Last updated: 2025 BLS data · Page refreshed:
New Jersey employs 163,060 Production professionals across 86 occupations. Explore salary ranges, top paying jobs, and career opportunities within the Production industry.
The best-compensated occupations within Production in New Jersey, based on median salary data.
Complete breakdown of all occupations in the Production industry in New Jersey, sorted by median salary (highest to lowest). Click any job title for state-specific salary details.
| # | Job Title | Median Salary | Mean Salary | Employment | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Power Plant Operators | $131,370 | $120,430 | 300 | $63/hr |
| 2 | Power Distributors and Dispatchers | $128,220 | $125,710 | 330 | $61/hr |
| 3 | Gas Plant Operators | $110,900 | $111,490 | 190 | $53/hr |
| 4 | Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers | $104,540 | $103,240 | 420 | $50/hr |
| 5 | Chemical Plant and System Operators | $86,820 | $86,380 | 330 | $41/hr |
| 6 | First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers | $81,110 | $84,850 | 15,040 | $39/hr |
| 7 | Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators | $78,760 | $77,530 | 2,500 | $37/hr |
| 8 | Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators | $76,560 | $77,280 | 1,400 | $36/hr |
| 9 | Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders | $75,020 | $68,820 | 150 | $36/hr |
| 10 | Tool and Die Makers | $74,460 | $73,770 | 540 | $35/hr |
| 11 | Model Makers, Metal and Plastic | $72,340 | $68,850 | 70 | $34/hr |
| 12 | Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Programmers | $70,460 | $70,830 | 520 | $33/hr |
| 13 | Machinists | $63,190 | $66,720 | 3,210 | $30/hr |
| 14 | Jewelers and Precious Stone and Metal Workers | $59,480 | $61,210 | 780 | $28/hr |
| 15 | Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers | $59,440 | $62,500 | 3,730 | $28/hr |
| 16 | Adhesive Bonding Machine Operators and Tenders | $59,170 | $57,960 | N/A | $28/hr |
| 17 | Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | $58,240 | $59,640 | 2,890 | $28/hr |
| 18 | Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | $58,140 | $62,770 | 930 | $27/hr |
| 19 | Etchers and Engravers | $58,000 | $67,190 | 60 | $27/hr |
| 20 | Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | $57,810 | $57,330 | 2,050 | $27/hr |
| 21 | Prepress Technicians and Workers | $56,840 | $59,660 | 880 | $27/hr |
| 22 | Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders | $56,500 | $58,670 | 8,560 | $27/hr |
| 23 | Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters | $55,650 | $55,790 | 1,540 | $26/hr |
| 24 | Foundry Mold and Coremakers | $55,210 | $55,030 | 330 | $26/hr |
| 25 | Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators | $54,100 | $55,070 | 1,770 | $26/hr |
| 26 | Fiberglass Laminators and Fabricators | $54,080 | $52,680 | 680 | $26/hr |
| 27 | Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | $53,680 | $52,310 | 510 | $25/hr |
| 28 | Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators and Tenders | $52,440 | $54,490 | 300 | $25/hr |
| 29 | Medical Appliance Technicians | $52,400 | $52,480 | 310 | $25/hr |
| 30 | Painting, Coating, and Decorating Workers | $52,160 | $55,550 | 90 | $25/hr |
| 31 | Cabinetmakers and Bench Carpenters | $51,760 | $56,470 | 790 | $24/hr |
| 32 | Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders | $51,460 | $55,330 | 100 | $24/hr |
| 33 | Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | $51,180 | $52,380 | 750 | $24/hr |
| 34 | Engine and Other Machine Assemblers | $50,910 | $59,720 | 140 | $24/hr |
| 35 | Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | $50,530 | $51,080 | 190 | $24/hr |
| 36 | Printing Press Operators | $50,430 | $55,600 | 4,180 | $24/hr |
| 37 | Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing | $49,680 | $53,110 | 410 | $23/hr |
| 38 | Heat Treating Equipment Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | $49,640 | $51,710 | 440 | $23/hr |
| 39 | Tool Grinders, Filers, and Sharpeners | $49,470 | $53,290 | N/A | $23/hr |
| 40 | Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers | $49,140 | $53,490 | 12,280 | $23/hr |
| 41 | Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | $48,600 | $50,010 | 1,040 | $23/hr |
| 42 | Coil Winders, Tapers, and Finishers | $48,330 | $47,830 | 200 | $23/hr |
| 43 | Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | $48,180 | $52,530 | 190 | $23/hr |
| 44 | Drilling and Boring Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | $47,870 | $50,200 | 70 | $23/hr |
| 45 | Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand | $47,840 | $49,250 | 300 | $23/hr |
| 46 | Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians | $47,420 | $43,930 | N/A | $22/hr |
| 47 | Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic | $47,360 | $52,270 | 620 | $22/hr |
| 48 | Dental Laboratory Technicians | $47,270 | $58,730 | 780 | $22/hr |
| 49 | Textile Winding, Twisting, and Drawing Out Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | $47,230 | $45,130 | 100 | $22/hr |
| 50 | Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | $47,080 | $48,200 | 1,880 | $22/hr |
| 51 | Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | $46,980 | $52,270 | 250 | $22/hr |
| 52 | Shoe and Leather Workers and Repairers | $46,790 | $47,380 | 230 | $22/hr |
| 53 | Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | $46,690 | $48,870 | 560 | $22/hr |
| 54 | Print Binding and Finishing Workers | $46,600 | $46,780 | 1,640 | $22/hr |
| 55 | Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | $45,950 | $47,890 | 3,210 | $22/hr |
| 56 | Electrical, Electronic, and Electromechanical Assemblers, Except Coil Winders, Tapers, and Finishers | $45,800 | $48,830 | 6,300 | $22/hr |
| 57 | Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | $45,680 | $47,670 | 1,950 | $21/hr |
| 58 | Slaughterers and Meat Packers | $45,230 | $45,040 | 1,050 | $21/hr |
| 59 | Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood | $44,630 | $46,010 | 80 | $21/hr |
| 60 | Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | $44,450 | $45,940 | 860 | $21/hr |
| 61 | Cleaning, Washing, and Metal Pickling Equipment Operators and Tenders | $43,600 | $46,280 | 590 | $20/hr |
| 62 | Photographic Process Workers and Processing Machine Operators | $43,300 | $43,130 | 110 | $20/hr |
| 63 | Tailors, Dressmakers, and Custom Sewers | $43,150 | $48,930 | 350 | $20/hr |
| 64 | Upholsterers | $42,640 | $50,530 | 410 | $20/hr |
| 65 | Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | $41,390 | $45,040 | 3,090 | $19/hr |
| 66 | Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | $40,800 | $41,920 | 380 | $19/hr |
| 67 | Textile Cutting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | $40,780 | $43,110 | 120 | $19/hr |
| 68 | Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders | $40,280 | $43,940 | 9,810 | $19/hr |
| 69 | Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | $39,950 | $43,470 | 2,450 | $19/hr |
| 70 | Helpers--Production Workers | $39,290 | $42,020 | 4,450 | $18/hr |
| 71 | Butchers and Meat Cutters | $38,540 | $45,610 | 4,610 | $18/hr |
| 72 | Food Batchmakers | $38,250 | $42,310 | 3,640 | $18/hr |
| 73 | Pressers, Textile, Garment, and Related Materials | $37,920 | $39,080 | 870 | $18/hr |
| 74 | Furniture Finishers | $37,690 | $46,300 | 260 | $18/hr |
| 75 | Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators | $37,620 | $40,970 | 22,270 | $18/hr |
| 76 | Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders | $37,180 | $37,880 | 430 | $17/hr |
| 77 | Food and Tobacco Roasting, Baking, and Drying Machine Operators and Tenders | $37,140 | $39,480 | 630 | $17/hr |
| 78 | Bakers | $36,960 | $40,660 | 8,110 | $17/hr |
| 79 | Textile Knitting and Weaving Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | $36,850 | $39,270 | 60 | $17/hr |
| 80 | Textile Bleaching and Dyeing Machine Operators and Tenders | $36,570 | $39,640 | 140 | $17/hr |
| 81 | Sewers, Hand | $36,400 | $37,210 | 40 | $17/hr |
| 82 | Sewing Machine Operators | $36,130 | $37,760 | 2,750 | $17/hr |
| 83 | Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers | $36,050 | $36,460 | 6,110 | $17/hr |
| 84 | Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | $35,630 | $43,450 | N/A | $17/hr |
| 85 | Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers | $34,930 | $37,760 | N/A | $16/hr |
| 86 | Cutters and Trimmers, Hand | $34,600 | $39,060 | 380 | $16/hr |
Explore salary data and job opportunities in other industries across New Jersey:
New Jersey has 86 Production occupations with 163,060 total employed workers (2025 BLS data).
The highest-paying Production occupation in New Jersey is Power Plant Operators with a median salary of $131,370/year.
The average median salary across 86 Production occupations in New Jersey is $52,918/year.
Salaries in Production in New Jersey range from $32,220 (entry-level) to $151,970 (senior) across all occupations.
Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) codes organize jobs into groups. Production occupations use SOC prefix 51. Data comes from BLS OEWS.
Data: BLS OEWS 2025. Salary figures represent May 2025 compensation for occupations classified under SOC code 51* in New Jersey. Percentile ranges (P10–P90) reflect the lowest and highest earning 10% of workers. Our Methodology · Data Sources