List of Production Careers

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Career name
Average Salary
Recommended degree level

$34630
No degree required


They cut, trim, or prepare consumer-sized portions of meat for use or sale in retail establishments.
$37640
No degree required


They operate or tend bonding machines that use adhesives to join items for further processing or to form a completed product. Processes include joining veneer sheets into plywood; gluing paper; or joining rubber and rubberized fabric parts, plastic, simulated leather, or other materials.
$55510
No degree required


They assemble, fit, fasten, and install parts of airplanes, space vehicles, or missiles, such as tails, wings, fuselage, bulkheads, stabilizers, landing gear, rigging and control equipment, or heating and ventilating systems.
$38900
No degree required


They cut, shape, and assemble wooden articles or set up and operate a variety of woodworking machines, such as power saws, jointers, and mortisers to surface, cut, or shape lumber or to fabricate parts for wood products.
$53330
No degree required


They operate or tend equipment to control chemical changes or reactions in the processing of industrial or consumer products. Equipment used includes devulcanizers, steam-jacketed kettles, and reactor vessels.
$34600
No degree required


They operate or tend machines to wash or clean products, such as barrels or kegs, glass items, tin plate, food, pulp, coal, plastic, or rubber, to remove impurities.
$42140
No degree required


They set up, operate, or tend machines to coat or paint any of a wide variety of products, including glassware, cloth, ceramics, metal, plastic, paper, or wood, with lacquer, silver, copper, rubber, varnish, glaze, enamel, oil, or rust-proofing materials.
$40280
No degree required


They wind wire coils used in electrical components, such as resistors and transformers, and in electrical equipment and instruments, such as field cores, bobbins, armature cores, electrical motors, generators, and control equipment.
$61010
Post-secondary certificate


They develop programs to control machining or processing of metal or plastic parts by automatic machine tools, equipment, or systems.
$44300
No degree required


They operate computer-controlled machines or robots to perform one or more machine functions on metal or plastic work pieces.
$39610
No degree required


They operate or tend equipment such as cooling and freezing units, refrigerators, batch freezers, and freezing tunnels, to cool or freeze products, food, blood plasma, and chemicals.
$41290
No degree required


They set up, operate, or tend machines to crush, grind, or polish materials, such as coal, glass, grain, stone, food, or rubber.
$38220
No degree required


They set up, operate, or tend machines that cut or slice materials, such as glass, stone, cork, rubber, tobacco, food, paper, or insulating material.
$38650
No degree required


They set up, operate, or tend machines to saw, cut, shear, slit, punch, crimp, notch, bend, or straighten metal or plastic material.
$42800
No degree required


They set up, operate, or tend drilling machines to drill, bore, ream, mill, or countersink metal or plastic work pieces.
$38750
No degree required


They assemble or modify electrical or electronic equipment, such as computers, test equipment telemetering systems, electric motors, and batteries.
$47190
No degree required


They construct, assemble, or rebuild machines, such as engines, turbines, and similar equipment used in such industries as construction, extraction, textiles, and paper manufacturing.
$35230
No degree required


They engrave or etch metal, wood, rubber, or other materials. Includes such workers as etcher-circuit processors, pantograph engravers, and silk screen etchers.
$38990
No degree required


They set up, operate, or tend machines to extrude or draw thermoplastic or metal materials into tubes, rods, hoses, wire, bars, or structural shapes.
$39170
No degree required


They set up, operate, or tend machines that extrude and form continuous filaments from synthetic materials, such as liquid polymer, rayon, and fiberglass.
$38440
No degree required


They set up, operate, or tend machines, such as glass-forming machines, plodder machines, and tuber machines, to shape and form products such as glassware, food, rubber, soap, brick, tile, clay, wax, tobacco, or cosmetics.
$57880
No degree required


They draw and construct sets of precision master fabric patterns or layouts. May also mark and cut fabrics and apparel.
$38280
No degree required


They laminate layers of fiberglass on molds to form boat decks and hulls, bodies for golf carts, automobiles, or other products.
$35370
No degree required


They operate or tend food or tobacco roasting, baking, or drying equipment, including hearth ovens, kiln driers, roasters, char kilns, and vacuum drying equipment.
$34180
No degree required


They operate or tend cooking equipment, such as steam cooking vats, deep fry cookers, pressure cookers, kettles, and boilers, to prepare food products.
$43480
No degree required


They set up, operate, or tend forging machines to taper, shape, or form metal or plastic parts.
$38370
No degree required


They make or form wax or sand cores or molds used in the production of metal castings in foundries.
$41910
No degree required


They operate or tend heating equipment other than basic metal, plastic, or food processing equipment. Includes activities such as annealing glass, drying lumber, curing rubber, removing moisture from materials, or boiling soap.
$38800
No degree required


They set up, operate, or tend grinding and related tools that remove excess material or burrs from surfaces, sharpen edges or corners, or buff, hone, or polish metal or plastic work pieces.
$34190
No degree required


They use hand tools or hand-held power tools to cut and trim a variety of manufactured items, such as carpet, fabric, stone, glass, or rubber.
$34380
No degree required


They grind, sand, or polish, using hand tools or hand-held power tools, a variety of metal, wood, stone, clay, plastic, or glass objects. Includes chippers, buffers, and finishers.
$41680
No degree required


They set up, operate, or tend heating equipment, such as heat-treating furnaces, flame-hardening machines, induction machines, soaking pits, or vacuum equipment to temper, harden, anneal, or heat treat metal or plastic objects.
$32000
No degree required


They help production workers by performing duties requiring less skill. Duties include supplying or holding materials or tools, and cleaning work area and equipment.
$44580
No degree required


They inspect, test, sort, sample, or weigh nonagricultural raw materials or processed, machined, fabricated, or assembled parts or products for defects, wear, and deviations from specifications. May use precision measuring instruments and complex test equipment.
$43100
No degree required


They set up, operate, or tend lathe and turning machines to turn, bore, thread, form, or face metal or plastic materials, such as wire, rod, or bar stock.
$26600
No degree required


They operate or tend washing or dry-cleaning machines to wash or dry-clean industrial or household articles, such as cloth garments, suede, leather, furs, blankets, draperies, linens, rugs, and carpets. Includes spotters and dyers of these articles.
$50980
No degree required


They lay out reference points and dimensions on metal or plastic stock or workpieces, such as sheets, plates, tubes, structural shapes, castings, or machine parts, for further processing. Includes shipfitters.
$37370
No degree required


They cut or carve stone according to diagrams and patterns.
$42440
No degree required


They operate hand-controlled mechanisms to pour and regulate the flow of molten metal into molds to produce castings or ingots.
$46000
No degree required


They operate or tend furnaces, such as gas, oil, coal, electric-arc or electric induction, open-hearth, or oxygen furnaces, to melt and refine metal before casting or to produce specified types of steel.
$59600
No degree required


They monitor, operate, and maintain landfill gas collection system components and environmental monitoring and control systems.
$44920
No degree required


They set up, operate, or tend milling or planing machines to mill, plane, shape, groove, or profile metal or plastic work pieces.
$40960
No degree required


They set up, operate, or tend machines to mix or blend materials, such as chemicals, tobacco, liquids, color pigments, or explosive ingredients.
$58180
No degree required


They set up and operate machines, such as lathes, milling and engraving machines, and jig borers to make working models of metal or plastic objects. Includes template makers.
$37370
No degree required


They perform a variety of duties such as mixing materials, assembling mold parts, filling molds, and stacking molds to mold and cast a wide range of products.
$35960
No degree required


They set up, operate, or tend metal or plastic molding, casting, or coremaking machines to mold or cast metal or thermoplastic parts or products.
$39800
No degree required


They set up, operate, or tend more than one type of cutting or forming machine tool or robot.
$35220
No degree required


They operate or tend machines to prepare industrial or consumer products for storage or shipment. Includes cannery workers who pack food products.
$37540
No degree required


They paint, coat, or decorate articles, such as furniture, glass, plateware, pottery, jewelry, toys, books, or leather.
$41480
No degree required


They set up, operate, or tend paper goods machines that perform a variety of functions, such as converting, sawing, corrugating, banding, wrapping, boxing, stitching, forming, or sealing paper or paperboard sheets into products.
$49570
Associate's degree


They lay out, machine, fit, and assemble castings and parts to metal or plastic foundry patterns, core boxes, or match plates.
$77610
No degree required


They operate or control petroleum refining or processing units. May specialize in controlling manifold and pumping systems, gauging or testing oil in storage tanks, or regulating the flow of oil into pipelines.
$39390
No degree required


They perform work involved in developing and processing photographic images from film or digital media. May perform precision tasks such as editing photographic negatives and prints.
$36950
No degree required


They set up, operate, or tend plating machines to coat metal or plastic products with chromium, zinc, copper, cadmium, nickel, or other metal to protect or decorate surfaces. Typically, the product being coated is immersed in molten metal or an electrolytic solution.
$93260
No degree required


They coordinate, regulate, or distribute electricity or steam.
$43370
No degree required


They format and proof text and images submitted by designers and clients into finished pages that can be printed. Includes digital and photo typesetting. May produce printing plates.
$36430
No degree required


They bind books and other publications or finish printed products by hand or machine. May set up binding and finishing machines.
$35620
No degree required


They prepare and sort materials or products for recycling. Identify and remove hazardous substances. Dismantle components of products such as appliances.
$45110
No degree required


They set up, operate, or tend machines to roll steel or plastic forming bends, beads, knurls, rolls, or plate, or to flatten, temper, or reduce gauge of material.
$46850
No degree required


They set up, operate, or tend continuous flow or vat-type equipment; filter presses; shaker screens; centrifuges; condenser tubes; precipitating, fermenting, or evaporating tanks; scrubbing towers; or batch stills. These machines extract, sort, or separate liquids, gases, or solids from other materials to recover a refined product. Includes dairy processing equipment operators.
$29420
No degree required


They operate or tend sewing machines to join, reinforce, decorate, or perform related sewing operations in the manufacture of garment or nongarment products.
$31480
No degree required


They construct, decorate, or repair leather and leather-like products, such as luggage, shoes, and saddles. May use hand tools.
$31430
No degree required


They operate or tend a variety of machines to join, decorate, reinforce, or finish shoes and shoe parts.
$31210
No degree required


They perform nonroutine or precision functions involving the preparation of large portions of meat. Work may include specialized slaughtering tasks, cutting standard or premium cuts of meat for marketing, making sausage, or wrapping meats. Work typically occurs in slaughtering, meat packing, or wholesale establishments.
$46690
No degree required


They braze or solder together components to assemble fabricated metal parts, using soldering iron, torch, or welding machine and flux.
$68170
No degree required


They operate or maintain stationary engines, boilers, or other mechanical equipment to provide utilities for buildings or industrial processes. Operate equipment such as steam engines, generators, motors, turbines, and steam boilers.
$44750
No degree required


They fabricate, position, align, and fit parts of structural metal products.
$66800
No degree required


They directly supervise and coordinate the activities of production and operating workers, such as inspectors, precision workers, machine setters and operators, assemblers, fabricators, and plant and system operators. Excludes team or work leaders.
$31600
No degree required


They operate or tend machines to bleach, shrink, wash, dye, or finish textiles or synthetic or glass fibers.
$30890
No degree required


They set up, operate, or tend machines that cut textiles.
$32370
No degree required


They set up, operate, or tend machines that knit, loop, weave, or draw in textiles.
$32130
No degree required


They 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.
$39430
No degree required


They perform precision assembling, adjusting, or calibrating, within narrow tolerances, of timing devices such as digital clocks or timing devices with electrical or electronic components.
$43670
No degree required


They perform precision smoothing, sharpening, polishing, or grinding of metal objects.
$42140
Post-secondary certificate


They operate or tend painting machines to paint surfaces of transportation equipment, such as automobiles, buses, trucks, trains, boats, and airplanes. Includes painters in auto body repair facilities.
$51890
No degree required


They operate or control an entire process or system of machines, often through the use of control boards, to transfer or treat water or wastewater.
$46690
Post-secondary certificate


They use hand-welding or flame-cutting equipment to weld or join metal components or to fill holes, indentations, or seams of fabricated metal products.
$41320
No degree required


They 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.
$33290
No degree required


They set up, operate, or tend wood sawing machines. May operate computer numerically controlled (CNC) equipment. Includes lead sawyers.
$33540
No degree required


They 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.
$31060
No degree required


They mix and bake ingredients to produce breads, rolls, cookies, cakes, pies, pastries, or other baked goods.
$59600
No degree required


They calculate, measure, load, mix, and process refined feedstock with additives in fermentation or reaction process vessels and monitor production process. Perform, and keep records of, plant maintenance, repairs, and safety inspections.
$59600
No degree required


They control and monitor biomass plant activities and perform maintenance as needed.
$65460
No degree required


They control or operate entire chemical processes or system of machines.
$45230
No degree required


They construct and repair full or partial dentures or dental appliances.
$34970
No degree required


They set up and operate equipment that mixes or blends ingredients used in the manufacturing of food products. Includes candy makers and cheese makers.
$35040
No degree required


They shape, finish, and refinish damaged, worn, or used furniture or new high-grade furniture to specified color or finish.
$73290
No degree required


They distribute or process gas for utility companies and others by controlling compressors to maintain specified pressures on main pipelines.
$48050
No degree required


They fabricate, finish, or evaluate the quality of gems and diamonds used in jewelry or industrial tools.
$37370
No degree required


They shape molten glass according to patterns.
$30790
No degree required


They sew, join, reinforce, or finish, usually with needle and thread, a variety of manufactured items. Includes weavers and stitchers.
$59600
Post-secondary certificate


They monitor and control activities associated with hydropower generation. Operate plant equipment, such as turbines, pumps, valves, gates, fans, electric control boards, and battery banks. Monitor equipment operation and performance and make necessary adjustments to ensure optimal performance. Perform equipment maintenance and repair as necessary.
$48050
No degree required


They fabricate and repair jewelry articles. Make models or molds to create jewelry items.
$47800
Post-secondary certificate


They set up and operate a variety of machine tools to produce precision parts and instruments out of metal. Includes precision instrument makers who fabricate, modify, or repair mechanical instruments. May also fabricate and modify parts to make or repair machine tools or maintain industrial machines, applying knowledge of mechanics, mathematics, metal properties, layout, and machining procedures.
$37370
No degree required


They operate production machines such as pug mill, jigger machine, or potter's wheel to process clay in manufacture of ceramic, pottery and stoneware products.
$30800
No degree required


They use hands or hand tools to perform routine cutting and trimming of meat, poultry, and seafood.
$45630
Associate's degree


They construct, maintain, or repair medical supportive devices such as braces, orthotics and prosthetic devices, joints, arch supports, and other surgical and medical appliances.
$104470
No degree required


They operate or control nuclear reactors. Move control rods, start and stop equipment, monitor and adjust controls, and record data in logs. Implement emergency procedures when needed. May respond to abnormalities, determine cause, and recommend corrective action.
$81890
No degree required


They control, operate, or maintain machinery to generate electric power. Includes auxiliary equipment operators.
$48050
No degree required


They cast, anneal, solder, hammer, or shape gold, silver, pewter or other metals to form jewelry or other metal items such as goblets or candlesticks.
$40200
No degree required


They set up and operate digital, letterpress, lithographic, flexographic, gravure, or other printing machines. Includes short-run offset printing presses.
$45210
No degree required


They perform any or all of the following functions in the manufacture of electronic semiconductors: load semiconductor material into furnace; saw formed ingots into segments; load individual segment into crystal growing chamber and monitor controls; locate crystal axis in ingot using x-ray equipment and saw ingots into wafers; and clean, polish, and load wafers into series of special purpose furnaces, chemical baths, and equipment used to form circuitry and change conductive properties.
$26050
No degree required


They press or shape articles by hand or machine.
$36040
No degree required


They design, make, alter, repair, or fit garments.
$35980
No degree required


They 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.
$45980
No degree required


They operate machines to build tires.
$55520
Post-secondary certificate


They 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.
$62600
No degree required


They construct full-size and scale wooden precision models of products. Includes wood jig builders and loft workers.
$60750
Post-secondary certificate


They plan, lay out, and construct wooden unit or sectional patterns used in forming sand molds for castings.
$38750
No degree required


They assemble or modify electromechanical equipment or devices, such as servomechanisms, gyros, dynamometers, magnetic drums, tape drives, brakes, control linkage, actuators, and appliances.
$36640
No degree required


They cut, grind, and polish eyeglasses, contact lenses, or other precision optical elements. Assemble and mount lenses into frames or process other optical elements. Includes precision lens polishers or grinders, centerer-edgers, and lens mounters.
$37870
No degree required


They make, repair, or replace upholstery for household furniture or transportation vehicles.

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