SOC 51-9195.05Bright outlook

    Potters, Manufacturing

    Operate production machines such as pug mill, jigger machine, or potter's wheel to process clay in manufacture of ceramic, pottery and stoneware products.

    Median pay
    $46,170
    Growth
    +5.8%
    Faster than average
    Openings a year
    5,100
    Typical education
    High school diploma

    Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition

    Source: BLS 2025 wages · 2025–35 projections · figures for the broader BLS group "Molders, shapers, and casters, except metal and plastic"

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    Annual pay range

    Lowest 10% earn less than
    $35,850
    Median
    $46,170
    Highest 10% earn more than
    $61,530
    National wages for all workers in this occupation. BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.

    33,190 people work in this occupation.

    What potters, manufacturing do

    Job Zone 3: Medium preparation

    Operate production machines such as pug mill, jigger machine, or potter's wheel to process clay in manufacture of ceramic, pottery and stoneware products.

    Usually vocational training, an associate degree or related experience.

    Interest profile

    Realistic (R) · strongest
    99 / 100
    Investigative (I)
    11 / 100
    Artistic (A)
    19 / 100
    Social (S)
    0 / 100
    Enterprising (E)
    3 / 100
    Conventional (C)
    45 / 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 RCA. Compare it with yours

    What you'd do

    Handling and Moving Objects
    84
    Thinking Creatively
    78
    Controlling Machines and Processes
    76
    Performing General Physical Activities
    73
    Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials
    68
    Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work
    65
    Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings
    60
    Making Decisions and Solving Problems
    59
    Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment
    59
    Scheduling Work and Activities
    56
    Work activities rated by importance for this occupation, O*NET (0–100).

    Skills and strengths

    Skills

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

    Knowledge

    • Fine Arts
    • Production and Processing
    • Design
    • Customer and Personal Service
    • Chemistry
    • Administration and Management
    • Sales and Marketing
    • Engineering and Technology
    • Mathematics
    • Mechanical

    Abilities

    • Arm-Hand Steadiness
    • Finger Dexterity
    • Manual Dexterity
    • Control Precision
    • Near Vision
    • Visualization
    • Multilimb Coordination
    • Category Flexibility
    • Deductive Reasoning
    • Information Ordering

    Work styles

    • Attention to Detail
    • Dependability
    • Innovation
    • Cautiousness
    • Achievement Orientation
    • Perseverance
    • Self-Confidence
    • Self-Control
    • Adaptability
    • Initiative

    Also called

    Clay Mixer · Glazer · Jigger Artisan · Jigger Machine Operator · Jiggerman · Kiln Worker · Manufacturing Potter · Pot Maker · Potter · Pottery and Porcelain Model Maker

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    Related careers

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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.