Last Updated: July 12, 2026 | Data: BLS OEWS May 2024, BLS CES December 2025
Manufacturing Salary Statistics for 2026, BLS May 2024 State Occupational Wages by Role and Industry
Manufacturing pay varies a lot depending on where you stand in the shop. An assembler and an industrial engineer both work in manufacturing. One earns around $38,000 a year. The other earns north of $100,000. That gap isn't a quirk. It reflects the real spread of skills, responsibilities, and market demand across 12.7 million workers in one of the largest employment sectors in the United States.
This page compiles manufacturing salary and wage economic data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, including the May 2024 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates, the BLS Current Employment Statistics program, the St. Louis Fed FRED database, PayScale, and other authoritative sources. Every figure links to its original source. Data covers median and mean wages by job role, industry subsector, compensation breakdown (base pay vs. benefits), state-level comparisons, and wage trends from 2020 through 2026.
BLS May 2024 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates, California
If you're looking for the BLS May 2024 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates for California, use the California OEWS state table. It is the official BLS page for California occupation-level employment, hourly mean wage, annual mean wage, and percentile wage estimates.
For manufacturing salary work, that California table is useful when you need pay by occupation code rather than one broad manufacturing average. Check production workers, machinists, welders, production supervisors, industrial engineers, maintenance workers, quality inspectors, and plant-support roles there first, then compare the same occupation against the national OEWS tables.
Shortcut: California state OEWS table: bls.gov/oes/current/oes_ca.htm. All-state OEWS directory: bls.gov/oes/current/oessrcst.htm.
$36.07
Avg. hourly earnings, all manufacturing employees (Dec 2025)
$50,090
Annual mean wage, all production occupations (May 2024)
8.7M
Production workers employed in the US (May 2024)
$46.30
Total compensation per hour in manufacturing (Q2 2025)
Manufacturing Wages at a Glance
The U.S. manufacturing sector employs roughly 12.7 million workers across NAICS codes 31-33 as of late 2025. Within that total, production and nonsupervisory employees make up about 70% of the workforce, with the remaining 30% in supervisory, engineering, administrative, and management roles. Manufacturing accounts for a significant share of all private sector employment in the United States.
The BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey counted 8.7 million workers in production occupations alone as of May 2024, representing 5.7% of total national employment. The annual mean wage across all production occupations was $50,090. That's about 26% below the national average wage of $67,920 across all occupations. The St. Louis Fed FRED data series for manufacturing employment (MANEMP) tracks this monthly on a seasonally adjusted basis, currently showing total manufacturing employment near 12.7 million as of early 2026.
But averages hide a lot. Petroleum refinery workers earn over $86,000 in production wages. Entry-level assemblers start under $35,000. The most experienced industrial engineers and plant managers routinely cross six figures. Understanding the full wage distribution within a specific role is essential for business workforce planning, recruiting, and compensation benchmarking. Even a basic chart of wage percentiles by occupation reveals how much variation exists within a single job title.
Key Wage Context (2024-2026)
- Average hourly earnings, all manufacturing employees: $36.07 (December 2025, BLS CES)
- Average hourly earnings, production & nonsupervisory: $29.51 (December 2025, BLS CES)
- Total compensation per hour worked: ~$46.30 (Q2 2025, BLS ECEC)
- Benefits as share of total compensation: ~33%
- Annual mean wage, all production occupations: $50,090 (May 2024, BLS OEWS)
- National average wage, all occupations: $67,920 (May 2024, BLS OEWS)
Manufacturing Salary by Job Role
The table below shows median and mean annual wages for the most common manufacturing roles, drawn from the BLS OEWS May 2024 survey unless otherwise noted. Median is the 50th percentile (half earn more, half earn less). Mean is the average, which skews higher when top earners pull it up.
| Job Role | Median Annual Wage | Hourly Equivalent | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Industrial Production Manager | $121,440 | ~$58.39 | BLS OOH May 2024 |
| Industrial Engineer | $101,140 | ~$48.63 | BLS OOH May 2024 |
| Manufacturing Engineer | $80,572 | ~$38.74 | PayScale 2026 |
| First-Line Supervisor, Production | $68,260 | ~$32.82 | BLS OEWS May 2024 |
| Tool & Die Maker | $63,180 | ~$30.37 | BLS OOH May 2024 |
| Machinist | $56,150 | ~$27.00 | BLS OOH May 2024 |
| Welder / Cutter / Brazer | $51,000 | ~$24.52 | BLS OOH May 2024 |
| CNC Tool Operator | $49,970 | ~$24.03 | BLS OEWS May 2024 |
| Quality Control Inspector | $47,460 | ~$22.82 | BLS OOH May 2024 |
| Industrial Engineering Technician | $49,500 | ~$23.80 | BLS OOH May 2024 |
| Miscellaneous Assembler & Fabricator | $38,900 | ~$18.70 | BLS OEWS May 2024 |
Note: Median wages are from BLS OEWS May 2024 unless otherwise noted. Hourly equivalents are calculated at 2,080 hours per year (40 hrs/week, 52 weeks). Actual pay varies significantly by employer, location, certifications, and years of experience.
The Range Within Each Role
Median figures tell part of the story. But BLS data also tracks the 10th and 90th percentile wages, which reveal how wide the band really is. A machinist at the 10th percentile earns around $35,000. At the 90th percentile, that same title earns over $80,000. The difference comes down to specialty (multi-axis CNC vs. manual lathe), industry (aerospace vs. general manufacturing), and location (California vs. rural Midwest).
The same pattern holds for welders. An entry-level structural welder in general fabrication might earn $38,000-$42,000. A certified pipe welder on industrial construction or offshore work can clear $90,000 with overtime. The BLS median of $51,000 sits squarely between those extremes.
Production occupations employed 8.7 million workers in May 2024, making up 5.7% of total U.S. employment. The annual mean wage across all production occupations was $50,090, compared to the national cross-industry mean of $67,920.
Source: BLS OEWS Summary, April 2025
Manufacturing Wages by Industry Subsector
Not all manufacturing is created equal when it comes to pay. The specific industry your plant operates in shapes wages more than most employers realize. Petroleum refinery workers and aerospace technicians earn significantly more than food processing or apparel workers, even when job titles and hours look similar on paper.
The following data reflects annual mean wages for production occupations within each subsector, from the BLS OEWS May 2024 report. These are not all-employee averages. They reflect what production workers specifically earn in each sector.
| Manufacturing Subsector | Annual Mean Wage (Production) | vs. Production Average |
|---|---|---|
| Petroleum & Coal Products Manufacturing | $86,760 | +73% |
| Pulp, Paper & Paperboard Mills | $66,230 | +32% |
| Aerospace Product & Parts Manufacturing | $66,010 | +32% |
| Pharmaceutical & Medicine Manufacturing | ~$62,000 | +24% |
| Semiconductor & Electronic Component Mfg | ~$59,000 | +18% |
| Motor Vehicle Parts Manufacturing | ~$52,000 | +4% |
| Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing | ~$49,000 | -2% |
| Food Manufacturing | ~$41,000 | -18% |
| Textile & Apparel Manufacturing | ~$35,000 | -30% |
Sources: BLS OEWS May 2024 report; estimates marked "~" are calculated from BLS NAICS-level data and rounded. Figures reflect annual mean wages for production occupations within each subsector.
Why Subsector Matters So Much
A welder at a petroleum refinery earns roughly 40% more than a welder at a food processing plant, doing largely the same fundamental work. The difference comes from four factors: hazard exposure, technical complexity, capital intensity of the facility, and union penetration. Petroleum and aerospace both score high on all four. Food and apparel score low on most.
Manufacturers competing for production talent need to benchmark against their specific subsector, not the broad manufacturing average. Offering $50,000 to a machinist might look competitive on paper, but if aerospace shops in your metro are paying $62,000, you're going to struggle to hire.
Manufacturing Wages vs. the National Average
The production worker average of $50,090 sits about 26% below the national all-occupation mean of $67,920. That gap has prompted some critics to argue manufacturing isn't a great career path. The reality is more complicated.
Total compensation in manufacturing tells a different story than base wages alone. The BLS Employer Costs for Employee Compensation (ECEC) data shows manufacturing employers paid about $46.30 per hour in total compensation in Q2 2025. Benefits account for roughly 33% of that. That benefit load tends to be heavier in manufacturing than in service industries, largely due to health insurance, pension contributions, and paid time off.
All Occupations (National Average)
$67,920
Annual mean wage, May 2024
All Production Occupations
$50,090
Annual mean wage, May 2024
All Mfg Employees (incl. mgmt/engineering)
$74,985
Annual equivalent at $36.07/hr, Dec 2025
The $74,985 figure above reflects all manufacturing employees, including the engineers, plant managers, and supply chain directors who significantly raise the average. The production-only figure of $50,090 is more representative of what a worker on the floor takes home.
Critically, manufacturing requires no college degree for many of its highest-earning production roles. A tool and die maker at $63,180 typically comes from a technical school or apprenticeship. A welder specializing in pipe or pressure vessels can reach $70,000-$90,000 with certifications. The debt-free path to those wages makes manufacturing economics look different when compared to the 4-year degree careers that dominate national wage averages.
Manufacturing Wage Growth Trends (2020-2026)
Manufacturing wages have risen consistently over the past six years, driven by inflation, labor shortages, and rising demand for skilled tradespeople. The pace of that growth hasn't been uniform across roles or sectors.
| Year | Avg. Hourly Earnings (All Mfg) | Avg. Hourly Earnings (Production) | Year-over-Year Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | $28.40 | $23.60 | baseline |
| 2021 | $29.38 | $24.44 | +3.4% |
| 2022 | $31.05 | $25.79 | +5.7% |
| 2023 | $33.15 | $27.51 | +6.8% |
| 2024 | $35.16 | $29.12 | +6.1% |
| Dec 2025 | $36.07 | $29.51 | +2.6% |
Source: BLS Current Employment Statistics (CES), 2020-2025. Historical figures are annual averages; December 2025 is the most recent point estimate.
The slowdown from the 2022-2023 peak reflects both cooling inflation and a broader softening in the labor market. But wage growth in 2025 was concentrated in skilled roles, particularly maintenance technicians, machinists, and automation specialists who work with complex CNC equipment and industrial robotics, where demand consistently outpaces available candidates. Base pay growth for entry-level positions moderated more sharply.
Total compensation costs have continued rising at roughly 3-4% annually, per BLS Employer Costs data. Benefits costs have grown faster than wages in some years, particularly health insurance, which has absorbed a growing share of total compensation budgets at manufacturers of all sizes.
Advanced Manufacturing Salary Report (2025)
The Advanced Manufacturing annual wage survey found the average industry salary among respondents increased 13.1% in 2025, reaching $135,525. This figure reflects a specific survey population weighted toward technical and engineering roles in advanced manufacturing sectors, not the broader production worker average. It's consistent with the pattern of above-average wage growth in skilled technical positions.
Total Compensation: More Than Just Wages
Wages are what shows up on a paycheck. Total compensation is what it actually costs an employer to keep someone on the floor. In manufacturing, those two numbers diverge significantly.
According to BLS Employer Costs for Employee Compensation (ECEC) data from Q2 2025, total compensation in manufacturing averaged $46.30 per hour worked. Breaking that down:
| Compensation Component | Approx. Share of Total | Approx. Dollar Value (per hour) |
|---|---|---|
| Wages & Salaries | ~67% | ~$31.02 |
| Health Insurance (employer portion) | ~10% | ~$4.63 |
| Retirement & Savings (incl. 401k match) | ~7% | ~$3.24 |
| Paid Leave (vacation, sick, holiday) | ~8% | ~$3.70 |
| Legally Required Benefits (SS, Medicare, etc.) | ~8% | ~$3.70 |
| Total Compensation | 100% | $46.30 |
Source: BLS Employer Costs for Employee Compensation (ECEC), Q2 2025, via Amtec Staffing analysis. Figures are approximations based on reported benefit shares.
The 33% benefits load matters for two reasons. For employers, it means that a machinist earning $56,000 in wages actually costs closer to $83,000 in total annual compensation. For workers, it means their real economic value exceeds their W-2. A manufacturing job with strong benefits and a pension can easily outperform a higher-wage gig economy job when total value is counted.
Union membership rate in manufacturing sits at 7.8% as of 2024 (BLS). Union shops tend to pay higher wages and carry stronger defined-benefit pension plans, which further increases the total compensation advantage for workers in those environments.
Highest-Paying Manufacturing Jobs
The $50,090 production average masks the upper end of the pay scale. These are the roles where manufacturing compensation stands out even against professional services or finance sectors.
Industrial Production Manager
$121,440
Median annual wage, May 2024. Top 10% earn over $180,000.
Industrial Engineer
$101,140
Median annual wage, May 2024. Aerospace and defense tend to pay most.
Manufacturing Engineer
$80,572
Average in 2026. Senior roles in medical devices or aerospace often hit $110,000+.
Tool & Die Maker
$63,180
Median annual wage, May 2024. Requires apprenticeship, no 4-year degree needed.
Industrial production managers and engineers typically require college degrees. But tool and die makers, certain highly specialized machinists, and advanced welding roles reach $60,000-$80,000 with nothing more than an apprenticeship or trade school certification. That remains one of manufacturing's strongest value propositions for the workforce.
Manufacturing Salary by State
Geography affects manufacturing pay significantly. Cost of living, industrial mix, union density, and competition for workers all vary by state. The highest-paying states for manufacturing tend to be those with high concentrations of aerospace, semiconductor, or petroleum industries, combined with higher overall cost of living.
Quick answer: BLS May 2024 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates, California
The BLS page searchers usually want is the May 2024 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates for California. Use that California OEWS table when you need occupation-level manufacturing wages by role, including production occupations, machinists, welders, industrial engineers, production supervisors, maintenance roles, and quality inspectors.
For national comparisons, use the BLS OEWS national tables. For state hiring budgets, use the state OEWS page first, then compare the same occupation code across California, Washington, Texas, Ohio, Michigan, and other manufacturing-heavy states.
| State | Avg. Annual Manufacturing Salary | Key Industries Driving Pay |
|---|---|---|
| Washington | Highest in US | Aerospace (Boeing), semiconductor fabs |
| California | Above national avg. | Defense, semiconductor, biotech |
| Connecticut | Above national avg. | Defense/aerospace (Pratt & Whitney, Sikorsky) |
| Michigan | Near national avg. | Automotive, vehicle parts |
| Ohio | Near national avg. | Automotive, steel, aerospace |
| Texas | Near national avg. | Petroleum, aerospace, electronics |
| Mississippi | Below national avg. | Furniture, food, textiles |
| Arkansas | Below national avg. | Food processing, paper products |
Sources: ZipRecruiter state salary data, April 2026; BLS May 2024 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates. State-level ranges reflect overall manufacturing employment, not single occupations.
State pay differences aren't just about cost of living. Industrial mix matters more. A machinist in Connecticut working for a defense contractor may earn $70,000-$80,000. The same machinist in a rural Midwestern job shop might earn $48,000-$55,000. The work is similar; the end market is completely different.
For manufacturers in lower-wage states, this creates both an advantage (lower labor costs) and a challenge (attracting specialized talent who can earn more elsewhere). Retention strategies, training investments, and promotion pathways matter significantly more in those markets.
Need role-specific state salary data?
This page gives you the big picture. If you need state-by-state pay data for a specific manufacturing role, use the detailed salary pages below.
- Manufacturing engineer salary by state, median pay, projected growth, annual openings, and top-paying states.
- Maintenance technician salary by state, industrial maintenance wages and hiring outlook by state.
- Plant manager salary by state, leadership pay benchmarks across major manufacturing states.
- Welder salary by state and machinist salary by state, for shop-floor compensation benchmarking.
How Experience and Certifications Affect Manufacturing Pay
Experience compounds in manufacturing more than most industries realize. A machinist with 10 years of experience and multi-axis CNC skills earns materially more than one with 2 years on a manual lathe. The gap typically runs 30-50% over a career, based on PayScale compensation data.
Certifications That Move the Needle
Certain credentials consistently command pay premiums in manufacturing:
- AWS Certified Welder (CW): Unlocks higher-paying structural, pressure vessel, and pipeline welding. Pay premiums of $5,000-$15,000 annually over uncertified welders in comparable roles.
- Certified Manufacturing Technologist (CMfgT) or Technician (CMfgE): Offered by SME. Common in career ladders for production supervisors and quality roles.
- Six Sigma Certifications (Green Belt, Black Belt): Manufacturing quality and lean roles. Black Belt in manufacturing can add $15,000-$25,000 annually over non-certified peers.
- Certified Maintenance & Reliability Professional (CMRP): Common among maintenance managers. Reflects specialized knowledge in predictive and preventive maintenance.
- PLC Programming / Automation Certifications: Demand for workers who can program and troubleshoot PLCs has pushed those wages well above general electricians. Manufacturers report difficulty filling these roles at any price.
Union membership, where applicable, also adds a pay layer. Unionized production workers tend to earn 15-20% more than their non-union counterparts in similar roles, plus stronger pension and health benefits, based on long-running BLS union membership and earnings data.
Shift Differential Pay
Most manufacturers run multiple shifts. Second shift (typically 3pm-11pm) commonly pays a 5-10% premium over first shift. Third shift (11pm-7am) often pays 10-15% more. For a machinist at $56,150 base, third-shift pay could add $5,600-$8,400 annually. Over a career, that's significant.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average manufacturing salary in the US?
The average annual salary for all manufacturing employees was approximately $74,985 as of December 2025 (based on $36.07/hour average, per BLS CES). For production and nonsupervisory workers specifically, the average is lower at around $61,381 ($29.51/hour). The mean wage across all production occupations was $50,090 in May 2024 per BLS OEWS.
Which manufacturing jobs pay over $100,000?
Industrial production managers ($121,440 median) and industrial engineers ($101,140 median) both have median wages above $100,000, per BLS May 2024 data. Senior manufacturing engineers in aerospace, defense, and medical devices also routinely reach six figures. Specialized welding roles (pipe, underwater, pressure vessel) can top $90,000 with overtime and certifications.
Is manufacturing pay lower than other industries?
For production roles, yes. The $50,090 mean for production occupations is about 26% below the national all-occupation average of $67,920. But manufacturing has a heavier total compensation load (about 33% in non-wage benefits), which narrows the gap in real terms. Engineers and managers in manufacturing are competitive with or better than peers in other industries.
Which state pays manufacturing workers the most?
Washington state ranks as the highest-paying state for manufacturing workers overall, driven by Boeing and semiconductor facilities. California, Connecticut, and Michigan also rank highly. States in the South and rural Midwest typically pay less, though their lower cost of living offsets some of that difference.
Where can I find BLS May 2024 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates for California?
Use the BLS California OEWS page for the May 2024 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates. It breaks wages out by occupation code, so it is more useful than a broad manufacturing average when you need California pay for machinists, welders, production supervisors, industrial engineers, maintenance workers, or quality inspectors.
Are manufacturing wages growing?
Yes, but the pace has moderated. After 5-7% annual growth in 2022-2023 driven by inflation and labor shortages, growth slowed to roughly 2.5-3.5% in 2025. Skilled technical roles (machinists, maintenance technicians, automation specialists) continue seeing the strongest wage growth as demand exceeds supply. Entry-level production wage growth has slowed more sharply.
Cite This Page
If you're using this data in research, journalism, or your own content, here's a suggested citation format:
Primary underlying sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), BLS Current Employment Statistics (CES), BLS Employer Costs for Employee Compensation (ECEC), PayScale Compensation Software, ZipRecruiter Salary Data, Amtec Staffing Manufacturing Workforce Report (2025-2026).
Sources
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. "Occupational Employment and Wages Summary, May 2024." Released April 2, 2025.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. "Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) Tables." May 2024 survey data.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. "Industrial Production Managers." Occupational Outlook Handbook. May 2024 wage data.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. "Industrial Engineers." Occupational Outlook Handbook. May 2024 wage data.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. "Machinists and Tool and Die Makers." Occupational Outlook Handbook. May 2024 wage data.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. "Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers." Occupational Outlook Handbook. May 2024 wage data.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. "Quality Control Inspectors." Occupational Outlook Handbook. May 2024 wage data.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. "Industrial Engineering Technologists and Technicians." Occupational Outlook Handbook. May 2024 wage data.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. "Current Employment Statistics (CES) 2025 Employment and Earnings Online." January 2026.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. "Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2024." PDF release.
- Amtec Staffing. "The State of the U.S. Manufacturing Workforce (2025-2026 Benchmark Report)." March 2026. Compiled from BLS, NAM, and Deloitte data.
- PayScale. "Manufacturing Engineer Salary in 2026." Updated February 2026.
- ZipRecruiter. "Average Manufacturing Salary by State." Accessed April 2026.
- Advanced Manufacturing. "Survey: Manufacturing Wages See 13% Increase in 2025." November 25, 2025.
- Verstela. "2025 Wage Trends and What They Mean for 2026." November 8, 2025.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. "May 2024 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates."
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