According to a recent National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) survey, the manufacturing industry employs about 12.77 million laborers. This includes jobs like quality control, power plant operators, machinists, assemblers and fabricators, and semiconductor processors. Data USA reports that the average income earned by manufacturing workers (including pay and benefits) is $64,861.
The following are some of the highest-paying jobs in the manufacturing industry. However, it is important to note that the salaries will vary depending on one’s specialty niche, level of experience, and state where they are employed.
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Production Engineer
Production engineers are responsible for finding ways to improve the processes happening throughout the manufacturing plant or factory. It is their job to ensure all production machinery is working as expected and to stay up to date with any potential improvement areas. They’re essential to manufacturing, which is why they’re a high paid profession.
Material Handler Lead
Material handlers are vital to the manufacturing industry. They ensure inventories are planned in efficient ways and they prepare orders to send out to customers. They also receive new orders of materials or goods. They’re also responsible for keeping the company’s inventories up to date.
Human Resources Manager
HR managers oversee the budget development, business planning, and daily operations of the human resource department. Responsibilities include planning and managing employee relations, training, benefits, compensation, and recruitment.
Assembler
Assemblers are those that work to put goods and products together at any stage of the development of that product. This can be to put together the complex parts or the final commodities. Assemblers often have to study blueprints and work with power tools to build a range of products, from computers to cars.
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Computer Numerical Control (CNC) Machinist
This job involves working with CNC machinery to create tools, parts, and other components using raw materials. CNC machinists specialize in equipment like turning machines, water jet cutters, multi-spindle machines, and milling machines. They use advanced technology to program the equipment and make adjustments to machinery.
Warehouse Manager
A warehouse manager oversees all operations at a factory, plant or any other industrial company. They inspect and maintain facilities, supervise all staff operations, and ensure products and services are delivered to clients. Generally, the main goal of warehouse managers is to enforce company policies by ensuring that all employees follow the right procedure.
Installation Technician
Installation technicians are responsible for installing various types of equipment and keeping warehouses up to date. These professionals are essential to warehouses and their success. In manufacturing, they may have to travel between different plants or factories within a company to work.
Other high-paying manufacturing jobs are electromechanical technicians, laser operators, IT managers, and operations managers.
Wondering how much to pay your manufacturing employees? Check out Spectra360’s free salary guide that covers the following sectors:
- Manufacturing and Production
- Warehousing and Distribution
- Office and Administration
