Manufacturing Salaries - 2004

The composite highest-income practitioner reported inJanitors - $24,376
this field (salary plus cash bonus and/or cashReceptionists - $23,795
profit-sharing) is the President "B" of a manufacturingInjection Molding Machine Operators - $23,443
firm (defined as a chief executive officer who hasWarehouse Laborers - $23,109
little or no financial interest in the firm). The firmDrill Press Operators, Single - $21,320
manufactures automotive parts/accessories, foodThe income relationships reported above may be
beverage/tobacco products, chemical & allieddistorted slightly, since some of these benchmark
products, or machinery & heavy equipment; hasjobs were reported more frequently in organizations
1,000 or more employees; has a total annual revenueof one size, while other benchmark jobs were
of $100,000,000 or more; and is headquartered in orreported more frequently by larger or smaller
near Denver/Colorado Springs, Houston, Memphis,organizations. This may also be true for product
Minneapolis/St. Paul, Modesto/Stockton, Dallas/Ft.manufactured, geographic location, and supervisory
Worth, Indianapolis, Boston, New York City, ormanagerial responsibility. This possible defect is
Dayton, or outside a metropolitan area studied incorrected in the complete survey report by reporting
Idaho. However, while the median President "B' has aincome for each benchmark job overall and with
total annual income of $214,966, the highest-income"break-outs" by each demographic variable.
individuals reported are Presidents "A" (having aType of Product
financial interest in the firm) and make well overOverall, administrative, fiscal, and information
$30,000,000.technology employees are paid best by
Far toward the other end of the income spectrum,manufacturers of communications equipment, medical
Assemblers "D" have a median income of $20,418.engineering/scientific equipment, stone/clay/concrete
Sometimes earning under $14,600, the lowest-paidglass products, and aerospace & aircraft products,
employees in this group are employed by firms thatand worst in firms producing building materials, heating
manufacture building materials; have $1 million toair conditioning/refrigeration products, chemical & allied
$4.99 million in total annual revenue; have 5,000 toproducts, and apparel & textile mill products.
9,999 employees; and are located in or nearEmployees in the sales/marketing group enjoy the
Greensboro/Winston-Salem, Raleigh/Durham/Chapelhighest income in firms that produce chemical & allied
Hill, Dallas/Ft. Worth, or Charlotte, or outside theproducts, paper & allied products, circuit board
metropolitan areas studied in Texas, North Carolina,products, and measuring & controlling devices.
or Florida.Income is lowest among producers of building
These composites represent the briefest possiblematerials, apparel & textile mill products, rubber &
"boil-down" of the voluminous data provided regardingplastic products, and heating/air conditioning
current salaries and cash bonuses and/or profitrefrigeration products.
sharing, and numerous demographic variablesClerical personnel are paid best by firms that
provided by 343 firms on over 54,000 managerial,manufacture aerospace & aircraft products, stone
supervisory, sales, engineering, technical, clerical, andclay/concrete/glass products, and chemical & allied
blue-collar employees in 187 benchmark jobs whichproducts. They have the lowest median incomes in
resulted in the eight-volume survey report,firms that produce heating/air conditioning
Compensation in Manufacturing, 24th Edition - 2004,refrigeration products, circuit boards, and building
sponsored by the National Association ofmaterials.
Manufacturers.Engineering/technical employees have the highest
Copies of the entire eight-volume report are availablemedian incomes among manufacturers of aerospace
for $1,250.00 from Abbott, Langer & Associates, Inc.,& aircraft products, communications equipment,
Dept. ART, 548 First St., Crete, IL 60417 (telephoneapparel & textile mill products, and medical
708/672-4200; fax 708/672-4674; Also available isengineering/scientific equipment. The lowest median
Compensation in Smaller Manufacturing Firms (underincome is reported among manufacturers of circuit
250 employees) for $595.00. Each volume of bothboard products, building materials, and primary ferrous
reports may be purchased separately. Also available ismetals.
findpay-MFG04 (a computer program which permitsMaintenance/material acquisition personnel are best
the user to determine pay levels of each survey jobpaid by firms that manufacture aerospace & aircraft
on the basis of two or more variablesproducts, stone/clay/concrete/glass products, and
simultaneously).chemical & allied products. This group of employees
It would be an exercise in futility to attempt moreare worst paid by manufacturers of apparel & textile
than a superficial overview of the survey results inmill products, building materials, furniture & wood
this summary. However, some overall data regardingproducts, and heating/air conditioning/refrigeration
compensation can be presented herein. In addition toproducts.
the incomes of the benchmark jobs alreadyManagerial and supervisory personnel in plant
discussed, the median total cash compensationmanufacturing/production functions receive the
nationally of some of the other jobs included in thehighest median incomes when employed by firms
survey report is:producing stone/clay/concrete/glass products,
Chief Legal Officers - $181,200measuring & controlling devices, and food/beverage
Vice Presidents of Manufacturing/Production -products, and the lowest median incomes when
$135,375employed by companies producing primary ferrous
Chief Marketing & Sales Executives - $133,835metals, computer & allied products, and furniture &
Chief Corporate Financial Officers - $130,066wood products.
Vice Presidents of Manufacturing/ProductionQuality assurance/control, regulatory affairs, and
Engineering - $112,274documentation employees are paid best by
Research & Development Managers - $90,377producers of measuring & controlling devices,
Engineering Department Managers/Superintendents -aerospace & aircraft products, and primary ferrous
$89,232metals. They are paid least by manufacturers of
Chief Human Resources Executives - $80,849apparel & other textile products, rubber/plastic
Plant Managers/Superintendents - $78,595products, medical/engineering/scientific equipment,
Product/Brand Managers - $75,789and circuit board products.
Design Managers - $74,347Production employees in firms of 250 employees or
Facilities Managers - $68,198more fare best among producers of chemical & allied
Cost Accounting Managers - $67,161products, paper & allied products, fabricated metal
Sales Engineers - $67,000products, and measuring & controlling devices, and
Manufacturing Engineers - $66,477worst among manufacturers of furniture & wood
Production Managers/Superintendents - $65,730products, apparel & textile mill products, and building
Quality Assurance/Control Managers - $64,890materials. Production employees in firms of under 250
Computer Programmers - $61,963employees fare best in firms which product stone
Purchasing Managers - $61,805clay/concrete/glass products, machinery & heavy
Warehouse Managers - $54,000equipment, chemicals & allied products, and fabricated
General Production Supervisors - $49,781metal products, and worst among manufacturers of
General Accountants - $48,725apparel & textile mill products, circuit board products,
Product Designers - $45,000and communications equipment.
Maintenance Leaders/Working Supervisors - $40,833Level of Managerial/Supervisory Responsibility
Drafters, Senior - $43,795This factor is an excellent predictor of overall income
Buyers, Junior - $40,256in the manufacturing field. In larger firms, median
Secretaries to the Chief Executive Officer - $40,125income increases from $54,060 for those supervising
Machine Repairers, Maintenance - $39,192under five professionals to $83,916 for those who
Production Schedulers - $38,195direct the activities of 100 or more non-professionals,
Automatic Screw Machine Operators - Multiple Spindleand from $72,992 for those supervising under five
- $37,252professionals to $95,813 for those who direct the
Maintenance Workers, General - $36,420activities of 50 to 249 professionals. Median income
Chemical Production/Mixing Machine Operators -increases further (to $245,650) for those who direct
$35,686the activities of 250 or more professionals and
Carpenters, Maintenance - $34,211non-professionals.
Quality Assurance/Control Technicians - $33,329In smaller firms, median income increases from
Inspectors "A" - $32,739$48,505 for those supervising under five
Secretaries - $32,500non-professionals to $90,000 for those who direct
Milling Machine Operators - $32,261the activities of 100 or more non-professional
Payroll Clerks - $31,775employees, and from $75,401 for those supervising
Numerically Controlled Machine Operators - $31,750under five professionals to $91,617 for those who
Customer Service Representatives - $29,787direct the activities of 50 to 249 professionals. Median
Injection Molding Machine Set-up and Operators -income increases further (to $170,000) for those
$28,200who direct the activities of 100 to 249 professionals
Senior Account Clerks - $27,913and non-professionals.
Machine Set-Up Workers - $27,809Size of Organization and Geographic Location
Material Handlers - $27,705Median income for job families and individual jobs
Lathe Operators, Engine or Turret - $27,690varies significantly by size of organization and location.
Painters, Production - $27,619While the compensation data were analyzed by size
Machinists, Production - $26,661of organization and region, state, and metropolitan
Junior Account Clerks - $26,449area, the data are too voluminous to allow for
Fork Lift Operators - $26,052succinct commentary herein and must be left to the
Shipping Clerks - $25,317complete report.
Finishers - $25,044