Last updated: 2025 BLS data · Page refreshed:
North Carolina employs 291,610 Production professionals across 92 occupations. Explore salary ranges, top paying jobs, and career opportunities within the Production industry.
The best-compensated occupations within Production in North Carolina, based on median salary data.
Complete breakdown of all occupations in the Production industry in North Carolina, 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 | $108,300 | $100,460 | 420 | $52/hr |
| 2 | Power Distributors and Dispatchers | $90,420 | $88,460 | 190 | $43/hr |
| 3 | Gas Plant Operators | $81,460 | $85,560 | 320 | $39/hr |
| 4 | Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers | $80,060 | $81,520 | 130 | $38/hr |
| 5 | First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers | $69,640 | $72,480 | 22,240 | $33/hr |
| 6 | Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Programmers | $63,990 | $66,360 | 760 | $30/hr |
| 7 | Tire Builders | $63,950 | $61,450 | 3,750 | $30/hr |
| 8 | Chemical Plant and System Operators | $62,920 | $61,970 | 660 | $30/hr |
| 9 | Tool and Die Makers | $61,060 | $60,950 | 1,580 | $29/hr |
| 10 | Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators | $60,860 | $59,430 | 220 | $29/hr |
| 11 | Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders | $60,780 | $55,990 | 390 | $29/hr |
| 12 | Pourers and Casters, Metal | $57,700 | $52,450 | 100 | $27/hr |
| 13 | Semiconductor Processing Technicians | $56,160 | $56,200 | 60 | $27/hr |
| 14 | Jewelers and Precious Stone and Metal Workers | $55,420 | $58,650 | 770 | $26/hr |
| 15 | Machinists | $55,230 | $54,880 | 8,330 | $26/hr |
| 16 | Medical Appliance Technicians | $54,650 | $56,430 | 600 | $26/hr |
| 17 | Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | $53,840 | $53,680 | 310 | $25/hr |
| 18 | Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | $53,330 | $50,690 | 2,950 | $25/hr |
| 19 | Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers | $51,930 | $55,700 | 670 | $24/hr |
| 20 | Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators | $51,680 | $54,620 | 3,620 | $24/hr |
| 21 | Coil Winders, Tapers, and Finishers | $51,180 | $53,200 | 480 | $24/hr |
| 22 | Upholsterers | $50,600 | $53,890 | 4,050 | $24/hr |
| 23 | Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers | $50,590 | $53,720 | 11,750 | $24/hr |
| 24 | Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators | $50,440 | $54,890 | 3,680 | $24/hr |
| 25 | Prepress Technicians and Workers | $49,760 | $51,170 | 600 | $23/hr |
| 26 | Dental Laboratory Technicians | $49,700 | $52,600 | 990 | $23/hr |
| 27 | Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders | $49,650 | $53,270 | 5,260 | $23/hr |
| 28 | Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | $49,210 | $52,460 | 280 | $23/hr |
| 29 | Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | $49,140 | $52,520 | 1,310 | $23/hr |
| 30 | Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters | $48,990 | $50,670 | 1,070 | $23/hr |
| 31 | Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | $48,450 | $49,640 | 510 | $23/hr |
| 32 | Fabric and Apparel Patternmakers | $48,180 | $49,140 | 270 | $23/hr |
| 33 | Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | $47,940 | $48,430 | 4,800 | $23/hr |
| 34 | Cutters and Trimmers, Hand | $47,910 | $48,180 | 1,060 | $23/hr |
| 35 | Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | $47,770 | $47,010 | 1,610 | $22/hr |
| 36 | Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | $47,580 | $51,080 | 820 | $22/hr |
| 37 | Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | $47,320 | $49,070 | 3,200 | $22/hr |
| 38 | Patternmakers, Metal and Plastic | $47,050 | $50,370 | 40 | $22/hr |
| 39 | Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | $47,020 | $48,770 | 3,400 | $22/hr |
| 40 | Drilling and Boring Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | $46,970 | $51,410 | 50 | $22/hr |
| 41 | Foundry Mold and Coremakers | $46,910 | $47,710 | 260 | $22/hr |
| 42 | Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | $46,730 | $49,570 | 5,700 | $22/hr |
| 43 | Heat Treating Equipment Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | $46,660 | $47,120 | 320 | $22/hr |
| 44 | Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers | $46,430 | $48,600 | 19,700 | $22/hr |
| 45 | Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | $46,270 | $47,470 | 560 | $22/hr |
| 46 | Cabinetmakers and Bench Carpenters | $46,010 | $45,880 | 2,900 | $22/hr |
| 47 | Tool Grinders, Filers, and Sharpeners | $45,790 | $48,270 | 160 | $22/hr |
| 48 | Model Makers, Metal and Plastic | $45,760 | $49,100 | N/A | $22/hr |
| 49 | Engine and Other Machine Assemblers | $45,750 | $54,710 | 2,750 | $22/hr |
| 50 | Printing Press Operators | $45,630 | $45,840 | 3,910 | $21/hr |
| 51 | Electrical, Electronic, and Electromechanical Assemblers, Except Coil Winders, Tapers, and Finishers | $45,080 | $44,380 | 6,780 | $21/hr |
| 52 | Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians | $44,140 | $44,980 | 210 | $21/hr |
| 53 | Fiberglass Laminators and Fabricators | $43,890 | $45,770 | 850 | $21/hr |
| 54 | Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | $43,770 | $44,840 | 3,100 | $21/hr |
| 55 | Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | $43,540 | $43,530 | 710 | $20/hr |
| 56 | Textile Cutting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | $43,460 | $42,510 | 840 | $20/hr |
| 57 | Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | $43,400 | $45,980 | 3,940 | $20/hr |
| 58 | Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | $43,050 | $44,890 | 3,420 | $20/hr |
| 59 | Painting, Coating, and Decorating Workers | $42,960 | $46,410 | 170 | $20/hr |
| 60 | Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | $41,630 | $43,880 | 7,570 | $20/hr |
| 61 | Tailors, Dressmakers, and Custom Sewers | $41,260 | $41,860 | 740 | $19/hr |
| 62 | Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders | $41,150 | $43,850 | 11,870 | $19/hr |
| 63 | Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators | $40,330 | $43,070 | 46,670 | $19/hr |
| 64 | Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Synthetic and Glass Fibers | $40,090 | $44,350 | 1,980 | $19/hr |
| 65 | Slaughterers and Meat Packers | $39,930 | $40,420 | 6,120 | $19/hr |
| 66 | Furniture Finishers | $39,920 | $42,810 | 950 | $19/hr |
| 67 | Print Binding and Finishing Workers | $39,580 | $42,380 | 1,070 | $19/hr |
| 68 | Helpers--Production Workers | $39,410 | $40,840 | 4,350 | $18/hr |
| 69 | Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators and Tenders | $39,310 | $40,570 | 530 | $18/hr |
| 70 | Etchers and Engravers | $39,270 | $41,370 | N/A | $18/hr |
| 71 | Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers | $39,170 | $37,630 | 9,750 | $18/hr |
| 72 | Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders | $39,070 | $38,110 | 770 | $18/hr |
| 73 | Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders | $39,030 | $41,910 | 420 | $18/hr |
| 74 | Cleaning, Washing, and Metal Pickling Equipment Operators and Tenders | $38,340 | $42,030 | 260 | $18/hr |
| 75 | Butchers and Meat Cutters | $38,240 | $39,570 | 3,120 | $18/hr |
| 76 | Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic | $38,190 | $41,690 | 550 | $18/hr |
| 77 | Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood | $38,100 | $41,720 | 2,020 | $18/hr |
| 78 | Shoe and Leather Workers and Repairers | $38,020 | $38,180 | 300 | $18/hr |
| 79 | Textile Bleaching and Dyeing Machine Operators and Tenders | $37,610 | $38,720 | 980 | $18/hr |
| 80 | Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand | $37,600 | $40,440 | 330 | $18/hr |
| 81 | Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing | $37,550 | $38,990 | 4,090 | $18/hr |
| 82 | Textile Knitting and Weaving Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | $36,700 | $37,240 | 2,730 | $17/hr |
| 83 | Food Batchmakers | $36,590 | $38,210 | 3,450 | $17/hr |
| 84 | Textile Winding, Twisting, and Drawing Out Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | $36,580 | $36,920 | 4,190 | $17/hr |
| 85 | Sewers, Hand | $36,550 | $35,380 | 70 | $17/hr |
| 86 | Food and Tobacco Roasting, Baking, and Drying Machine Operators and Tenders | $35,980 | $43,350 | 1,510 | $17/hr |
| 87 | Photographic Process Workers and Processing Machine Operators | $35,580 | $41,580 | 320 | $17/hr |
| 88 | Sewing Machine Operators | $35,160 | $36,250 | 8,290 | $16/hr |
| 89 | Adhesive Bonding Machine Operators and Tenders | $34,830 | $36,750 | 1,590 | $16/hr |
| 90 | Bakers | $34,510 | $33,750 | 9,320 | $16/hr |
| 91 | Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers | $31,920 | $32,410 | 5,570 | $15/hr |
| 92 | Pressers, Textile, Garment, and Related Materials | $29,300 | $30,470 | 550 | $14/hr |
Explore salary data and job opportunities in other industries across North Carolina:
North Carolina has 92 Production occupations with 291,610 total employed workers (2025 BLS data).
The highest-paying Production occupation in North Carolina is Power Plant Operators with a median salary of $108,300/year.
The average median salary across 92 Production occupations in North Carolina is $47,506/year.
Salaries in Production in North Carolina range from $19,690 (entry-level) to $132,040 (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 North Carolina. Percentile ranges (P10–P90) reflect the lowest and highest earning 10% of workers. Our Methodology · Data Sources