High paying production jobs in South Carolina

Every production occupation below is ranked by its median annual wage in South Carolina. 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 South Carolina run 6.3% below the national average (2024), so a South Carolina salary is worth about 1.07× 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 South Carolina.

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

Find production jobs in South Carolina

OccupationMedian, South Carolina · Employed

1First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers$77,500
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,720 – $103,44014,570
2Tool and Die Makers$65,250
Postsecondary nondegree award
$41,920 – $80,990870
3Machinists$57,970
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,270 – $75,6503,790
4Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders$56,240
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,700 – $72,5904,040
5Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators$52,090
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,060 – $76,8502,650
6Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators$51,800
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,350 – $67,9802,460
7Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$51,620
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,360 – $72,8602,460
8Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$50,040
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,560 – $79,3202,460
9Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers$49,980
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,720 – $64,5107,380
10Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$49,040
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,900 – $66,4902,000
11Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$48,220
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,200 – $69,6402,780
12Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$48,210
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,840 – $64,000820
13Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$48,040
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,540 – $60,0501,730
14Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$47,740
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,680 – $64,7002,560
15Engine and Other Machine Assemblers$46,950
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,700 – $64,9201,960
16Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters$46,910
High school diploma or equivalent
$41,110 – $61,2001,020
17Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers$46,890
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,010 – $70,43013,360
18Electrical, Electronic, and Electromechanical Assemblers, Except Coil Winders, Tapers, and Finishers$46,210
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,360 – $57,4304,670
19Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$45,740
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,320 – $66,7704,520
20Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators$45,500
High school diploma or equivalent
$33,740 – $74,28042,150
21Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$45,270
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,670 – $62,1503,240
22Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$44,420
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,000 – $62,4104,100
23Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Synthetic and Glass Fibers$43,380
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,640 – $59,7401,080
24Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing$41,990
High school diploma or equivalent
$29,720 – $57,0101,660
25Printing Press Operators$40,470
High school diploma or equivalent
$29,490 – $59,0102,100
26Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders$40,010
High school diploma or equivalent
$32,880 – $51,0804,890
27Textile, Apparel, and Furnishings Workers, All Other$39,960
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,140 – $51,960760
28Butchers and Meat Cutters$39,790
No formal educational credential
$31,150 – $47,9802,380
29Textile Knitting and Weaving Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$39,760
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,230 – $48,5301,500
30Production Workers, All Other$39,600
High school diploma or equivalent
$30,880 – $57,5001,890
31Textile Bleaching and Dyeing Machine Operators and Tenders$39,410
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,660 – $47,500770
32Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood$39,300
High school diploma or equivalent
$29,070 – $51,750810
33Textile Winding, Twisting, and Drawing Out Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$38,280
High school diploma or equivalent
$33,330 – $48,0202,240
34Sewing Machine Operators$38,250
No formal educational credential
$26,690 – $47,2102,460
35Helpers--Production Workers$36,610
High school diploma or equivalent
$26,570 – $50,8301,950
36Bakers$35,460
No formal educational credential
$25,340 – $45,3302,940
37Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers$34,790
No formal educational credential
$34,090 – $39,3902,750
38Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers$30,470
No formal educational credential
$23,470 – $38,0503,160

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

#	Occupation	MedianSouth Carolina	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$77,500	$49,720 – $103,440	14,570
2	Tool and Die MakersPostsecondary nondegree award	$65,250	$41,920 – $80,990	870
3	MachinistsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$57,970	$38,270 – $75,650	3,790
4	Chemical Equipment Operators and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$56,240	$37,700 – $72,590	4,040
5	Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$52,090	$39,060 – $76,850	2,650
6	Computer Numerically Controlled Tool OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$51,800	$38,350 – $67,980	2,460
7	Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$51,620	$35,360 – $72,860	2,460
8	Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$50,040	$37,560 – $79,320	2,460
9	Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and BrazersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,980	$38,720 – $64,510	7,380
10	Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,040	$35,900 – $66,490	2,000
11	Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,220	$36,200 – $69,640	2,780
12	Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,210	$38,840 – $64,000	820
13	Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,040	$38,540 – $60,050	1,730
14	Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,740	$35,680 – $64,700	2,560
15	Engine and Other Machine AssemblersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,950	$39,700 – $64,920	1,960
16	Structural Metal Fabricators and FittersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,910	$41,110 – $61,200	1,020
17	Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and WeighersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,890	$35,010 – $70,430	13,360
18	Electrical, Electronic, and Electromechanical Assemblers, Except Coil Winders, Tapers, and FinishersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,210	$35,360 – $57,430	4,670
19	Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,740	$35,320 – $66,770	4,520
20	Miscellaneous Assemblers and FabricatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,500	$33,740 – $74,280	42,150
21	Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,270	$34,670 – $62,150	3,240
22	Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$44,420	$34,000 – $62,410	4,100
23	Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Synthetic and Glass FibersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$43,380	$35,640 – $59,740	1,080
24	Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except SawingHigh school diploma or equivalent	$41,990	$29,720 – $57,010	1,660
25	Printing Press OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$40,470	$29,490 – $59,010	2,100
26	Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$40,010	$32,880 – $51,080	4,890
27	Textile, Apparel, and Furnishings Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$39,960	$31,140 – $51,960	760
28	Butchers and Meat CuttersNo formal educational credential	$39,790	$31,150 – $47,980	2,380
29	Textile Knitting and Weaving Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$39,760	$35,230 – $48,530	1,500
30	Production Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$39,600	$30,880 – $57,500	1,890
31	Textile Bleaching and Dyeing Machine Operators and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$39,410	$35,660 – $47,500	770
32	Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, WoodHigh school diploma or equivalent	$39,300	$29,070 – $51,750	810
33	Textile Winding, Twisting, and Drawing Out Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$38,280	$33,330 – $48,020	2,240
34	Sewing Machine OperatorsNo formal educational credential	$38,250	$26,690 – $47,210	2,460
35	Helpers--Production WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$36,610	$26,570 – $50,830	1,950
36	BakersNo formal educational credential	$35,460	$25,340 – $45,330	2,940
37	Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and TrimmersNo formal educational credential	$34,790	$34,090 – $39,390	2,750
38	Laundry and Dry-Cleaning WorkersNo formal educational credential	$30,470	$23,470 – $38,050	3,160

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

Metro areas in South Carolina

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

By field in South Carolina

Without a degree

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

High paying production jobs in South Carolina

More for South Carolina

Metro areas in South Carolina

By field in South Carolina

Without a degree

High paying production jobs in each state