SOC 51-9198.00

    Helpers--Production Workers

    Help production workers by performing duties requiring less skill.

    Median pay
    $39,070
    Growth
    -8.2%
    Decline
    Openings a year
    20,900
    Typical education
    High school diploma

    Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition

    Source: BLS 2025 wages · 2025–35 projections

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    Annual pay range

    Lowest 10% earn less than
    $31,140
    Median
    $39,070
    Highest 10% earn more than
    $53,410
    National wages for all workers in this occupation. BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.

    165,700 people work in this occupation.

    What helpers--production workers do

    Job Zone 2: Some preparation

    Help production workers by performing duties requiring less skill. Duties include supplying or holding materials or tools, and cleaning work area and equipment.

    Usually a high school diploma; some on-the-job training or experience.

    Interest profile

    Realistic (R) · strongest
    92 / 100
    Investigative (I)
    5 / 100
    Artistic (A)
    2 / 100
    Social (S)
    11 / 100
    Enterprising (E)
    15 / 100
    Conventional (C)
    57 / 100
    How strongly each interest area describes the work, from O*NET (scores rescaled to 0–100). The interest code lists the strongest areas in order.

    Interest code RCE. Compare it with yours

    What you'd do

    Handling and Moving Objects
    87
    Performing General Physical Activities
    84
    Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
    72
    Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards
    71
    Judging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or People
    71
    Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings
    71
    Documenting/Recording Information
    70
    Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work
    69
    Making Decisions and Solving Problems
    67
    Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials
    66
    Work activities rated by importance for this occupation, O*NET (0–100).

    Skills and strengths

    Skills

    • Active Listening
    • Monitoring
    • Operation and Control
    • Operations Monitoring
    • Critical Thinking
    • Quality Control Analysis
    • Reading Comprehension
    • Speaking
    • Coordination
    • Social Perceptiveness

    Knowledge

    • Production and Processing
    • English Language
    • Mechanical
    • Administration and Management
    • Education and Training
    • Public Safety and Security
    • Computers and Electronics
    • Engineering and Technology
    • Mathematics
    • Administrative

    Abilities

    • Near Vision
    • Manual Dexterity
    • Static Strength
    • Oral Expression
    • Arm-Hand Steadiness
    • Control Precision
    • Extent Flexibility
    • Far Vision
    • Finger Dexterity
    • Information Ordering

    Work styles

    • Dependability
    • Cooperation
    • Attention to Detail
    • Cautiousness
    • Integrity
    • Self-Control
    • Perseverance
    • Stress Tolerance
    • Achievement Orientation
    • Optimism

    Also called

    Abrasive Mixer Helper · Aircraft Machinist Helper · Annealer Helper · Assembly Inspector Helper · Assembly Line Worker · Automatic Pad Making Machine Operator Helper · Automotive Painter Helper · Bag Machine Operator Helper · Baggage Handler · Bander Machine Helper

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    Sources and attribution

    Every figure on this page comes from these public datasets. Missing values are shown as not reported, never estimated.

    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. CollegesRef has modified all or some of this information.

    Page data updated November 5, 2026.