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Job outlook for manufacturing operators in the United States
Manufacturing operator job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected manufacturing operator job growth rate is 2% from 2018-2028.
About 2,700 new jobs for manufacturing operators are projected over the next decade.
Manufacturing operator salaries have increased 9% for manufacturing operators in the last 5 years.
There are over 49,228 manufacturing operators currently employed in the United States.
There are 97,656 active manufacturing operator job openings in the US.
The average manufacturing operator salary is $34,457.
Are manufacturing operator jobs in demand?
Yes, manufacturing operator jobs are in demand. Manufacturing operator demand is projected to grow 2% from 2018 to 2028.
Manufacturing operator job and salary trends over time
Compare the number of manufacturing operator jobs and the average manufacturing operator salary over time.
Manufacturing operator jobs over time
Manufacturing operator job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 49,228 | 0.01% |
| 2020 | 48,569 | 0.01% |
| 2019 | 53,246 | 0.02% |
| 2018 | 54,505 | 0.02% |
| 2017 | 57,334 | 0.02% |
Average manufacturing operator salary over time
Manufacturing operator salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $34,457 | $16.57 | +2.5% |
| 2025 | $33,612 | $16.16 | +1.5% |
| 2024 | $33,124 | $15.93 | +2.6% |
| 2023 | $32,275 | $15.52 | +1.9% |
| 2022 | $31,677 | $15.23 | +2.6% |
Manufacturing operator jobs by state
The map below shows you the number of manufacturing operator job openings in each state. The darker areas on the map show where manufacturing operators earn the highest salaries across all 50 states.
Average salary: Job openings:
Most common states for manufacturing operators
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 2,018 | 29% |
| 2 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 267 | 25% |
| 3 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 164 | 24% |
| 4 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 1,268 | 23% |
| 5 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 315 | 23% |
| 6 | Wisconsin | 5,795,483 | 1,088 | 19% |
| 7 | Indiana | 6,666,818 | 1,179 | 18% |
| 8 | Iowa | 3,145,711 | 559 | 18% |
| 9 | Ohio | 11,658,609 | 1,901 | 16% |
| 10 | North Carolina | 10,273,419 | 1,647 | 16% |
| 11 | New Jersey | 9,005,644 | 1,402 | 16% |
| 12 | Utah | 3,101,833 | 467 | 15% |
| 13 | Alaska | 739,795 | 114 | 15% |
| 14 | Pennsylvania | 12,805,537 | 1,733 | 14% |
| 15 | Tennessee | 6,715,984 | 933 | 14% |
| 16 | Kentucky | 4,454,189 | 635 | 14% |
| 17 | Nebraska | 1,920,076 | 277 | 14% |
| 18 | Michigan | 9,962,311 | 1,253 | 13% |
| 19 | Maine | 1,335,907 | 175 | 13% |
| 20 | Vermont | 623,657 | 83 | 13% |
Most common cities for manufacturing operators
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Walpole | 4 | 17% | $38,798 |
| 2 | Redwood City | 13 | 15% | $37,509 |
| 3 | Pocatello | 4 | 7% | $31,734 |
| 4 | Campbell | 3 | 7% | $37,466 |
| 5 | Santa Rosa | 8 | 5% | $37,540 |
| 6 | Kalamazoo | 4 | 5% | $34,207 |
| 7 | Eugene | 6 | 4% | $34,825 |
| 8 | Carlsbad | 4 | 4% | $35,105 |
| 9 | Maple Grove | 3 | 4% | $38,437 |
| 10 | Rochester | 7 | 3% | $38,527 |
| 11 | Colorado Springs | 4 | 1% | $38,087 |
| 12 | Tampa | 4 | 1% | $27,572 |
| 13 | Chicago | 5 | 0% | $38,363 |
| 14 | Indianapolis | 3 | 0% | $34,322 |