High paying production jobs in Mississippi

Every production occupation below is ranked by its median annual wage in Mississippi. 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 Mississippi run 13.0% below the national average (2024), so a Mississippi salary is worth about 1.15× its face value in national terms. That scales every wage here by the same factor — it changes what the numbers mean, not their order. To see where a job pays a real premium, use jobs that pay more in Mississippi.

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

Find production jobs in Mississippi

OccupationMedian, Mississippi · Employed

1Power Plant Operators$102,400
High school diploma or equivalent
$65,770 – $125,690450
2Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers$75,180
High school diploma or equivalent
$66,190 – $98,100860
3First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers$68,720
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,990 – $107,0608,230
4Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders$64,360
High school diploma or equivalent
$26,240 – $85,520990
5Machinists$55,550
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,570 – $76,6701,920
6Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$53,170
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,190 – $73,7902,010
7Tire Builders$53,050
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,480 – $55,380710
8Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers$51,100
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,800 – $64,4406,460
9Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$47,380
High school diploma or equivalent
$33,800 – $80,770960
10Engine and Other Machine Assemblers$46,610
High school diploma or equivalent
$33,790 – $72,380580
11Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$46,560
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,440 – $70,690660
12Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators$46,480
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,230 – $64,1301,150
13Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$46,410
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,420 – $68,7601,070
14Upholsterers$44,930
High school diploma or equivalent
$32,070 – $50,8802,410
15Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators and Tenders$44,370
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,360 – $52,200370
16Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$44,220
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,570 – $53,850550
17Electrical, Electronic, and Electromechanical Assemblers, Except Coil Winders, Tapers, and Finishers$43,270
High school diploma or equivalent
$28,750 – $59,2801,620
18Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$42,660
High school diploma or equivalent
$30,440 – $63,620430
19Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters$42,550
High school diploma or equivalent
$30,300 – $59,740700
20Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing$42,090
High school diploma or equivalent
$29,630 – $56,150860
21Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$41,590
High school diploma or equivalent
$30,460 – $57,050710
22Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers$40,670
High school diploma or equivalent
$30,840 – $65,4806,970
23Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$40,650
High school diploma or equivalent
$32,000 – $63,1801,700
24Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$39,730
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,250 – $57,350550
25Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators$39,520
High school diploma or equivalent
$33,280 – $60,0801,290
26Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators$39,070
High school diploma or equivalent
$29,130 – $63,17016,800
27Cabinetmakers and Bench Carpenters$38,800
High school diploma or equivalent
$23,750 – $61,790580
28Production Workers, All Other$38,570
High school diploma or equivalent
$24,960 – $72,7702,710
29Printing Press Operators$38,400
High school diploma or equivalent
$25,920 – $60,010670
30Food Processing Workers, All Other$38,150
No formal educational credential
$30,970 – $42,790590
31Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers$37,890
No formal educational credential
$28,870 – $41,1706,470
32Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders$37,720
High school diploma or equivalent
$27,320 – $46,9603,030
33Sewing Machine Operators$37,600
No formal educational credential
$26,840 – $44,2202,270
34Textile Cutting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$37,600
High school diploma or equivalent
$29,070 – $45,550400
35Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$37,390
High school diploma or equivalent
$33,470 – $57,820480
36Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood$36,960
High school diploma or equivalent
$28,320 – $51,4501,910
37Food Batchmakers$36,530
High school diploma or equivalent
$32,740 – $48,000660
38Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$36,330
High school diploma or equivalent
$28,190 – $45,6901,070
39Helpers--Production Workers$33,880
High school diploma or equivalent
$30,420 – $47,4403,540
40Slaughterers and Meat Packers$33,650
No formal educational credential
$27,720 – $37,7401,100
41Adhesive Bonding Machine Operators and Tenders$31,250
High school diploma or equivalent
$28,590 – $38,290430
42Butchers and Meat Cutters$29,700
No formal educational credential
$22,060 – $46,3401,160
43Bakers$28,920
No formal educational credential
$20,910 – $40,3901,300
44Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers$27,190
No formal educational credential
$21,430 – $36,5001,420
45Pressers, Textile, Garment, and Related Materials$27,180
No formal educational credential
$22,930 – $33,700400

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

#	Occupation	MedianMississippi	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	Power Plant OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$102,400	$65,770 – $125,690	450
2	Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and GaugersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$75,180	$66,190 – $98,100	860
3	First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$68,720	$44,990 – $107,060	8,230
4	Chemical Equipment Operators and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$64,360	$26,240 – $85,520	990
5	MachinistsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$55,550	$34,570 – $76,670	1,920
6	Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$53,170	$36,190 – $73,790	2,010
7	Tire BuildersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$53,050	$44,480 – $55,380	710
8	Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and BrazersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$51,100	$36,800 – $64,440	6,460
9	Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,380	$33,800 – $80,770	960
10	Engine and Other Machine AssemblersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,610	$33,790 – $72,380	580
11	Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,560	$34,440 – $70,690	660
12	Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,480	$35,230 – $64,130	1,150
13	Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,410	$35,420 – $68,760	1,070
14	UpholsterersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$44,930	$32,070 – $50,880	2,410
15	Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$44,370	$35,360 – $52,200	370
16	Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$44,220	$36,570 – $53,850	550
17	Electrical, Electronic, and Electromechanical Assemblers, Except Coil Winders, Tapers, and FinishersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$43,270	$28,750 – $59,280	1,620
18	Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$42,660	$30,440 – $63,620	430
19	Structural Metal Fabricators and FittersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$42,550	$30,300 – $59,740	700
20	Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except SawingHigh school diploma or equivalent	$42,090	$29,630 – $56,150	860
21	Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$41,590	$30,460 – $57,050	710
22	Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and WeighersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$40,670	$30,840 – $65,480	6,970
23	Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$40,650	$32,000 – $63,180	1,700
24	Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$39,730	$31,250 – $57,350	550
25	Computer Numerically Controlled Tool OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$39,520	$33,280 – $60,080	1,290
26	Miscellaneous Assemblers and FabricatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$39,070	$29,130 – $63,170	16,800
27	Cabinetmakers and Bench CarpentersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$38,800	$23,750 – $61,790	580
28	Production Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$38,570	$24,960 – $72,770	2,710
29	Printing Press OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$38,400	$25,920 – $60,010	670
30	Food Processing Workers, All OtherNo formal educational credential	$38,150	$30,970 – $42,790	590
31	Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and TrimmersNo formal educational credential	$37,890	$28,870 – $41,170	6,470
32	Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$37,720	$27,320 – $46,960	3,030
33	Sewing Machine OperatorsNo formal educational credential	$37,600	$26,840 – $44,220	2,270
34	Textile Cutting Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$37,600	$29,070 – $45,550	400
35	Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$37,390	$33,470 – $57,820	480
36	Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, WoodHigh school diploma or equivalent	$36,960	$28,320 – $51,450	1,910
37	Food BatchmakersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$36,530	$32,740 – $48,000	660
38	Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$36,330	$28,190 – $45,690	1,070
39	Helpers--Production WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$33,880	$30,420 – $47,440	3,540
40	Slaughterers and Meat PackersNo formal educational credential	$33,650	$27,720 – $37,740	1,100
41	Adhesive Bonding Machine Operators and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$31,250	$28,590 – $38,290	430
42	Butchers and Meat CuttersNo formal educational credential	$29,700	$22,060 – $46,340	1,160
43	BakersNo formal educational credential	$28,920	$20,910 – $40,390	1,300
44	Laundry and Dry-Cleaning WorkersNo formal educational credential	$27,190	$21,430 – $36,500	1,420
45	Pressers, Textile, Garment, and Related MaterialsNo formal educational credential	$27,180	$22,930 – $33,700	400

Ranked among the occupations common enough to employ roughly one in every three thousand workers in Mississippi. 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.

More for Mississippi

Metro areas in Mississippi

Pay varies more between metros than between states — the spread inside one state is often wider than the gap between two.

By field in Mississippi

Without a degree

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

High paying production jobs in Mississippi

More for Mississippi

Metro areas in Mississippi

By field in Mississippi

Without a degree

High paying production jobs in each state