High paying production jobs in Lancaster, PA with no experience

The best paid production occupations in Lancaster, PA 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 Lancaster, PA run 1.7% below the national average (2024), so a Lancaster, PA salary is worth about 1.02× 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 Lancaster, PA

OccupationMedian, Lancaster, PA · Employed

1Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Programmers$63,960
Postsecondary nondegree award
$53,840 – $85,90080
2Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators$63,630
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,170 – $77,350260
3Tool and Die Makers$60,280
Postsecondary nondegree award
$47,570 – $77,920230
4Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators$58,970
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,220 – $72,340510
5Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders$56,810
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,400 – $78,900180
6Machinists$56,700
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,250 – $73,230560
7Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers$54,370
High school diploma or equivalent
$41,480 – $73,9001,270
8Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$52,560
High school diploma or equivalent
$33,520 – $58,700220
9Food Processing Workers, All Other$51,490
No formal educational credential
$38,620 – $65,920190
10Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$50,560
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,440 – $83,330320
11Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$50,080
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,770 – $66,38080
12Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders$49,680
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,530 – $73,7801,320
13Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters$49,390
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,940 – $58,340230
14Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$49,050
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,280 – $55,45090
15Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$48,780
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,380 – $61,200560
16Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$48,780
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,240 – $60,530440
17Printing Press Operators$48,650
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,940 – $67,180440
18Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$48,340
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,720 – $66,890520
19Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic$47,780
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,100 – $64,260130
20Print Binding and Finishing Workers$47,600
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,970 – $54,800150
21Furniture Finishers$47,600
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,380 – $63,610100
22Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$47,350
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,260 – $55,170190
23Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers$47,220
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,510 – $70,7801,380
24Cabinetmakers and Bench Carpenters$46,850
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,180 – $60,580530
25Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators$46,530
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,060 – $61,4903,990
26Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$46,470
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,490 – $62,190370
27Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$46,400
High school diploma or equivalent
$41,540 – $73,080270
28Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$46,330
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,940 – $62,14080
29Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing$45,830
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,130 – $62,800340
30Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$45,190
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,350 – $60,900120
31Electrical, Electronic, and Electromechanical Assemblers, Except Coil Winders, Tapers, and Finishers$44,200
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,580 – $55,190410
32Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood$44,060
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,150 – $66,470150
33Food Batchmakers$41,650
High school diploma or equivalent
$32,350 – $65,6901,000
34Helpers--Production Workers$40,400
High school diploma or equivalent
$32,990 – $48,500620
35Production Workers, All Other$39,090
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,260 – $63,410370
36Butchers and Meat Cutters$36,660
No formal educational credential
$27,020 – $60,060190
37Bakers$36,160
No formal educational credential
$27,260 – $54,020910
38Sewing Machine Operators$35,630
No formal educational credential
$29,190 – $42,310190
39Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers$35,070
No formal educational credential
$27,150 – $39,020310

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

#	Occupation	MedianLancaster, PA	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	Computer Numerically Controlled Tool ProgrammersPostsecondary nondegree award	$63,960	$53,840 – $85,900	80
2	Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$63,630	$49,170 – $77,350	260
3	Tool and Die MakersPostsecondary nondegree award	$60,280	$47,570 – $77,920	230
4	Computer Numerically Controlled Tool OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$58,970	$45,220 – $72,340	510
5	Chemical Equipment Operators and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$56,810	$37,400 – $78,900	180
6	MachinistsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$56,700	$40,250 – $73,230	560
7	Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and BrazersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$54,370	$41,480 – $73,900	1,270
8	Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$52,560	$33,520 – $58,700	220
9	Food Processing Workers, All OtherNo formal educational credential	$51,490	$38,620 – $65,920	190
10	Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$50,560	$38,440 – $83,330	320
11	Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$50,080	$38,770 – $66,380	80
12	Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,680	$37,530 – $73,780	1,320
13	Structural Metal Fabricators and FittersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,390	$47,940 – $58,340	230
14	Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,050	$36,280 – $55,450	90
15	Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,780	$37,380 – $61,200	560
16	Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,780	$35,240 – $60,530	440
17	Printing Press OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,650	$36,940 – $67,180	440
18	Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,340	$37,720 – $66,890	520
19	Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,780	$38,100 – $64,260	130
20	Print Binding and Finishing WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,600	$36,970 – $54,800	150
21	Furniture FinishersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,600	$36,380 – $63,610	100
22	Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,350	$37,260 – $55,170	190
23	Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and WeighersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,220	$36,510 – $70,780	1,380
24	Cabinetmakers and Bench CarpentersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,850	$38,180 – $60,580	530
25	Miscellaneous Assemblers and FabricatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,530	$36,060 – $61,490	3,990
26	Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,470	$37,490 – $62,190	370
27	Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,400	$41,540 – $73,080	270
28	Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,330	$37,940 – $62,140	80
29	Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except SawingHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,830	$37,130 – $62,800	340
30	Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,190	$31,350 – $60,900	120
31	Electrical, Electronic, and Electromechanical Assemblers, Except Coil Winders, Tapers, and FinishersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$44,200	$36,580 – $55,190	410
32	Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, WoodHigh school diploma or equivalent	$44,060	$35,150 – $66,470	150
33	Food BatchmakersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$41,650	$32,350 – $65,690	1,000
34	Helpers--Production WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$40,400	$32,990 – $48,500	620
35	Production Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$39,090	$37,260 – $63,410	370
36	Butchers and Meat CuttersNo formal educational credential	$36,660	$27,020 – $60,060	190
37	BakersNo formal educational credential	$36,160	$27,260 – $54,020	910
38	Sewing Machine OperatorsNo formal educational credential	$35,630	$29,190 – $42,310	190
39	Laundry and Dry-Cleaning WorkersNo formal educational credential	$35,070	$27,150 – $39,020	310

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

High paying production jobs in Lancaster, PA with no experience

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