Last updated: 2025 BLS data · Page refreshed:
South Carolina employs 170,300 Production professionals across 87 occupations. Explore salary ranges, top paying jobs, and career opportunities within the Production industry.
The best-compensated occupations within Production in South Carolina, based on median salary data.
Complete breakdown of all occupations in the Production industry in South 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 | Nuclear Power Reactor Operators | $118,620 | $114,610 | 320 | $57/hr |
| 2 | Power Distributors and Dispatchers | $91,570 | $89,840 | 190 | $44/hr |
| 3 | Power Plant Operators | $79,900 | $80,990 | 680 | $38/hr |
| 4 | First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers | $77,500 | $78,250 | 14,570 | $37/hr |
| 5 | Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators | $72,650 | $71,920 | 170 | $34/hr |
| 6 | Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Programmers | $69,470 | $74,530 | 340 | $33/hr |
| 7 | Chemical Plant and System Operators | $68,510 | $65,640 | 610 | $32/hr |
| 8 | Gas Plant Operators | $67,580 | $69,080 | 280 | $32/hr |
| 9 | Tool and Die Makers | $65,250 | $65,260 | 870 | $31/hr |
| 10 | Jewelers and Precious Stone and Metal Workers | $60,380 | $58,410 | 200 | $29/hr |
| 11 | Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers | $58,160 | $61,830 | 70 | $27/hr |
| 12 | Machinists | $57,970 | $57,030 | 3,790 | $27/hr |
| 13 | Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders | $56,240 | $55,270 | 4,040 | $27/hr |
| 14 | Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators | $52,090 | $55,910 | 2,650 | $25/hr |
| 15 | Drilling and Boring Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | $52,040 | $53,190 | 70 | $25/hr |
| 16 | Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators | $51,800 | $53,390 | 2,460 | $24/hr |
| 17 | Coil Winders, Tapers, and Finishers | $51,670 | $53,400 | 190 | $24/hr |
| 18 | Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | $51,620 | $53,530 | 2,460 | $24/hr |
| 19 | Tool Grinders, Filers, and Sharpeners | $50,220 | $52,090 | 80 | $24/hr |
| 20 | Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | $50,040 | $54,490 | 2,460 | $24/hr |
| 21 | Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers | $49,980 | $52,120 | 7,380 | $24/hr |
| 22 | Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | $49,610 | $51,540 | 80 | $23/hr |
| 23 | Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | $49,490 | $53,470 | 370 | $23/hr |
| 24 | Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | $49,320 | $50,530 | 470 | $23/hr |
| 25 | Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | $49,040 | $50,980 | 2,000 | $23/hr |
| 26 | Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | $48,340 | $50,540 | 120 | $23/hr |
| 27 | Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | $48,220 | $50,320 | 2,780 | $23/hr |
| 28 | Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | $48,210 | $49,210 | 820 | $23/hr |
| 29 | Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators and Tenders | $48,170 | $48,210 | 300 | $23/hr |
| 30 | Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | $48,040 | $49,970 | 1,730 | $23/hr |
| 31 | Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | $47,740 | $49,310 | 2,560 | $22/hr |
| 32 | Cabinetmakers and Bench Carpenters | $47,680 | $47,310 | 710 | $22/hr |
| 33 | Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | $47,410 | $47,250 | 730 | $22/hr |
| 34 | Adhesive Bonding Machine Operators and Tenders | $47,000 | $46,430 | 130 | $22/hr |
| 35 | Engine and Other Machine Assemblers | $46,950 | $49,590 | 1,960 | $22/hr |
| 36 | Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters | $46,910 | $49,320 | 1,020 | $22/hr |
| 37 | Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers | $46,890 | $49,760 | 13,360 | $22/hr |
| 38 | Heat Treating Equipment Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | $46,750 | $46,770 | 290 | $22/hr |
| 39 | Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | $46,260 | $49,000 | 340 | $22/hr |
| 40 | Electrical, Electronic, and Electromechanical Assemblers, Except Coil Winders, Tapers, and Finishers | $46,210 | $46,240 | 4,670 | $22/hr |
| 41 | Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic | $46,110 | $46,590 | 550 | $22/hr |
| 42 | Slaughterers and Meat Packers | $46,000 | $42,400 | 250 | $22/hr |
| 43 | Prepress Technicians and Workers | $45,900 | $44,640 | 200 | $22/hr |
| 44 | Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | $45,740 | $49,330 | 4,520 | $21/hr |
| 45 | Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand | $45,710 | $45,820 | 260 | $21/hr |
| 46 | Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators | $45,500 | $47,940 | 42,150 | $21/hr |
| 47 | Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | $45,280 | $46,460 | 330 | $21/hr |
| 48 | Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | $45,270 | $46,290 | 3,240 | $21/hr |
| 49 | Fiberglass Laminators and Fabricators | $45,250 | $47,760 | 480 | $21/hr |
| 50 | Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | $44,560 | $45,210 | 470 | $21/hr |
| 51 | Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | $44,420 | $45,540 | 4,100 | $21/hr |
| 52 | Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders | $44,160 | $48,160 | 290 | $21/hr |
| 53 | Painting, Coating, and Decorating Workers | $43,820 | $41,260 | 140 | $21/hr |
| 54 | Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Synthetic and Glass Fibers | $43,380 | $45,500 | 1,080 | $20/hr |
| 55 | Furniture Finishers | $43,310 | $42,920 | 120 | $20/hr |
| 56 | Medical Appliance Technicians | $42,230 | $46,130 | 200 | $20/hr |
| 57 | Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing | $41,990 | $42,330 | 1,660 | $20/hr |
| 58 | Textile Cutting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | $41,740 | $42,160 | 480 | $20/hr |
| 59 | Layout Workers, Metal and Plastic | $41,650 | $46,830 | 40 | $20/hr |
| 60 | Foundry Mold and Coremakers | $41,100 | $43,750 | 150 | $19/hr |
| 61 | Print Binding and Finishing Workers | $40,820 | $40,960 | 340 | $19/hr |
| 62 | Printing Press Operators | $40,470 | $42,850 | 2,100 | $19/hr |
| 63 | Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders | $40,010 | $42,380 | 4,890 | $19/hr |
| 64 | Food and Tobacco Roasting, Baking, and Drying Machine Operators and Tenders | $40,000 | $41,310 | 140 | $19/hr |
| 65 | Butchers and Meat Cutters | $39,790 | $40,620 | 2,380 | $19/hr |
| 66 | Textile Knitting and Weaving Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | $39,760 | $41,290 | 1,500 | $19/hr |
| 67 | Sewers, Hand | $39,690 | $38,390 | N/A | $19/hr |
| 68 | Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders | $39,640 | $42,250 | 60 | $19/hr |
| 69 | Textile Bleaching and Dyeing Machine Operators and Tenders | $39,410 | $41,230 | 770 | $18/hr |
| 70 | Cutters and Trimmers, Hand | $39,340 | $41,650 | 50 | $18/hr |
| 71 | Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood | $39,300 | $41,170 | 810 | $18/hr |
| 72 | Cleaning, Washing, and Metal Pickling Equipment Operators and Tenders | $39,240 | $41,240 | 320 | $18/hr |
| 73 | Upholsterers | $38,880 | $43,110 | 140 | $18/hr |
| 74 | Textile Winding, Twisting, and Drawing Out Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | $38,280 | $40,100 | 2,240 | $18/hr |
| 75 | Sewing Machine Operators | $38,250 | $37,820 | 2,460 | $18/hr |
| 76 | Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders | $38,220 | $39,050 | 520 | $18/hr |
| 77 | Dental Laboratory Technicians | $37,170 | $43,610 | 260 | $17/hr |
| 78 | Food Batchmakers | $37,070 | $39,360 | 700 | $17/hr |
| 79 | Helpers--Production Workers | $36,610 | $37,710 | 1,950 | $17/hr |
| 80 | Bakers | $35,460 | $34,980 | 2,940 | $17/hr |
| 81 | Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers | $34,790 | $35,780 | 2,750 | $16/hr |
| 82 | Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians | $34,140 | $39,280 | 130 | $16/hr |
| 83 | Tailors, Dressmakers, and Custom Sewers | $33,030 | $35,000 | 340 | $15/hr |
| 84 | Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers | $30,470 | $31,520 | 3,160 | $14/hr |
| 85 | Photographic Process Workers and Processing Machine Operators | $30,010 | $31,410 | 50 | $14/hr |
| 86 | Pressers, Textile, Garment, and Related Materials | $29,160 | $28,310 | 220 | $14/hr |
| 87 | Etchers and Engravers | $28,300 | $36,510 | 50 | $13/hr |
Explore salary data and job opportunities in other industries across South Carolina:
South Carolina has 87 Production occupations with 170,300 total employed workers (2025 BLS data).
The highest-paying Production occupation in South Carolina is Nuclear Power Reactor Operators with a median salary of $118,620/year.
The average median salary across 87 Production occupations in South Carolina is $47,608/year.
Salaries in Production in South Carolina range from $16,890 (entry-level) to $126,790 (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 South Carolina. Percentile ranges (P10–P90) reflect the lowest and highest earning 10% of workers. Our Methodology · Data Sources