High paying production jobs in Knoxville, TN with no experience

The best paid production occupations in Knoxville, TN that require neither a degree nor prior experience in a related job. 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 Knoxville, TN run 7.4% below the national average (2024), so a Knoxville, TN 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.

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 Knoxville, TN

OccupationMedian, Knoxville, TN · Employed

1Tool and Die Makers$63,180
Postsecondary nondegree award
$49,740 – $73,720500
2Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators$59,120
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,440 – $80,070460
3Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$58,680
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,980 – $71,860320
4Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$51,170
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,600 – $63,710740
5Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters$50,720
High school diploma or equivalent
$41,640 – $63,460400
6Machinists$49,900
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,670 – $66,2801,470
7Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators$49,040
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,850 – $63,220260
8Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers$48,040
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,280 – $63,9801,780
9Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$47,920
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,860 – $52,690350
10Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$46,920
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,200 – $60,430480
11Cabinetmakers and Bench Carpenters$46,890
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,180 – $61,110220
12Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders$46,880
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,010 – $62,780190
13Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers$46,130
High school diploma or equivalent
$33,320 – $64,8902,160
14Printing Press Operators$45,920
High school diploma or equivalent
$28,770 – $58,490360
15Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$45,750
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,040 – $63,410220
16Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$45,450
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,400 – $60,000490
17Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$45,420
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,310 – $51,810720
18Food Batchmakers$42,990
High school diploma or equivalent
$28,830 – $57,980250
19Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$42,990
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,830 – $64,200250
20Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$41,920
High school diploma or equivalent
$33,800 – $56,260150
21Helpers--Production Workers$41,330
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,570 – $50,690470
22Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders$41,200
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,010 – $56,510210
23Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$40,970
High school diploma or equivalent
$23,740 – $63,620170
24Production Workers, All Other$39,560
High school diploma or equivalent
$30,770 – $54,7302,640
25Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$39,440
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,660 – $49,720280
26Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$39,400
High school diploma or equivalent
$32,200 – $61,040590
27Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators$39,220
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,450 – $48,4605,940
28Food and Tobacco Roasting, Baking, and Drying Machine Operators and Tenders$37,880
No formal educational credential
$31,510 – $49,560200
29Butchers and Meat Cutters$37,580
No formal educational credential
$23,960 – $48,840290
30Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders$37,490
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,320 – $55,300520
31Electrical, Electronic, and Electromechanical Assemblers, Except Coil Winders, Tapers, and Finishers$36,510
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,360 – $46,240200
32Metal Workers and Plastic Workers, All Other$35,530
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,680 – $45,840220
33Sewing Machine Operators$33,680
No formal educational credential
$19,010 – $46,670520
34Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing$33,680
High school diploma or equivalent
$30,550 – $45,470220
35Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers$32,300
No formal educational credential
$24,190 – $37,370460
36Bakers$31,890
No formal educational credential
$22,380 – $44,800610
37Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers$30,520
No formal educational credential
$28,000 – $37,600330

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

#	Occupation	MedianKnoxville, TN	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	Tool and Die MakersPostsecondary nondegree award	$63,180	$49,740 – $73,720	500
2	Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,120	$37,440 – $80,070	460
3	Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$58,680	$36,980 – $71,860	320
4	Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$51,170	$39,600 – $63,710	740
5	Structural Metal Fabricators and FittersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$50,720	$41,640 – $63,460	400
6	MachinistsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,900	$36,670 – $66,280	1,470
7	Computer Numerically Controlled Tool OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,040	$38,850 – $63,220	260
8	Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and BrazersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,040	$38,280 – $63,980	1,780
9	Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,920	$40,860 – $52,690	350
10	Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,920	$31,200 – $60,430	480
11	Cabinetmakers and Bench CarpentersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,890	$37,180 – $61,110	220
12	Chemical Equipment Operators and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,880	$31,010 – $62,780	190
13	Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and WeighersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,130	$33,320 – $64,890	2,160
14	Printing Press OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,920	$28,770 – $58,490	360
15	Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,750	$37,040 – $63,410	220
16	Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,450	$36,400 – $60,000	490
17	Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,420	$36,310 – $51,810	720
18	Food BatchmakersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$42,990	$28,830 – $57,980	250
19	Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$42,990	$39,830 – $64,200	250
20	Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$41,920	$33,800 – $56,260	150
21	Helpers--Production WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$41,330	$31,570 – $50,690	470
22	Food Cooking Machine Operators and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$41,200	$37,010 – $56,510	210
23	Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$40,970	$23,740 – $63,620	170
24	Production Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$39,560	$30,770 – $54,730	2,640
25	Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$39,440	$36,660 – $49,720	280
26	Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$39,400	$32,200 – $61,040	590
27	Miscellaneous Assemblers and FabricatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$39,220	$34,450 – $48,460	5,940
28	Food and Tobacco Roasting, Baking, and Drying Machine Operators and TendersNo formal educational credential	$37,880	$31,510 – $49,560	200
29	Butchers and Meat CuttersNo formal educational credential	$37,580	$23,960 – $48,840	290
30	Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$37,490	$34,320 – $55,300	520
31	Electrical, Electronic, and Electromechanical Assemblers, Except Coil Winders, Tapers, and FinishersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$36,510	$34,360 – $46,240	200
32	Metal Workers and Plastic Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$35,530	$31,680 – $45,840	220
33	Sewing Machine OperatorsNo formal educational credential	$33,680	$19,010 – $46,670	520
34	Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except SawingHigh school diploma or equivalent	$33,680	$30,550 – $45,470	220
35	Laundry and Dry-Cleaning WorkersNo formal educational credential	$32,300	$24,190 – $37,370	460
36	BakersNo formal educational credential	$31,890	$22,380 – $44,800	610
37	Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and TrimmersNo formal educational credential	$30,520	$28,000 – $37,600	330

Ranked among the occupations common enough to employ roughly one in every three thousand workers in Knoxville, TN. 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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The same fields, narrowed to what you can enter without one. Fields missing here have too few such occupations in Knoxville, TN to rank honestly.

High paying production jobs in Knoxville, TN with no experience

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