High paying production jobs in Winston-Salem, NC

Every production occupation below is ranked by its median annual wage in Winston-Salem, NC. 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 Winston-Salem, NC run 8.0% below the national average (2024), so a Winston-Salem, NC salary is worth about 1.09× 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 Winston-Salem, NC

OccupationMedian, Winston-Salem, NC · Employed

1First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers$68,670
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,320 – $101,2701,710
2Tool and Die Makers$57,510
Postsecondary nondegree award
$40,570 – $77,340130
3Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators$53,110
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,880 – $74,010250
4Machinists$50,350
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,180 – $64,010910
5Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators$49,790
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,610 – $61,800190
6Prepress Technicians and Workers$49,760
Postsecondary nondegree award
$40,590 – $63,06090
7Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters$48,590
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,220 – $64,810150
8Engine and Other Machine Assemblers$48,580
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,500 – $94,930150
9Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$48,520
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,040 – $76,390390
10Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$48,090
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,020 – $60,530390
11Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders$46,980
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,550 – $71,220130
12Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$46,860
High school diploma or equivalent
$32,220 – $53,430160
13Printing Press Operators$46,430
High school diploma or equivalent
$28,470 – $62,010250
14Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers$46,370
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,730 – $73,6801,230
15Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$46,160
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,060 – $58,660100
16Electrical, Electronic, and Electromechanical Assemblers, Except Coil Winders, Tapers, and Finishers$45,800
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,220 – $59,490210
17Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$45,600
High school diploma or equivalent
$27,080 – $61,660190
18Cabinetmakers and Bench Carpenters$45,230
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,230 – $59,820190
19Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers$44,700
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,020 – $76,1601,650
20Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$44,550
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,520 – $63,150120
21Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers$44,020
No formal educational credential
$22,550 – $47,740110
22Helpers--Production Workers$43,000
High school diploma or equivalent
$29,780 – $48,710220
23Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators$42,590
High school diploma or equivalent
$30,150 – $60,2303,440
24Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders$41,100
High school diploma or equivalent
$28,710 – $79,0801,010
25Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Synthetic and Glass Fibers$40,580
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,770 – $48,70090
26Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$39,730
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,120 – $55,250240
27Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$39,450
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,050 – $58,720640
28Textile Cutting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$38,740
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,200 – $47,770100
29Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$38,730
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,520 – $56,020550
30Upholsterers$38,270
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,270 – $51,020430
31Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood$38,260
High school diploma or equivalent
$28,100 – $46,38090
32Production Workers, All Other$37,980
High school diploma or equivalent
$29,590 – $55,5601,850
33Textile, Apparel, and Furnishings Workers, All Other$37,700
High school diploma or equivalent
$28,960 – $48,550120
34Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing$37,550
High school diploma or equivalent
$33,330 – $46,520360
35Textile Winding, Twisting, and Drawing Out Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$37,070
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,430 – $44,130780
36Butchers and Meat Cutters$36,730
No formal educational credential
$27,950 – $47,940140
37Textile Knitting and Weaving Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$36,440
High school diploma or equivalent
$30,320 – $56,540200
38Food Processing Workers, All Other$36,380
No formal educational credential
$30,470 – $46,260130
39Adhesive Bonding Machine Operators and Tenders$36,070
High school diploma or equivalent
$22,550 – $46,850110
40Food Batchmakers$34,810
High school diploma or equivalent
$22,330 – $46,430240
41Bakers$33,640
No formal educational credential
$19,430 – $42,170490
42Sewing Machine Operators$30,150
No formal educational credential
$27,110 – $44,530450
43Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers$29,950
No formal educational credential
$24,300 – $37,500300

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

#	Occupation	MedianWinston-Salem, NC	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$68,670	$46,320 – $101,270	1,710
2	Tool and Die MakersPostsecondary nondegree award	$57,510	$40,570 – $77,340	130
3	Computer Numerically Controlled Tool OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$53,110	$36,880 – $74,010	250
4	MachinistsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$50,350	$36,180 – $64,010	910
5	Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,790	$44,610 – $61,800	190
6	Prepress Technicians and WorkersPostsecondary nondegree award	$49,760	$40,590 – $63,060	90
7	Structural Metal Fabricators and FittersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,590	$37,220 – $64,810	150
8	Engine and Other Machine AssemblersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,580	$38,500 – $94,930	150
9	Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,520	$35,040 – $76,390	390
10	Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,090	$35,020 – $60,530	390
11	Chemical Equipment Operators and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,980	$37,550 – $71,220	130
12	Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,860	$32,220 – $53,430	160
13	Printing Press OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,430	$28,470 – $62,010	250
14	Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and BrazersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,370	$39,730 – $73,680	1,230
15	Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,160	$37,060 – $58,660	100
16	Electrical, Electronic, and Electromechanical Assemblers, Except Coil Winders, Tapers, and FinishersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,800	$34,220 – $59,490	210
17	Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,600	$27,080 – $61,660	190
18	Cabinetmakers and Bench CarpentersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,230	$34,230 – $59,820	190
19	Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and WeighersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$44,700	$34,020 – $76,160	1,650
20	Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$44,550	$35,520 – $63,150	120
21	Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and TrimmersNo formal educational credential	$44,020	$22,550 – $47,740	110
22	Helpers--Production WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$43,000	$29,780 – $48,710	220
23	Miscellaneous Assemblers and FabricatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$42,590	$30,150 – $60,230	3,440
24	Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$41,100	$28,710 – $79,080	1,010
25	Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Synthetic and Glass FibersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$40,580	$35,770 – $48,700	90
26	Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$39,730	$36,120 – $55,250	240
27	Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$39,450	$34,050 – $58,720	640
28	Textile Cutting Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$38,740	$31,200 – $47,770	100
29	Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$38,730	$35,520 – $56,020	550
30	UpholsterersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$38,270	$38,270 – $51,020	430
31	Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, WoodHigh school diploma or equivalent	$38,260	$28,100 – $46,380	90
32	Production Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$37,980	$29,590 – $55,560	1,850
33	Textile, Apparel, and Furnishings Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$37,700	$28,960 – $48,550	120
34	Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except SawingHigh school diploma or equivalent	$37,550	$33,330 – $46,520	360
35	Textile Winding, Twisting, and Drawing Out Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$37,070	$31,430 – $44,130	780
36	Butchers and Meat CuttersNo formal educational credential	$36,730	$27,950 – $47,940	140
37	Textile Knitting and Weaving Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$36,440	$30,320 – $56,540	200
38	Food Processing Workers, All OtherNo formal educational credential	$36,380	$30,470 – $46,260	130
39	Adhesive Bonding Machine Operators and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$36,070	$22,550 – $46,850	110
40	Food BatchmakersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$34,810	$22,330 – $46,430	240
41	BakersNo formal educational credential	$33,640	$19,430 – $42,170	490
42	Sewing Machine OperatorsNo formal educational credential	$30,150	$27,110 – $44,530	450
43	Laundry and Dry-Cleaning WorkersNo formal educational credential	$29,950	$24,300 – $37,500	300

Ranked among the occupations common enough to employ roughly one in every three thousand workers in Winston-Salem, NC. 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 Winston-Salem, NC

Other metro areas in NC

By field in Winston-Salem, NC

Without a degree

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

High paying production jobs in Winston-Salem, NC

More for Winston-Salem, NC

Other metro areas in NC

By field in Winston-Salem, NC

Without a degree

High paying production jobs in each state