure compounds the problem. Companies that take a proactive approach and invest in retention strategies now will have a significant organizational advantage in 2030 when the talent crunch reaches its projected peak. The goal is to retain employees through clear promotion pathways, mentorship programs help frontline workers see a future, and competitive compensation. A 2023 survey from the Manufacturers Alliance confirmed that high employee turnover correlates directly with weak onboarding and limited career visibility. Programs help most when they combine structured skill development with predictable schedules and visible pay progression.

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