High paying production jobs in Missouri

Every production occupation below is ranked by its median annual wage in Missouri. 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 Missouri run 9.2% below the national average (2024), so a Missouri salary is worth about 1.10× 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 Missouri.

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

Find production jobs in Missouri

OccupationMedian, Missouri · Employed

1First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers$73,210
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,230 – $99,02015,430
2Tool and Die Makers$60,810
Postsecondary nondegree award
$39,560 – $94,5501,280
3Machinists$58,710
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,120 – $84,1508,380
4Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers$54,420
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,630 – $78,41012,480
5Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$53,160
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,020 – $80,0807,220
6Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers$51,950
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,200 – $78,15010,600
7Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators$51,000
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,790 – $68,7301,500
8Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$50,930
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,530 – $63,4101,120
9Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders$50,640
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,370 – $76,1202,790
10Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$50,340
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,120 – $65,2602,800
11Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators$49,940
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,600 – $64,9303,000
12Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$49,290
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,100 – $82,8501,590
13Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$48,310
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,310 – $69,5003,240
14Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders$48,070
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,180 – $61,31012,620
15Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$47,580
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,500 – $76,1203,860
16Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$47,560
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,370 – $59,4001,540
17Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$47,470
High school diploma or equivalent
$33,280 – $61,8101,040
18Electrical, Electronic, and Electromechanical Assemblers, Except Coil Winders, Tapers, and Finishers$46,770
High school diploma or equivalent
$33,710 – $75,9303,120
19Engine and Other Machine Assemblers$46,720
High school diploma or equivalent
$41,430 – $57,8701,020
20Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators$46,480
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,670 – $75,38032,850
21Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$46,270
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,140 – $64,0301,210
22Printing Press Operators$46,130
High school diploma or equivalent
$32,560 – $66,6403,460
23Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$46,050
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,630 – $61,8701,040
24Cabinetmakers and Bench Carpenters$45,980
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,310 – $58,5801,690
25Food Batchmakers$45,690
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,340 – $61,5602,280
26Slaughterers and Meat Packers$44,490
No formal educational credential
$34,020 – $49,4601,280
27Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$44,120
High school diploma or equivalent
$33,290 – $58,8903,340
28Food Processing Workers, All Other$44,050
No formal educational credential
$37,420 – $57,1901,630
29Food and Tobacco Roasting, Baking, and Drying Machine Operators and Tenders$43,460
No formal educational credential
$33,380 – $53,9101,030
30Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers$41,890
No formal educational credential
$34,930 – $47,8502,880
31Helpers--Production Workers$40,580
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,330 – $56,1606,250
32Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing$38,640
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,600 – $49,260940
33Print Binding and Finishing Workers$38,570
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,380 – $58,7001,010
34Production Workers, All Other$38,470
High school diploma or equivalent
$32,210 – $59,6308,300
35Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood$38,030
High school diploma or equivalent
$30,630 – $48,6701,380
36Butchers and Meat Cutters$37,860
No formal educational credential
$29,280 – $55,3202,160
37Sewing Machine Operators$35,610
No formal educational credential
$29,550 – $43,2402,320
38Bakers$35,130
No formal educational credential
$29,060 – $46,4704,190
39Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers$33,870
No formal educational credential
$28,600 – $39,2703,930

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

#	Occupation	MedianMissouri	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$73,210	$46,230 – $99,020	15,430
2	Tool and Die MakersPostsecondary nondegree award	$60,810	$39,560 – $94,550	1,280
3	MachinistsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$58,710	$44,120 – $84,150	8,380
4	Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and WeighersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$54,420	$36,630 – $78,410	12,480
5	Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$53,160	$38,020 – $80,080	7,220
6	Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and BrazersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$51,950	$38,200 – $78,150	10,600
7	Computer Numerically Controlled Tool OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$51,000	$37,790 – $68,730	1,500
8	Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$50,930	$37,530 – $63,410	1,120
9	Chemical Equipment Operators and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$50,640	$36,370 – $76,120	2,790
10	Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$50,340	$39,120 – $65,260	2,800
11	Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,940	$38,600 – $64,930	3,000
12	Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,290	$34,100 – $82,850	1,590
13	Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,310	$36,310 – $69,500	3,240
14	Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,070	$36,180 – $61,310	12,620
15	Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,580	$36,500 – $76,120	3,860
16	Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,560	$37,370 – $59,400	1,540
17	Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,470	$33,280 – $61,810	1,040
18	Electrical, Electronic, and Electromechanical Assemblers, Except Coil Winders, Tapers, and FinishersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,770	$33,710 – $75,930	3,120
19	Engine and Other Machine AssemblersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,720	$41,430 – $57,870	1,020
20	Miscellaneous Assemblers and FabricatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,480	$34,670 – $75,380	32,850
21	Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,270	$37,140 – $64,030	1,210
22	Printing Press OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,130	$32,560 – $66,640	3,460
23	Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,050	$35,630 – $61,870	1,040
24	Cabinetmakers and Bench CarpentersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,980	$35,310 – $58,580	1,690
25	Food BatchmakersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,690	$37,340 – $61,560	2,280
26	Slaughterers and Meat PackersNo formal educational credential	$44,490	$34,020 – $49,460	1,280
27	Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$44,120	$33,290 – $58,890	3,340
28	Food Processing Workers, All OtherNo formal educational credential	$44,050	$37,420 – $57,190	1,630
29	Food and Tobacco Roasting, Baking, and Drying Machine Operators and TendersNo formal educational credential	$43,460	$33,380 – $53,910	1,030
30	Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and TrimmersNo formal educational credential	$41,890	$34,930 – $47,850	2,880
31	Helpers--Production WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$40,580	$34,330 – $56,160	6,250
32	Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except SawingHigh school diploma or equivalent	$38,640	$34,600 – $49,260	940
33	Print Binding and Finishing WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$38,570	$31,380 – $58,700	1,010
34	Production Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$38,470	$32,210 – $59,630	8,300
35	Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, WoodHigh school diploma or equivalent	$38,030	$30,630 – $48,670	1,380
36	Butchers and Meat CuttersNo formal educational credential	$37,860	$29,280 – $55,320	2,160
37	Sewing Machine OperatorsNo formal educational credential	$35,610	$29,550 – $43,240	2,320
38	BakersNo formal educational credential	$35,130	$29,060 – $46,470	4,190
39	Laundry and Dry-Cleaning WorkersNo formal educational credential	$33,870	$28,600 – $39,270	3,930

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

Metro areas in Missouri

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

By field in Missouri

Without a degree

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

High paying production jobs in Missouri

More for Missouri

Metro areas in Missouri

By field in Missouri

Without a degree

High paying production jobs in each state