High paying production jobs in Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ with no degree

The best paid production occupations in Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ that require no bachelor's degree — a high school diploma, a certificate, or an associate's degree is the typical entry. This is the narrowest cut on the site, so it is also the shortest list: where a field has only two or three such occupations, there is no page at all rather than a page pretending otherwise.

Cost of living: prices in Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ run 0.0% below the national average (2024), so a Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ salary is worth about 1.00× 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 Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ

OccupationMedian, Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ · Employed

1First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers$77,930
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,350 – $104,0401,960
2Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators$72,950
High school diploma or equivalent
$60,580 – $80,770120
3Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators$64,190
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,240 – $80,480320
4Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$60,080
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,380 – $60,580730
5Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$59,610
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,070 – $70,590230
6Machinists$59,330
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,310 – $75,580630
7Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders$59,010
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,820 – $80,140740
8Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators$57,520
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,080 – $72,080530
9Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$57,370
High school diploma or equivalent
$43,620 – $79,760150
10Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers$54,790
High school diploma or equivalent
$43,720 – $74,820860
11Tool and Die Makers$53,720
Postsecondary nondegree award
$48,710 – $80,240180
12Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$53,680
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,200 – $55,770130
13Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$51,170
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,910 – $72,590420
14Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders$51,080
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,910 – $56,740160
15Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing$51,030
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,340 – $64,200380
16Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$50,800
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,910 – $60,130360
17Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$50,150
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,370 – $76,920140
18Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators$48,990
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,390 – $67,0104,730
19Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers$48,420
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,590 – $69,5101,940
20Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$48,370
High school diploma or equivalent
$32,220 – $53,740460
21Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$48,080
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,070 – $69,280120
22Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$47,930
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,230 – $60,170850
23Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$47,900
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,980 – $62,470420
24Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$47,490
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,110 – $67,760640
25Printing Press Operators$47,110
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,680 – $64,550380
26Electrical, Electronic, and Electromechanical Assemblers, Except Coil Winders, Tapers, and Finishers$46,690
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,550 – $59,790910
27Cabinetmakers and Bench Carpenters$45,840
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,350 – $63,610240
28Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders$45,460
High school diploma or equivalent
$29,090 – $65,5902,180
29Butchers and Meat Cutters$44,980
No formal educational credential
$29,930 – $61,550210
30Production Workers, All Other$43,890
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,390 – $62,120360
31Foundry Mold and Coremakers$43,440
High school diploma or equivalent
$43,440 – $51,020340
32Food Batchmakers$42,070
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,060 – $60,230720
33Helpers--Production Workers$41,450
High school diploma or equivalent
$32,470 – $49,320440
34Bakers$37,400
No formal educational credential
$27,400 – $55,060620
35Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers$35,860
No formal educational credential
$27,770 – $41,720510
36Sewing Machine Operators$35,820
No formal educational credential
$29,110 – $44,270340

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

#	Occupation	MedianAllentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$77,930	$48,350 – $104,040	1,960
2	Stationary Engineers and Boiler OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$72,950	$60,580 – $80,770	120
3	Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$64,190	$47,240 – $80,480	320
4	Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$60,080	$35,380 – $60,580	730
5	Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,610	$39,070 – $70,590	230
6	MachinistsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,330	$39,310 – $75,580	630
7	Chemical Equipment Operators and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,010	$38,820 – $80,140	740
8	Computer Numerically Controlled Tool OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$57,520	$45,080 – $72,080	530
9	Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$57,370	$43,620 – $79,760	150
10	Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and BrazersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$54,790	$43,720 – $74,820	860
11	Tool and Die MakersPostsecondary nondegree award	$53,720	$48,710 – $80,240	180
12	Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$53,680	$37,200 – $55,770	130
13	Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$51,170	$40,910 – $72,590	420
14	Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$51,080	$40,910 – $56,740	160
15	Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except SawingHigh school diploma or equivalent	$51,030	$36,340 – $64,200	380
16	Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$50,800	$37,910 – $60,130	360
17	Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$50,150	$39,370 – $76,920	140
18	Miscellaneous Assemblers and FabricatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,990	$34,390 – $67,010	4,730
19	Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and WeighersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,420	$36,590 – $69,510	1,940
20	Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,370	$32,220 – $53,740	460
21	Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,080	$39,070 – $69,280	120
22	Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,930	$35,230 – $60,170	850
23	Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,900	$37,980 – $62,470	420
24	Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,490	$38,110 – $67,760	640
25	Printing Press OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,110	$35,680 – $64,550	380
26	Electrical, Electronic, and Electromechanical Assemblers, Except Coil Winders, Tapers, and FinishersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,690	$37,550 – $59,790	910
27	Cabinetmakers and Bench CarpentersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,840	$39,350 – $63,610	240
28	Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,460	$29,090 – $65,590	2,180
29	Butchers and Meat CuttersNo formal educational credential	$44,980	$29,930 – $61,550	210
30	Production Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$43,890	$36,390 – $62,120	360
31	Foundry Mold and CoremakersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$43,440	$43,440 – $51,020	340
32	Food BatchmakersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$42,070	$36,060 – $60,230	720
33	Helpers--Production WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$41,450	$32,470 – $49,320	440
34	BakersNo formal educational credential	$37,400	$27,400 – $55,060	620
35	Laundry and Dry-Cleaning WorkersNo formal educational credential	$35,860	$27,770 – $41,720	510
36	Sewing Machine OperatorsNo formal educational credential	$35,820	$29,110 – $44,270	340

Ranked among the occupations common enough to employ roughly one in every three thousand workers in Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ. 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.

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Without a degree

The same fields, narrowed to what you can enter without one. Fields missing here have too few such occupations in Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ to rank honestly.

High paying production jobs in Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ with no degree

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