High paying production jobs in Reading, PA with no degree

The best paid production occupations in Reading, PA 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 Reading, PA run 2.9% below the national average (2024), so a Reading, PA salary is worth about 1.03× 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 Reading, PA

OccupationMedian, Reading, PA · Employed

1First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers$78,200
High school diploma or equivalent
$56,700 – $97,0001,890
2Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$70,310
High school diploma or equivalent
$50,790 – $70,310670
3Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders$68,990
High school diploma or equivalent
$50,230 – $108,170210
4Tool and Die Makers$65,440
Postsecondary nondegree award
$46,670 – $82,510100
5Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators$61,300
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,580 – $77,670190
6Machinists$59,550
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,000 – $73,400440
7Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$55,260
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,550 – $56,050440
8Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$55,230
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,400 – $55,600100
9Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$54,890
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,730 – $66,40070
10Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers$54,840
High school diploma or equivalent
$42,320 – $70,720870
11Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$54,760
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,830 – $60,890610
12Helpers--Production Workers$54,550
High school diploma or equivalent
$28,590 – $54,550340
13Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$54,530
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,620 – $63,530160
14Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$54,490
High school diploma or equivalent
$43,040 – $64,050140
15Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$54,470
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,350 – $61,690690
16Electrical, Electronic, and Electromechanical Assemblers, Except Coil Winders, Tapers, and Finishers$54,350
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,970 – $54,350690
17Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$53,890
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,560 – $59,730130
18Heat Treating Equipment Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$53,860
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,490 – $61,450190
19Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$53,090
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,990 – $53,090350
20Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters$52,780
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,960 – $64,17060
21Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators$52,150
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,470 – $78,690260
22Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$52,130
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,860 – $64,450250
23Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$50,390
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,060 – $65,910250
24Furniture Finishers$49,760
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,170 – $63,68070
25Cabinetmakers and Bench Carpenters$49,540
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,020 – $63,430180
26Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers$49,170
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,400 – $63,3601,010
27Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders$49,070
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,280 – $69,290250
28Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$47,620
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,950 – $62,570270
29Printing Press Operators$47,240
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,010 – $64,430300
30Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic$46,460
High school diploma or equivalent
$30,840 – $69,43090
31Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators$45,860
High school diploma or equivalent
$33,330 – $56,9603,050
32Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders$45,470
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,680 – $45,72080
33Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing$45,070
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,740 – $70,720150
34Food Batchmakers$44,220
High school diploma or equivalent
$33,490 – $48,840380
35Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders$44,010
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,980 – $57,160970
36Sewing Machine Operators$37,820
No formal educational credential
$29,170 – $47,140240
37Butchers and Meat Cutters$36,920
No formal educational credential
$28,840 – $55,000120
38Bakers$35,730
No formal educational credential
$26,090 – $44,580360
39Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers$35,490
No formal educational credential
$27,000 – $53,650190

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

#	Occupation	MedianReading, PA	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$78,200	$56,700 – $97,000	1,890
2	Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$70,310	$50,790 – $70,310	670
3	Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$68,990	$50,230 – $108,170	210
4	Tool and Die MakersPostsecondary nondegree award	$65,440	$46,670 – $82,510	100
5	Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$61,300	$45,580 – $77,670	190
6	MachinistsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,550	$44,000 – $73,400	440
7	Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$55,260	$37,550 – $56,050	440
8	Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$55,230	$37,400 – $55,600	100
9	Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$54,890	$47,730 – $66,400	70
10	Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and BrazersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$54,840	$42,320 – $70,720	870
11	Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$54,760	$36,830 – $60,890	610
12	Helpers--Production WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$54,550	$28,590 – $54,550	340
13	Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$54,530	$49,620 – $63,530	160
14	Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$54,490	$43,040 – $64,050	140
15	Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$54,470	$36,350 – $61,690	690
16	Electrical, Electronic, and Electromechanical Assemblers, Except Coil Winders, Tapers, and FinishersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$54,350	$37,970 – $54,350	690
17	Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$53,890	$36,560 – $59,730	130
18	Heat Treating Equipment Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$53,860	$49,490 – $61,450	190
19	Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$53,090	$37,990 – $53,090	350
20	Structural Metal Fabricators and FittersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$52,780	$46,960 – $64,170	60
21	Computer Numerically Controlled Tool OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$52,150	$39,470 – $78,690	260
22	Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$52,130	$38,860 – $64,450	250
23	Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$50,390	$39,060 – $65,910	250
24	Furniture FinishersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,760	$38,170 – $63,680	70
25	Cabinetmakers and Bench CarpentersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,540	$38,020 – $63,430	180
26	Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and WeighersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,170	$37,400 – $63,360	1,010
27	Chemical Equipment Operators and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,070	$38,280 – $69,290	250
28	Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,620	$37,950 – $62,570	270
29	Printing Press OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,240	$35,010 – $64,430	300
30	Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,460	$30,840 – $69,430	90
31	Miscellaneous Assemblers and FabricatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,860	$33,330 – $56,960	3,050
32	Food Cooking Machine Operators and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,470	$36,680 – $45,720	80
33	Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except SawingHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,070	$37,740 – $70,720	150
34	Food BatchmakersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$44,220	$33,490 – $48,840	380
35	Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$44,010	$34,980 – $57,160	970
36	Sewing Machine OperatorsNo formal educational credential	$37,820	$29,170 – $47,140	240
37	Butchers and Meat CuttersNo formal educational credential	$36,920	$28,840 – $55,000	120
38	BakersNo formal educational credential	$35,730	$26,090 – $44,580	360
39	Laundry and Dry-Cleaning WorkersNo formal educational credential	$35,490	$27,000 – $53,650	190

Ranked among the occupations common enough to employ roughly one in every three thousand workers in Reading, PA. 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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High paying production jobs in Reading, PA with no degree

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