High paying production jobs in Minnesota with no experience

The best paid production occupations in Minnesota 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 Minnesota run 1.4% below the national average (2024), so a Minnesota salary is worth about 1.01× its face value in national terms. That scales every wage here by the same factor — it changes what the numbers mean, not their order. To see where a job pays a real premium, use jobs that pay more in Minnesota.

Wages: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Cost of living: BEA regional price parities, 2024

Find production jobs in Minnesota

OccupationMedian, Minnesota · Employed

1Power Plant Operators$94,390
High school diploma or equivalent
$72,540 – $125,900970
2Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators$75,850
High school diploma or equivalent
$61,620 – $98,6101,440
3Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators$74,670
High school diploma or equivalent
$52,130 – $87,2502,290
4Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Programmers$74,190
Postsecondary nondegree award
$51,200 – $89,9701,250
5Tool and Die Makers$71,020
Postsecondary nondegree award
$49,510 – $93,2301,150
6Machinists$61,140
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,550 – $80,38012,500
7Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers$60,280
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,690 – $75,7109,270
8Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$59,270
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,610 – $77,2901,760
9Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$58,260
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,010 – $65,1601,130
10Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$58,150
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,250 – $74,3101,960
11Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$57,190
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,210 – $73,2701,810
12Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers$57,170
High school diploma or equivalent
$42,030 – $76,5109,710
13Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators$56,780
High school diploma or equivalent
$43,890 – $76,3404,290
14Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders$53,340
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,210 – $74,2901,170
15Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$52,210
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,750 – $70,4603,430
16Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$51,780
High school diploma or equivalent
$42,030 – $81,8101,400
17Food and Tobacco Roasting, Baking, and Drying Machine Operators and Tenders$50,340
No formal educational credential
$41,750 – $71,0101,120
18Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$49,770
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,670 – $64,7006,130
19Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$49,590
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,060 – $79,2002,230
20Prepress Technicians and Workers$49,130
Postsecondary nondegree award
$40,430 – $65,5702,880
21Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$48,980
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,050 – $61,0402,540
22Cabinetmakers and Bench Carpenters$48,740
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,960 – $63,3102,340
23Printing Press Operators$48,560
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,950 – $73,6704,960
24Print Binding and Finishing Workers$48,390
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,000 – $61,7301,710
25Electrical, Electronic, and Electromechanical Assemblers, Except Coil Winders, Tapers, and Finishers$47,720
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,080 – $61,0006,750
26Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders$47,250
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,660 – $49,7701,410
27Production Workers, All Other$47,020
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,050 – $60,2703,550
28Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators$46,920
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,360 – $61,13044,810
29Helpers--Production Workers$44,720
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,040 – $57,2702,570
30Butchers and Meat Cutters$43,930
No formal educational credential
$34,790 – $59,5401,590
31Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers$43,400
No formal educational credential
$36,080 – $46,7703,790
32Slaughterers and Meat Packers$43,360
No formal educational credential
$37,710 – $44,0302,820
33Food Batchmakers$42,940
High school diploma or equivalent
$32,100 – $59,5207,660
34Food Processing Workers, All Other$41,800
No formal educational credential
$38,580 – $51,8502,000
35Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders$40,960
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,280 – $55,4207,340
36Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians$40,280
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,020 – $49,5701,110
37Bakers$40,210
No formal educational credential
$31,110 – $52,9702,660
38Sewing Machine Operators$38,930
No formal educational credential
$33,940 – $51,9101,890
39Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers$37,580
No formal educational credential
$31,090 – $46,5303,530

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

#	Occupation	MedianMinnesota	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	Power Plant OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$94,390	$72,540 – $125,900	970
2	Stationary Engineers and Boiler OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$75,850	$61,620 – $98,610	1,440
3	Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$74,670	$52,130 – $87,250	2,290
4	Computer Numerically Controlled Tool ProgrammersPostsecondary nondegree award	$74,190	$51,200 – $89,970	1,250
5	Tool and Die MakersPostsecondary nondegree award	$71,020	$49,510 – $93,230	1,150
6	MachinistsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$61,140	$46,550 – $80,380	12,500
7	Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and BrazersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$60,280	$45,690 – $75,710	9,270
8	Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,270	$45,610 – $77,290	1,760
9	Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$58,260	$47,010 – $65,160	1,130
10	Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$58,150	$40,250 – $74,310	1,960
11	Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$57,190	$40,210 – $73,270	1,810
12	Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and WeighersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$57,170	$42,030 – $76,510	9,710
13	Computer Numerically Controlled Tool OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$56,780	$43,890 – $76,340	4,290
14	Chemical Equipment Operators and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$53,340	$40,210 – $74,290	1,170
15	Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$52,210	$40,750 – $70,460	3,430
16	Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$51,780	$42,030 – $81,810	1,400
17	Food and Tobacco Roasting, Baking, and Drying Machine Operators and TendersNo formal educational credential	$50,340	$41,750 – $71,010	1,120
18	Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,770	$34,670 – $64,700	6,130
19	Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,590	$37,060 – $79,200	2,230
20	Prepress Technicians and WorkersPostsecondary nondegree award	$49,130	$40,430 – $65,570	2,880
21	Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,980	$40,050 – $61,040	2,540
22	Cabinetmakers and Bench CarpentersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,740	$38,960 – $63,310	2,340
23	Printing Press OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,560	$36,950 – $73,670	4,960
24	Print Binding and Finishing WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,390	$38,000 – $61,730	1,710
25	Electrical, Electronic, and Electromechanical Assemblers, Except Coil Winders, Tapers, and FinishersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,720	$38,080 – $61,000	6,750
26	Food Cooking Machine Operators and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,250	$46,660 – $49,770	1,410
27	Production Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,020	$37,050 – $60,270	3,550
28	Miscellaneous Assemblers and FabricatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,920	$37,360 – $61,130	44,810
29	Helpers--Production WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$44,720	$36,040 – $57,270	2,570
30	Butchers and Meat CuttersNo formal educational credential	$43,930	$34,790 – $59,540	1,590
31	Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and TrimmersNo formal educational credential	$43,400	$36,080 – $46,770	3,790
32	Slaughterers and Meat PackersNo formal educational credential	$43,360	$37,710 – $44,030	2,820
33	Food BatchmakersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$42,940	$32,100 – $59,520	7,660
34	Food Processing Workers, All OtherNo formal educational credential	$41,800	$38,580 – $51,850	2,000
35	Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$40,960	$36,280 – $55,420	7,340
36	Ophthalmic Laboratory TechniciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$40,280	$34,020 – $49,570	1,110
37	BakersNo formal educational credential	$40,210	$31,110 – $52,970	2,660
38	Sewing Machine OperatorsNo formal educational credential	$38,930	$33,940 – $51,910	1,890
39	Laundry and Dry-Cleaning WorkersNo formal educational credential	$37,580	$31,090 – $46,530	3,530

Ranked among the occupations common enough to employ roughly one in every three thousand workers in Minnesota. 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 Minnesota

Metro areas in Minnesota

Pay varies more between metros than between states — the spread inside one state is often wider than the gap between two.

By field in Minnesota

Without a degree

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

High paying production jobs in Minnesota with no experience

More for Minnesota

Metro areas in Minnesota

By field in Minnesota

Without a degree

High paying production jobs in each state with no experience