Last updated: 2025 BLS data · Page refreshed:
Tennessee employs 236,740 Production professionals across 89 occupations. Explore salary ranges, top paying jobs, and career opportunities within the Production industry.
The best-compensated occupations within Production in Tennessee, based on median salary data.
Complete breakdown of all occupations in the Production industry in Tennessee, 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 | $115,920 | $108,900 | 490 | $55/hr |
| 2 | Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers | $96,730 | $88,920 | 170 | $46/hr |
| 3 | Power Distributors and Dispatchers | $79,910 | $87,520 | 100 | $38/hr |
| 4 | Tire Builders | $74,100 | $68,380 | 1,360 | $35/hr |
| 5 | Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators | $72,470 | $65,300 | 370 | $34/hr |
| 6 | Pourers and Casters, Metal | $71,880 | $64,480 | 120 | $34/hr |
| 7 | Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Programmers | $69,700 | $72,200 | 330 | $33/hr |
| 8 | Gas Plant Operators | $66,560 | $71,020 | 200 | $32/hr |
| 9 | Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers | $66,390 | $61,210 | 130 | $31/hr |
| 10 | First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers | $65,310 | $71,330 | 18,960 | $31/hr |
| 11 | Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders | $60,960 | $57,020 | 3,860 | $29/hr |
| 12 | Tool and Die Makers | $60,760 | $61,420 | 2,930 | $29/hr |
| 13 | Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders | $57,490 | $58,000 | 730 | $27/hr |
| 14 | Heat Treating Equipment Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | $54,930 | $50,970 | 670 | $26/hr |
| 15 | Shoe and Leather Workers and Repairers | $52,520 | $45,770 | 330 | $25/hr |
| 16 | Fiberglass Laminators and Fabricators | $52,120 | $49,400 | 590 | $25/hr |
| 17 | Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators | $50,670 | $53,790 | 3,140 | $24/hr |
| 18 | Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | $50,470 | $50,000 | 2,450 | $24/hr |
| 19 | Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters | $50,460 | $51,950 | 2,260 | $24/hr |
| 20 | Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators | $49,980 | $52,840 | 1,980 | $24/hr |
| 21 | Machinists | $49,600 | $53,180 | 8,270 | $23/hr |
| 22 | Dental Laboratory Technicians | $48,880 | $53,920 | 610 | $23/hr |
| 23 | Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | $48,540 | $48,450 | 1,290 | $23/hr |
| 24 | Jewelers and Precious Stone and Metal Workers | $48,240 | $49,330 | 370 | $23/hr |
| 25 | Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers | $48,040 | $50,450 | 12,510 | $23/hr |
| 26 | Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | $47,840 | $48,310 | 1,610 | $23/hr |
| 27 | Prepress Technicians and Workers | $47,790 | $47,100 | 640 | $22/hr |
| 28 | Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | $47,550 | $47,590 | 2,980 | $22/hr |
| 29 | Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | $47,210 | $49,840 | 3,880 | $22/hr |
| 30 | Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | $47,180 | $46,330 | 1,950 | $22/hr |
| 31 | Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | $46,920 | $47,120 | 3,490 | $22/hr |
| 32 | Engine and Other Machine Assemblers | $46,810 | $52,030 | 430 | $22/hr |
| 33 | Textile Winding, Twisting, and Drawing Out Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | $46,720 | $47,660 | 470 | $22/hr |
| 34 | Cabinetmakers and Bench Carpenters | $46,440 | $46,970 | 1,570 | $22/hr |
| 35 | Coil Winders, Tapers, and Finishers | $46,280 | $49,300 | 1,460 | $22/hr |
| 36 | Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Synthetic and Glass Fibers | $46,200 | $54,160 | 320 | $22/hr |
| 37 | Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic | $45,860 | $45,070 | 880 | $22/hr |
| 38 | Chemical Plant and System Operators | $45,830 | $52,060 | 350 | $22/hr |
| 39 | Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers | $45,760 | $48,390 | 17,140 | $22/hr |
| 40 | Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders | $45,620 | $46,920 | 1,820 | $21/hr |
| 41 | Drilling and Boring Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | $45,070 | $46,090 | 400 | $21/hr |
| 42 | Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | $44,780 | $43,980 | 5,380 | $21/hr |
| 43 | Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators and Tenders | $44,710 | $46,800 | 640 | $21/hr |
| 44 | Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | $44,710 | $44,740 | 1,340 | $21/hr |
| 45 | Medical Appliance Technicians | $44,700 | $46,200 | 370 | $21/hr |
| 46 | Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators | $44,630 | $48,410 | 58,760 | $21/hr |
| 47 | Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | $44,030 | $42,920 | 1,260 | $21/hr |
| 48 | Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | $43,810 | $44,810 | 1,140 | $21/hr |
| 49 | Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | $43,710 | $43,040 | 1,170 | $21/hr |
| 50 | Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | $43,630 | $45,050 | 930 | $20/hr |
| 51 | Layout Workers, Metal and Plastic | $43,250 | $50,300 | 40 | $20/hr |
| 52 | Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders | $43,190 | $44,500 | 7,400 | $20/hr |
| 53 | Printing Press Operators | $43,160 | $43,810 | 3,510 | $20/hr |
| 54 | Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | $42,950 | $45,300 | 1,290 | $20/hr |
| 55 | Adhesive Bonding Machine Operators and Tenders | $42,830 | $43,980 | 260 | $20/hr |
| 56 | Food Batchmakers | $42,610 | $43,940 | 2,920 | $20/hr |
| 57 | Electrical, Electronic, and Electromechanical Assemblers, Except Coil Winders, Tapers, and Finishers | $42,230 | $46,720 | 1,980 | $20/hr |
| 58 | Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | $41,970 | $43,230 | 4,210 | $20/hr |
| 59 | Cleaning, Washing, and Metal Pickling Equipment Operators and Tenders | $41,110 | $40,610 | 120 | $19/hr |
| 60 | Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | $40,730 | $45,320 | 700 | $19/hr |
| 61 | Butchers and Meat Cutters | $39,960 | $39,550 | 2,650 | $19/hr |
| 62 | Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | $39,510 | $41,470 | 1,660 | $19/hr |
| 63 | Food and Tobacco Roasting, Baking, and Drying Machine Operators and Tenders | $39,130 | $41,770 | 350 | $18/hr |
| 64 | Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood | $39,070 | $40,480 | 1,510 | $18/hr |
| 65 | Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | $38,820 | $41,360 | 3,730 | $18/hr |
| 66 | Tailors, Dressmakers, and Custom Sewers | $38,650 | $35,830 | 170 | $18/hr |
| 67 | Helpers--Production Workers | $38,330 | $40,090 | 5,270 | $18/hr |
| 68 | Etchers and Engravers | $38,230 | $41,640 | 300 | $18/hr |
| 69 | Upholsterers | $38,020 | $41,400 | 460 | $18/hr |
| 70 | Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders | $37,780 | $39,170 | 50 | $18/hr |
| 71 | Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers | $37,590 | $36,670 | 2,970 | $18/hr |
| 72 | Textile Bleaching and Dyeing Machine Operators and Tenders | $37,410 | $36,290 | 270 | $17/hr |
| 73 | Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians | $37,370 | $40,570 | 130 | $17/hr |
| 74 | Foundry Mold and Coremakers | $37,310 | $37,790 | 190 | $17/hr |
| 75 | Print Binding and Finishing Workers | $36,960 | $39,160 | 730 | $17/hr |
| 76 | Tool Grinders, Filers, and Sharpeners | $36,920 | $40,370 | 200 | $17/hr |
| 77 | Textile Cutting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | $36,710 | $35,420 | 320 | $17/hr |
| 78 | Slaughterers and Meat Packers | $35,790 | $37,270 | 650 | $17/hr |
| 79 | Painting, Coating, and Decorating Workers | $35,540 | $38,330 | 200 | $17/hr |
| 80 | Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing | $35,290 | $36,350 | 1,840 | $16/hr |
| 81 | Bakers | $34,440 | $34,530 | 5,200 | $16/hr |
| 82 | Sewing Machine Operators | $34,220 | $33,760 | 3,300 | $16/hr |
| 83 | Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand | $33,830 | $34,680 | 80 | $16/hr |
| 84 | Textile Knitting and Weaving Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | $33,550 | $36,090 | 380 | $16/hr |
| 85 | Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers | $33,220 | $32,660 | 5,730 | $15/hr |
| 86 | Furniture Finishers | $32,160 | $35,360 | 620 | $15/hr |
| 87 | Pressers, Textile, Garment, and Related Materials | $29,460 | $33,390 | 410 | $14/hr |
| 88 | Photographic Process Workers and Processing Machine Operators | $29,050 | $30,940 | 110 | $13/hr |
| 89 | Cutters and Trimmers, Hand | $27,030 | $28,540 | 230 | $13/hr |
Explore salary data and job opportunities in other industries across Tennessee:
Tennessee has 89 Production occupations with 236,740 total employed workers (2025 BLS data).
The highest-paying Production occupation in Tennessee is Power Plant Operators with a median salary of $115,920/year.
The average median salary across 89 Production occupations in Tennessee is $46,874/year.
Salaries in Production in Tennessee range from $18,720 (entry-level) to $125,690 (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 Tennessee. Percentile ranges (P10–P90) reflect the lowest and highest earning 10% of workers. Our Methodology · Data Sources