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Manufacturing career cluster, in The United States

occupation	SOC code	interests	minimum education	growth outlook	current workers	salary entry	salary all
Adhesive Bonding Machine Operators and Tenders	51-9191.00	RC	mod. OJT	-1.14	19,800	$19,550	$30,990
Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers	51-2011.00	R	long OJT	0.94	44,100	$28,620	$48,310
Assemblers and Fabricators, all other	51-2099.00	R	mod. OJT	0.19	309,900	$17,640	$29,450
Bakers	51-3011.00	RC	long OJT	0.02	151,600	$17,070	$25,160
Cabinetmakers and Bench Carpenters	51-7011.00	RC	long OJT	0.91	131,700	$19,780	$32,220
Camera and Photographic Equipment Repairers	49-9061.00	RCI	mod. OJT	-1.54	4,600	$25,700	$41,750
Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders	51-9011.00	RC	mod. OJT	-1.21	53,000	$27,850	$46,440
Chemical Plant and System Operators	51-8091.00	RC	long OJT	-2.06	45,100	$34,430	$54,920
Cleaning, Washing, and Metal Pickling Equipment Operators and Tenders	51-9192.00	RC	mod. OJT	-0.35	18,000	$18,380	$28,420
Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders	51-9121.00	RCI	mod. OJT	0.33	107,800	$20,260	$31,410
Coil Winders, Tapers, and Finishers	51-2021.00	RC	short OJT	-2.52	22,100	$20,020	$31,150
occupation	SOC code	interests	minimum education	growth outlook	current workers	salary entry	salary all
Coin, Vending, and Amusement Machine Servicers and Repairers	49-9091.00	RC	mod. OJT	0.7	43,800	$19,660	$32,400
Computer Numerically Controlled Machine Tool Programmers, Metal and Plastic	51-4012.00	CIR	long OJT	-1.54	16,800	$30,550	$48,460
Computer, Automated Teller, and Office Machine Repairers	49-2011.00	RCI	1,2 year	-0.44	152,900	$22,310	$38,360
Computer-Controlled Machine Tool Operators, Metal and Plastic	51-4011.00	RC	mod. OJT	0.66	141,000	$23,260	$36,520
Control and Valve Installers and Repairers, Except Mechanical Door	49-9012.00	RCI	mod. OJT	-0.13	44,500	$28,250	$50,740
Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders	51-9193.00	RCI	mod. OJT	-0.04	9,900	$19,090	$31,060
Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders	51-9021.00	RCI	mod. OJT	-0.14	41,200	$20,140	$33,720
Cutters and Trimmers, Hand	51-9031.00	RC	short OJT	-1.31	24,200	$17,700	$26,510
Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders	51-9032.00	RC	mod. OJT	-0.48	75,200	$20,220	$31,760
Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic	51-4031.00	RC	mod. OJT	-1.41	236,800	$19,770	$31,140
Drilling and Boring Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic	51-4032.00	RCI	mod. OJT	-2.69	33,000	$21,930	$35,410
occupation	SOC code	interests	minimum education	growth outlook	current workers	salary entry	salary all
Electric Motor, Power Tool, and Related Repairers	49-2092.00	RC	1,2 year	0.51	23,700	$20,970	$38,050
Electrical and Electronic Equipment Assemblers	51-2022.00	RC	short OJT	-1.47	213,300	$19,520	$31,290
Electrical and Electronics Installers and Repairers, Transportation Equipment	49-2093.00	RC	1,2 year	0.41	16,100	$33,490	$52,080
Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Commercial and Industrial Equipment	49-2094.00	RIC	1,2 year	0.38	78,000	$32,570	$52,420
Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Powerhouse, Substation and Relay	49-2095.00	RC	1,2 year	1.15	23,400	$46,890	$65,950
Electromechanical Equipment Assemblers	51-2023.00	RCI	short OJT	-1.03	62,100	$21,190	$32,800
Electronic Equipment Installers and Repairers, Motor Vehicles	49-2096.00	RIC	1,2 year	0.02	19,700	$20,000	$32,890
Electronic Home Entertainment Equipment Installers and Repairers	49-2097.00	RC	1,2 year	1.08	51,200	$21,240	$36,360
Engine and Other Machine Assemblers	51-2031.00	RC	short OJT	-0.8	39,900	$24,730	$39,230
Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic	51-4021.00	RC	mod. OJT	-0.52	90,700	$20,910	$34,120
Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Synthetic and Glass Fibers	51-6091.00	R	mod. OJT	-3.39	14,100	$20,810	$32,100
occupation	SOC code	interests	minimum education	growth outlook	current workers	salary entry	salary all
Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders	51-9041.00	RCI	mod. OJT	1.5	83,300	$20,660	$32,960
Fabric and Apparel Patternmakers	51-6092.00	RAC	long OJT	-2.72	8,200	$20,090	$44,650
Fabric Menders, Except Garment	49-9093.00	R	mod. OJT	-2.98	1,100	$18,840	$29,580
Fiberglass Laminators and Fabricators	51-2091.00	RCI	mod. OJT	-0.46	30,300	$19,250	$29,440
First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers	49-1011.00	ECR	work exp.	0.43	448,500	$36,150	$62,190
First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers	51-1011.00	ERC	work exp.	-0.52	681,200	$32,390	$56,890
Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic	51-4022.00	RCI	mod. OJT	-1.95	28,100	$21,760	$34,890
Foundry Mold and Coremakers	51-4071.00	RC	mod. OJT	-1.2	15,000	$20,480	$31,790
Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators and Tenders	51-9051.00	RC	mod. OJT	-0.7	24,500	$22,910	$36,680
Furniture Finishers	51-7021.00	RA	long OJT	0.45	26,500	$18,710	$29,720
Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand	51-9022.00	RC	mod. OJT	0.76	40,100	$18,950	$28,710
occupation	SOC code	interests	minimum education	growth outlook	current workers	salary entry	salary all
Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic	51-4033.00	R	mod. OJT	-1.59	92,700	$20,690	$32,840
Heat Treating Equipment Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic	51-4191.00	RC	mod. OJT	-1.06	23,200	$21,960	$35,130
Helpers--Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers	49-9098.00	RCI	short OJT	0.83	150,900	$17,180	$26,580
Helpers--Production Workers	51-9198.00	RC	short OJT	-0.01	484,000	$16,970	$24,370
Home Appliance Repairers	49-9031.00	RCI	long OJT	0.22	49,600	$20,040	$37,370
Industrial Machinery Mechanics	49-9041.00	RIC	long OJT	0.73	287,700	$30,770	$48,030
Industrial Production Managers	11-3051.00	EC	Bachelor	-0.77	156,100	$53,130	$96,370
Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers	51-9061.00	CR	mod. OJT	-0.36	464,700	$20,380	$36,690
Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic	51-4034.00	RIC	mod. OJT	-2.67	55,700	$23,390	$37,210
Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers	51-6011.00	RC	mod. OJT	0.28	235,400	$16,320	$21,380
Lay-Out Workers, Metal and Plastic	51-4192.00	RCI	mod. OJT	-1.16	8,300	$23,540	$39,990
occupation	SOC code	interests	minimum education	growth outlook	current workers	salary entry	salary all
Locksmiths and Safe Repairers	49-9094.00	RC	mod. OJT	1.2	22,100	$21,050	$38,490
Machinists	51-4041.00	RCI	long OJT	-0.46	421,500	$24,390	$40,520
Maintenance and Repair Workers, General	49-9071.00	RCI	mod. OJT	*	*	$20,820	$36,930
Maintenance Workers, Machinery	49-9043.00	RCI	short OJT	0.46	75,400	$24,300	$41,110
Manufactured Building and Mobile Home Installers	49-9095.00	RC	mod. OJT	0.52	10,300	$18,540	$30,350
Medical Equipment Repairers	49-9062.00	RIC	Associate	2.72	41,400	$26,250	$47,010
Metal Workers and Plastic Workers, all other	51-4199.00	RC	mod. OJT	-0.74	45,000	$20,210	$34,910
Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic	51-4035.00	RC	mod. OJT	-1.58	26,200	$22,290	$37,510
Millwrights	49-9044.00	RCI	long OJT	0.14	45,200	$31,440	$50,650
Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders	51-9023.00	RCI	mod. OJT	1.55	141,500	$20,840	$34,930
Model Makers, Metal and Plastic	51-4061.00	RIC	mod. OJT	-0.59	10,100	$25,670	$46,460
occupation	SOC code	interests	minimum education	growth outlook	current workers	salary entry	salary all
Model Makers, Wood	51-7031.00	RAC	long OJT	0.24	1,700	$17,120	$34,930
Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic	51-9195.00	RA	mod. OJT	0.28	48,200	$19,260	$30,570
Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic	51-4072.00	RCI	mod. OJT	-0.44	143,800	$18,790	$30,380
Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic	51-4081.00	R	mod. OJT	-1.47	86,000	$21,320	$34,550
Nuclear Power Reactor Operators	51-8011.00	RCE	long OJT	1.89	5,000	$55,980	$77,550
Outdoor Power Equipment and Other Small Engine Mechanics	49-3053.00	RC	mod. OJT	0.64	29,400	$19,510	$31,330
Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders	51-9111.00	RC	short OJT	-0.07	349,000	$17,620	$27,950
Packers and Packagers, Hand	53-7064.00	RC	short OJT	-0.45	758,800	$16,600	$22,480
Painters, Transportation Equipment	51-9122.00	RC	mod. OJT	0.08	52,200	$25,080	$43,040
Painting, Coating, and Decorating Workers	51-9123.00	R	short OJT	1.02	32,700	$17,970	$27,480
Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders	51-9196.00	RC	mod. OJT	-2.15	103,300	$20,740	$35,140
occupation	SOC code	interests	minimum education	growth outlook	current workers	salary entry	salary all
Patternmakers, Metal and Plastic	51-4062.00	RCI	mod. OJT	-0.57	7,000	$24,910	$41,470
Patternmakers, Wood	51-7032.00	RIA	long OJT	-0.32	1,900	$23,230	$40,630
Photographic Process Workers and Processing Machine Operators	51-9151.00	RC	mod. OJT	*	*	$17,110	$25,770
Plant and System Operators, all other	51-8099.00	RC	long OJT	-0.47	12,700	$30,220	$52,960
Plating and Coating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic	51-4193.00	RC	mod. OJT	-1.24	39,500	$20,200	$31,960
Pourers and Casters, Metal	51-4052.00	RC	mod. OJT	-0.97	15,100	$22,300	$35,520
Power Distributors and Dispatchers	51-8012.00	RIC	long OJT	-0.22	10,000	$48,210	$72,360
Precision Instrument and Equipment Repairers, all other	49-9069.00	R	long OJT	0.25	15,900	$32,210	$51,970
Pressers, Textile, Garment, and Related Materials	51-6021.00	RC	short OJT	-0.82	66,600	$16,310	$20,530
Print Binding and Finishing Workers	51-5113.00	RC	mod. OJT	*	*	$18,990	$31,150
Production, Planning, and Expediting Clerks	43-5061.00	CE	short OJT	0.15	283,500	$25,590	$44,900
occupation	SOC code	interests	minimum education	growth outlook	current workers	salary entry	salary all
Radio Mechanics	49-2021.00	RIC	1,2 year	-0.4	5,700	$26,200	$44,250
Refractory Materials Repairers, Except Brickmasons	49-9045.00	RCI	mod. OJT	-0.65	2,500	$27,770	$44,860
Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic	51-4023.00	RC	mod. OJT	-1.55	34,400	$22,800	$37,780
Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood	51-7041.00	RCI	mod. OJT	0.14	52,600	$17,570	$27,440
Semiconductor Processors	51-9141.00	RCI	Associate	-3.15	31,600	$23,320	$34,220
Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders	51-9012.00	RCI	mod. OJT	1.06	40,800	$22,220	$38,910
Sewers, Hand	51-6051.00	RAC	short OJT	-0.82	12,200	$17,300	$25,590
Sewing Machine Operators	51-6031.00	RC	mod. OJT	-3.37	212,400	$16,900	$23,080
Shoe and Leather Workers and Repairers	51-6041.00	RCA	long OJT	-1.43	9,200	$17,030	$25,680
Shoe Machine Operators and Tenders	51-6042.00	RC	mod. OJT	-3.48	4,800	$17,350	$26,520
Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators	51-8021.00	RIC	long OJT	0.52	41,600	$33,050	$53,800
occupation	SOC code	interests	minimum education	growth outlook	current workers	salary entry	salary all
Tailors, Dressmakers, and Custom Sewers	51-6052.00	RAE	long OJT	-0.2	54,600	$17,540	$28,800
Team Assemblers	51-2092.00	RCE	mod. OJT	0	1,112,300	$18,040	$29,740
Textile Bleaching and Dyeing Machine Operators and Tenders	51-6061.00	R	mod. OJT	-4.48	16,000	$17,640	$24,980
Textile Cutting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders	51-6062.00	RC	mod. OJT	-3.1	19,400	$17,390	$25,380
Textile Knitting and Weaving Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders	51-6063.00	RC	long OJT	-3.93	29,200	$18,440	$26,760
Textile Winding, Twisting, and Drawing Out Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders	51-6064.00	RC	mod. OJT	-4.07	34,900	$19,750	$26,460
Textile, Apparel, and Furnishings Workers, all other	51-6099.00	R	short OJT	-1.27	17,900	$17,440	$28,850
Timing Device Assemblers and Adjusters	51-2093.00	RC	mod. OJT	-0.44	2,700	$20,800	$31,620
Tire Builders	51-9197.00	RC	mod. OJT	-1.76	21,400	$22,000	$39,360
Tool and Die Makers	51-4111.00	RIC	long OJT	-0.8	84,300	$31,660	$48,170
Tool Grinders, Filers, and Sharpeners	51-4194.00	RC	mod. OJT	-0.75	18,800	$21,210	$35,670
occupation	SOC code	interests	minimum education	growth outlook	current workers	salary entry	salary all
Upholsterers	51-6093.00	R	long OJT	0.68	52,700	$19,440	$31,640
Watch Repairers	49-9064.00	RCI	long OJT	-1.38	3,200	$18,990	$40,590
Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers	51-4121.00	RC	long OJT	-0.16	412,300	$24,490	$37,920
Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders	51-4122.00	RC	mod. OJT	-0.71	54,100	$22,980	$36,120
Woodworkers, all other	51-7099.00	R	mod. OJT	0.33	23,300	$17,350	$28,790
Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing	51-7042.00	RCI	mod. OJT	0.7	85,700	$18,370	$28,160

* data not available

Footnotes

SOC Codes

Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) system classifies all careers and assigns a unique number to each. This SOC number can be used to follow up with other career databases.

Career Interests

Interests are the likes and dislikes of people who work in each career. Matching your interests can help you find a career that will be more satisfying and rewarding for you than occupations that do not meet your interests. Knowing your work interests can help you decide what kinds of jobs and careers you want to explore.

People and work environments can be classified into these six different groups:

Realistic - "Doers" - People who have athletic or mechanical ability, prefer to work with objects, machines, tools, plants or animals, or to be outdoors.
Investigative - "Thinkers" - People who like to observe, learn, investigate, analyze, evaluate or solve problems.
Artistic - "Creators" - People who have artistic, innovating or intuitional abilities and like to work in unstructured situations using their imagination and creativity.
Social - "Helpers" - People who like to work with people to enlighten, inform, help, train, or cure them, or are skilled with words.
Enterprising - "Persuaders" - People who like to work with people, influencing, persuading, performing, leading or managing for organizational goals or economic gain.
Conventional - "Organizers" - People who like to work with data, have clerical or numerical ability, carry out tasks in detail or follow through on others' instructions.

Take an Career Interest Assessment to discover your interests.

Minimum Postsecondary Education Required

Minimum education is the usual minimum level of postsecondary (after high school) education required for each career.

Some careers have on-the-job training (OJT), which means that you go straight to the job and learn while you work.

short OJT - Short on-the-job training (less than one month)
mod. OJT - Moderate on-the-job training (1 to 12 months)
long OJT - Long on-the-job training (more than one year). Long OJT usually includes community college or trade school courses.

Some careers require further education after high school before starting the career.

1,2 year - One- or two-year program at a trade school or community college
Associate - Associate's degree - two-year degree program at a community college
Bachelor - Bachelor's degree - four-year degree program at a college or university
Bach+work - Bachelor's degree plus related work experience
Master - Master's degree - two or more years after Bachelor's degree
Doctorate - Doctorate degree - three or more years after Bachelor's degree
Profess. - Professional degree - three or more years after Bachelor's degree
work exp. - Work experience in a related occupation

Growth Outlook

Growth outlook is the projected growth of the number of career openings per year from 2008 to 2018. High growth means that the number of openings are increasing, so the likelihood of getting a job in this career is good. Low growth means that there may not be any openings, so the likelihood of getting a job in this career is not very good.

low - (red color) - below average projected growth rate (less than 1% growth per year)
moderate - (green color) - average projected growth rate (between 1 and 2.1% growth per year)
high - (blue color) - above average projected growth rate (over 2.1% growth per year)

White background indicates that growth outlook information is not available.

Number of Current Workers

Current workers is the number of people in The United States in 2008 who were full-time and part-time employees, workers on paid vacation or other type of paid leave, workers assigned temporarily to other units and paid owners, officers and staff of incorporated firms. This excludes proprietors, owners and partners of unincorporated firms, unpaid family workers, workers on unpaid leave and contractors and temporary agency employees not on the company payroll.

Average Entry-Level Salaries

Salary entry is the estimated average salary for all entry-level (first-year) workers in this occupation in The United States in 2011. Technically it is the annual 10th percentile wage.

Salary includes straight time, gross pay, exclusive of premium pay. Base rate, cost-of-living allowances, tips, guaranteed pay, hazardous-duty pay, incentive pay, commissions, production bonuses and on-call pay are included. Excluded is back pay, jury duty pay, overtime pay, severance pay, shift differentials, non-production bonuses and tuition reimbursements.

Salaries over $187,200 are sometimes shown as >$187,200 rather than the actual salary.

Average Salaries

Salary all is the estimated average salary for all workers in this occupation in The United States in 2011. Technically it is the mean annual wage.

Salaries over $187,200 are sometimes shown as >$187,200 rather than the actual salary.

This research was compiled, analyzed, and posted by Emil Barnabas.

The data come from multiple data tables from the US Department of Labor. Blanks in this table represent missing data, some due to confidentiality because of small numbers of workers in an occupation.

Comments, suggestions, and corrections are welcome. WebGuy -at- NcCareerOutlook.com.

Brought to you by educators in the School-to-Work/Careers Section of the Association for Career and Technical Education