High paying production jobs in Ohio

Every production occupation below is ranked by its median annual wage in Ohio. 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 Ohio run 7.2% below the national average (2024), so a Ohio 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. To see where a job pays a real premium, use jobs that pay more in Ohio.

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

Find production jobs in Ohio

OccupationMedian, Ohio · Employed

1Engine and Other Machine Assemblers$74,750
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,200 – $79,4003,430
2First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers$72,160
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,320 – $99,96031,980
3Tool and Die Makers$62,280
Postsecondary nondegree award
$42,080 – $84,8405,520
4Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders$60,550
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,450 – $81,8407,830
5Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Programmers$60,080
Postsecondary nondegree award
$42,950 – $84,1202,370
6Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators$59,170
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,350 – $75,2005,870
7Machinists$57,940
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,070 – $76,53017,110
8Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders$55,080
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,010 – $71,0801,790
9Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers$50,340
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,990 – $70,51020,330
10Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators$49,160
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,170 – $70,63021,250
11Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$48,550
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,510 – $67,0708,320
12Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$48,400
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,550 – $59,3203,000
13Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$48,190
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,710 – $68,8802,190
14Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$47,720
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,150 – $70,8305,230
15Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$47,450
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,570 – $60,6804,640
16Cabinetmakers and Bench Carpenters$47,430
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,560 – $58,9603,110
17Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers$47,360
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,680 – $73,84032,060
18Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$47,070
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,650 – $68,1603,970
19Electrical, Electronic, and Electromechanical Assemblers, Except Coil Winders, Tapers, and Finishers$46,970
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,840 – $58,21010,670
20Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$46,790
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,240 – $62,0901,810
21Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$46,420
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,790 – $75,17011,170
22Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$46,340
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,850 – $59,6405,020
23Printing Press Operators$45,760
High school diploma or equivalent
$32,430 – $60,6007,500
24Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators$45,720
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,210 – $66,16093,480
25Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$45,270
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,730 – $63,6205,960
26Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$45,230
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,560 – $60,77013,350
27Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood$45,010
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,940 – $57,0702,180
28Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$44,830
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,700 – $61,86011,050
29Food Batchmakers$44,590
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,510 – $59,8607,040
30Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing$43,930
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,010 – $53,1502,710
31Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders$43,310
High school diploma or equivalent
$33,780 – $61,18017,850
32Helpers--Production Workers$39,600
High school diploma or equivalent
$33,330 – $51,8404,280
33Production Workers, All Other$38,720
High school diploma or equivalent
$27,740 – $58,1809,090
34Butchers and Meat Cutters$37,630
No formal educational credential
$26,940 – $50,0905,640
35Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers$37,020
No formal educational credential
$35,350 – $45,4103,540
36Slaughterers and Meat Packers$36,800
No formal educational credential
$30,350 – $45,5202,440
37Sewing Machine Operators$35,760
No formal educational credential
$29,530 – $43,8904,100
38Bakers$34,560
No formal educational credential
$24,160 – $46,3208,890
39Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers$30,520
No formal educational credential
$26,380 – $38,6206,990

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

#	Occupation	MedianOhio	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	Engine and Other Machine AssemblersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$74,750	$45,200 – $79,400	3,430
2	First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$72,160	$48,320 – $99,960	31,980
3	Tool and Die MakersPostsecondary nondegree award	$62,280	$42,080 – $84,840	5,520
4	Chemical Equipment Operators and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$60,550	$45,450 – $81,840	7,830
5	Computer Numerically Controlled Tool ProgrammersPostsecondary nondegree award	$60,080	$42,950 – $84,120	2,370
6	Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,170	$45,350 – $75,200	5,870
7	MachinistsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$57,940	$38,070 – $76,530	17,110
8	Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$55,080	$40,010 – $71,080	1,790
9	Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and BrazersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$50,340	$38,990 – $70,510	20,330
10	Computer Numerically Controlled Tool OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,160	$37,170 – $70,630	21,250
11	Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,550	$36,510 – $67,070	8,320
12	Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,400	$36,550 – $59,320	3,000
13	Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,190	$37,710 – $68,880	2,190
14	Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,720	$37,150 – $70,830	5,230
15	Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,450	$38,570 – $60,680	4,640
16	Cabinetmakers and Bench CarpentersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,430	$35,560 – $58,960	3,110
17	Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and WeighersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,360	$35,680 – $73,840	32,060
18	Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,070	$37,650 – $68,160	3,970
19	Electrical, Electronic, and Electromechanical Assemblers, Except Coil Winders, Tapers, and FinishersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,970	$35,840 – $58,210	10,670
20	Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,790	$38,240 – $62,090	1,810
21	Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,420	$34,790 – $75,170	11,170
22	Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,340	$35,850 – $59,640	5,020
23	Printing Press OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,760	$32,430 – $60,600	7,500
24	Miscellaneous Assemblers and FabricatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,720	$34,210 – $66,160	93,480
25	Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,270	$35,730 – $63,620	5,960
26	Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,230	$35,560 – $60,770	13,350
27	Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, WoodHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,010	$35,940 – $57,070	2,180
28	Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$44,830	$35,700 – $61,860	11,050
29	Food BatchmakersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$44,590	$31,510 – $59,860	7,040
30	Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except SawingHigh school diploma or equivalent	$43,930	$35,010 – $53,150	2,710
31	Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$43,310	$33,780 – $61,180	17,850
32	Helpers--Production WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$39,600	$33,330 – $51,840	4,280
33	Production Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$38,720	$27,740 – $58,180	9,090
34	Butchers and Meat CuttersNo formal educational credential	$37,630	$26,940 – $50,090	5,640
35	Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and TrimmersNo formal educational credential	$37,020	$35,350 – $45,410	3,540
36	Slaughterers and Meat PackersNo formal educational credential	$36,800	$30,350 – $45,520	2,440
37	Sewing Machine OperatorsNo formal educational credential	$35,760	$29,530 – $43,890	4,100
38	BakersNo formal educational credential	$34,560	$24,160 – $46,320	8,890
39	Laundry and Dry-Cleaning WorkersNo formal educational credential	$30,520	$26,380 – $38,620	6,990

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

Metro areas in Ohio

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

By field in Ohio

Without a degree

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

High paying production jobs in Ohio

More for Ohio

Metro areas in Ohio

By field in Ohio

Without a degree

High paying production jobs in each state