High paying production jobs in Fort Wayne, IN

Every production occupation below is ranked by its median annual wage in Fort Wayne, IN. Read the percentile range, not just the median: the gap between the 10th and 90th inside a single production job is usually wider than the gap between two different ones, so where you land in a field matters more than which field you pick.

Cost of living: prices in Fort Wayne, IN run 7.4% below the national average (2024), so a Fort Wayne, IN salary is worth about 1.08× its face value in national terms. That scales every wage here by the same factor — it changes what the numbers mean, not their order.

Local wage estimates are suppressed more often than state ones — BLS withholds any figure too few local employers report — so an occupation missing here simply has no published local estimate.

Wages: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Cost of living: BEA regional price parities, 2024

Find production jobs in Fort Wayne, IN

OccupationMedian, Fort Wayne, IN · Employed

1Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Programmers$65,490
Postsecondary nondegree award
$49,710 – $78,930190
2First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers$65,470
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,970 – $97,0701,880
3Tool and Die Makers$61,340
Postsecondary nondegree award
$43,550 – $84,650340
4Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators$61,240
High school diploma or equivalent
$43,350 – $75,290130
5Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters$60,180
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,700 – $62,190200
6Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$56,970
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,280 – $58,570790
7Machinists$53,770
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,510 – $71,2101,030
8Tire Builders$51,170
High school diploma or equivalent
$51,170 – $58,470720
9Dental Laboratory Technicians$50,380
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,360 – $64,48090
10Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$49,340
High school diploma or equivalent
$43,030 – $61,79080
11Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers$49,300
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,340 – $63,730890
12Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$48,930
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,790 – $49,52080
13Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators$48,430
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,980 – $60,740960
14Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators$48,120
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,180 – $78,4808,260
15Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers$48,120
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,140 – $60,9201,530
16Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$48,080
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,460 – $56,810210
17Furniture Finishers$48,000
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,420 – $51,220100
18Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic$47,530
High school diploma or equivalent
$32,700 – $60,66090
19Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$46,910
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,780 – $60,800150
20Coil Winders, Tapers, and Finishers$46,900
High school diploma or equivalent
$32,320 – $59,430110
21Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$46,530
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,460 – $59,630200
22Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$46,420
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,420 – $61,030400
23Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$46,420
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,170 – $57,090130
24Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders$46,380
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,380 – $59,760130
25Printing Press Operators$46,360
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,380 – $60,680300
26Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$46,250
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,310 – $61,410420
27Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders$45,970
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,500 – $72,970120
28Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$45,450
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,990 – $62,390330
29Cabinetmakers and Bench Carpenters$45,330
High school diploma or equivalent
$30,910 – $58,230250
30Butchers and Meat Cutters$45,240
No formal educational credential
$28,860 – $58,460130
31Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$44,670
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,550 – $61,08070
32Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders$43,990
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,280 – $50,010870
33Fiberglass Laminators and Fabricators$43,490
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,500 – $53,60080
34Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$43,300
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,670 – $58,270390
35Helpers--Production Workers$43,300
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,010 – $52,800100
36Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$42,960
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,400 – $56,980770
37Production Workers, All Other$42,030
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,500 – $49,70090
38Electrical, Electronic, and Electromechanical Assemblers, Except Coil Winders, Tapers, and Finishers$41,060
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,990 – $48,4301,420
39Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$39,210
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,420 – $49,710130
40Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing$39,110
High school diploma or equivalent
$32,030 – $50,17080
41Print Binding and Finishing Workers$38,880
High school diploma or equivalent
$33,060 – $50,58070
42Food Batchmakers$37,300
High school diploma or equivalent
$29,140 – $56,690200
43Sewing Machine Operators$37,090
No formal educational credential
$30,950 – $47,800220
44Bakers$36,280
No formal educational credential
$24,710 – $47,850180
45Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers$29,930
No formal educational credential
$27,370 – $36,940210

Bars run from the 10th to the 90th percentile; the middle half is shaded darker, and the tick is the median.

#	Occupation	MedianFort Wayne, IN	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	Computer Numerically Controlled Tool ProgrammersPostsecondary nondegree award	$65,490	$49,710 – $78,930	190
2	First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$65,470	$46,970 – $97,070	1,880
3	Tool and Die MakersPostsecondary nondegree award	$61,340	$43,550 – $84,650	340
4	Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$61,240	$43,350 – $75,290	130
5	Structural Metal Fabricators and FittersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$60,180	$40,700 – $62,190	200
6	Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$56,970	$39,280 – $58,570	790
7	MachinistsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$53,770	$38,510 – $71,210	1,030
8	Tire BuildersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$51,170	$51,170 – $58,470	720
9	Dental Laboratory TechniciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$50,380	$35,360 – $64,480	90
10	Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,340	$43,030 – $61,790	80
11	Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and BrazersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,300	$38,340 – $63,730	890
12	Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,930	$45,790 – $49,520	80
13	Computer Numerically Controlled Tool OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,430	$38,980 – $60,740	960
14	Miscellaneous Assemblers and FabricatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,120	$36,180 – $78,480	8,260
15	Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and WeighersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,120	$35,140 – $60,920	1,530
16	Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,080	$35,460 – $56,810	210
17	Furniture FinishersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,000	$35,420 – $51,220	100
18	Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,530	$32,700 – $60,660	90
19	Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,910	$39,780 – $60,800	150
20	Coil Winders, Tapers, and FinishersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,900	$32,320 – $59,430	110
21	Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,530	$38,460 – $59,630	200
22	Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,420	$34,420 – $61,030	400
23	Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,420	$37,170 – $57,090	130
24	Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,380	$40,380 – $59,760	130
25	Printing Press OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,360	$35,380 – $60,680	300
26	Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,250	$36,310 – $61,410	420
27	Chemical Equipment Operators and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,970	$37,500 – $72,970	120
28	Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,450	$36,990 – $62,390	330
29	Cabinetmakers and Bench CarpentersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,330	$30,910 – $58,230	250
30	Butchers and Meat CuttersNo formal educational credential	$45,240	$28,860 – $58,460	130
31	Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$44,670	$37,550 – $61,080	70
32	Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$43,990	$36,280 – $50,010	870
33	Fiberglass Laminators and FabricatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$43,490	$38,500 – $53,600	80
34	Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$43,300	$31,670 – $58,270	390
35	Helpers--Production WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$43,300	$36,010 – $52,800	100
36	Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$42,960	$36,400 – $56,980	770
37	Production Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$42,030	$36,500 – $49,700	90
38	Electrical, Electronic, and Electromechanical Assemblers, Except Coil Winders, Tapers, and FinishersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$41,060	$35,990 – $48,430	1,420
39	Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$39,210	$35,420 – $49,710	130
40	Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except SawingHigh school diploma or equivalent	$39,110	$32,030 – $50,170	80
41	Print Binding and Finishing WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$38,880	$33,060 – $50,580	70
42	Food BatchmakersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$37,300	$29,140 – $56,690	200
43	Sewing Machine OperatorsNo formal educational credential	$37,090	$30,950 – $47,800	220
44	BakersNo formal educational credential	$36,280	$24,710 – $47,850	180
45	Laundry and Dry-Cleaning WorkersNo formal educational credential	$29,930	$27,370 – $36,940	210

Ranked among the occupations common enough to employ roughly one in every three thousand workers in Fort Wayne, IN. The rarer ones are real jobs — but a 1,190-person occupation at the top of a list answers a different question than the one most readers are asking.

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The same fields, narrowed to what you can enter without one. Fields missing here have too few such occupations in Fort Wayne, IN to rank honestly.

High paying production jobs in Fort Wayne, IN

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