Occupation salary profile

Helpers--Production Workers

SOC 51-9198 BLS OEWS May 2025

Help production workers by performing duties requiring less skill. Duties include supplying or holding materials or tools, and cleaning work area and equipment. Apprentice workers are classified in the appropriate production occupations (51-0000).

National median · BLS
$39,070
▲ +2.22% YoY
H-1B sponsor median
—
Too few H-1B filings
Average salary · BLS
$41,120
Mean annual wage
U.S. employment
165,700
Jobs (BLS)
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Pay range for Helpers--Production Workers

Annual base pay at each percentile. BLS covers all U.S. workers in this occupation.

Percentile All U.S. workers (BLS)
10th — entry pay$31,140
25th$35,220
Median (50th)$39,070
75th$45,990
90th — top pay$53,410

Hourly ⇄ annual pay

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Monthly—
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Daily—
Based on hrs/week × weeks/year = 2,080 hrs
Projections 2025–2035

Job outlook for Helpers--Production Workers

BLS projects employment of helpers--production workers to decline 8.2% from 2025 to 2035, while employment across all occupations grows 3.5%. About 20,900 openings are projected each year, on average, from new jobs and from replacing workers who retire or move to other occupations.

Jobs 2025 → 2035
167,400 → 153,600
-13,800 jobs
Projected change
-8.2%
All occupations: +3.5%
Openings per year
20,900
Average, 2025–2035
Typical entry education
High school diploma or equivalent
No related experience required
On-the-job training
Short-term on-the-job training
Self-employed
1.7% of workers (2025)
Preparation needed (O*NET Job Zone 2)
Very Little to Some Preparation Needed. Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
Fastest-declining jobs → Best-paying jobs that need a high school diploma →

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025–2035

Skills & tools

Skills needed for Helpers--Production Workers

How important each skill and knowledge area is for this job, rated by O*NET on a 1–5 scale from surveys of workers and occupational analysts.

Top skills
  • Active Listening2.8
  • Monitoring2.8
  • Operation and Control2.8
  • Operations Monitoring2.8
  • Critical Thinking2.6
  • Quality Control Analysis2.6
  • Reading Comprehension2.6
  • Speaking2.6
  • Coordination2.5
  • Social Perceptiveness2.5
Top knowledge areas
  • Production and Processing3.4
  • English Language3.0
  • Mechanical2.9
  • Administration and Management2.7
  • Education and Training2.7
  • Public Safety and Security2.6
  • Computers and Electronics2.6
  • Engineering and Technology2.5
Software and technology used
Adobe AcrobatAdobe InDesignAdobe PhotoshopAutodesk AutoCADMicrosoft ExcelMicrosoft Office softwareMicrosoft OutlookMicrosoft PowerPointMicrosoft WordSAP softwareOperational databases

Highlighted = in demand: frequently listed in employer job postings for this occupation (O*NET).

Source: O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.

About the job

What helpers--production workers do

  • Lift raw materials, finished products, and packed items, manually or using hoists.
  • Mark or tag identification on parts.
  • Observe equipment operations so that malfunctions can be detected, and notify operators of any malfunctions.
  • Count finished products to determine if product orders are complete.
  • Examine products to verify conformance to quality standards.
  • Operate machinery used in the production process, or assist machine operators.
  • Load and unload items from machines, conveyors, and conveyances.
  • Remove products, machine attachments, or waste material from machines.
Also called
Control Room HelperPress HelperProduction HelperWelder HelperAssembly Line WorkerLaminator HelperMachine HelperMachine Operator HelperPress Room HelperSlitter Helper
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Source: O*NET 31.0 (USDOL/ETA, CC BY 4.0). These are general job titles, not H-1B filings; for titles employers actually filed, see “Job titles” above.