$61,070($29.36/hr)
High school diploma or equivalent
-
Gas Plant Operators distribute or process gas for utility companies and others by controlling compressors to maintain specified pressures on main pipelines.
$39,730 ($19.10/hr)
No formal educational credential
None
Tank Car, Truck, and Ship Loaders load and unload chemicals and bulk solids, such as coal, sand, and grain, into or from tank cars, trucks, or ships, using material moving equipment. They may perform a variety of other tasks relating to shipment of products, and gauge or sample shipping tanks and test them for leaks.
$46,100 ($22.17/hr)
High school diploma or equivalent
None
Small engine mechanics inspect, service, and repair motorized power equipment. Mechanics often specialize in one type of equipment, such as motorcycles, motorboats, or outdoor power equipment.
$53,720 ($25.83/hr)
High school diploma or equivalent
None
Heavy vehicle and mobile equipment service technicians, also called mechanics, inspect, maintain, and repair vehicles and machinery used in construction, farming, rail transportation, and other industries.
$46,820 ($22.51/hr)
High school diploma or equivalent
None
Earth Drillers operate a variety of drills such as rotary, churn, and pneumatic to tap subsurface water and salt deposits, to remove core samples during mineral exploration or soil testing, and to facilitate the use of explosives in mining or construction.
$49,980 ($24.03/hr)
High school diploma or equivalent
None
Industrial machinery mechanics and machinery maintenance workers maintain and repair factory equipment and other industrial machinery, such as conveying systems, production machinery, and packaging equipment. Millwrights install, dismantle, repair, reassemble, and move machinery in factories, power plants, and construction sites.
$48,000 ($23.08/hr)
Postsecondary nondegree award
None
Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers, which are often called HVACR technicians, work on heating, ventilation, cooling, and refrigeration systems that control the temperature and air quality in buildings.
$49,600 ($23.85/hr)
High school diploma or equivalent
None
Industrial machinery mechanics and machinery maintenance workers maintain and repair factory equipment and other industrial machinery, such as conveying systems, production machinery, and packaging equipment. Millwrights install, dismantle, repair, reassemble, and move machinery in factories, power plants, and construction sites.
$47,200 ($22.69/hr)
High school diploma or equivalent
None
Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers use hand-held or remotely controlled equipment to join or cut metal parts. They also fill holes, indentations, or seams in metal products.
$45,900 ($22.07/hr)
High school diploma or equivalent
None
Heavy vehicle and mobile equipment service technicians, also called mechanics, inspect, maintain, and repair vehicles and machinery used in construction, farming, rail transportation, and other industries.
$42,020 ($20.20/hr)
High school diploma or equivalent
None
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers install, fix and maintain machines, mechanical equipment, and buildings. This category includes all installation, maintenance, and repair workers not contained somewhere else.
$50,290 ($24.18/hr)
High school diploma or equivalent
None
Diesel service technicians and mechanics (also known as diesel technicians) inspect, repair, or overhaul buses and trucks, or maintain and repair any type of diesel engine.
$48,550 ($23.34/hr)
No formal educational credential
None
Continuous Mining Machine Operators use self-propelled mining machines that rip coal, metal and nonmetal ores, rock, stone, or sand from the mine face and load it onto conveyors, shuttle cars, or trucks, in a continuous operation.
$47,220 ($22.70/hr)
High school diploma or equivalent
None
Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters install and repair piping fixtures and systems.
$52,730 ($25.35/hr)
High school diploma or equivalent
None
Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators control stationary engines, boilers, or other mechanical equipment to provide utilities for buildings or for industrial purposes.
$41,700 ($20.05/hr)
High school diploma or equivalent
None
Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders set up, operate, and tend continuous flow or vat-type equipment, filter presses, shaker screens, centrifuges, condenser tubes, precipitating, fermenting, or evaporating tanks, scrubbing towers, or batch stills. These machines extract, sort, or separate liquids, gases, or solids from other materials to recover a refined product. This category includes dairy processing equipment operators.
$44,720 ($21.50/hr)
High school diploma or equivalent
None
Extraction Workers Helpers support extraction craft workers, such as earth drillers, blasters and explosives workers, derrick operators, and mining machine operators, by performing duties requiring less skill. Their duties include supplying equipment and cleaning their work area.
$36,820 ($17.70/hr)
High school diploma or equivalent
None
Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators and Tenders operate or tend heating equipment other than basic metal, plastic, or food processing equipment. This category includes activities such as annealing glass, drying lumber, curing rubber, removing moisture from materials, or boiling soap.
$48,220 ($23.18/hr)
High school diploma or equivalent
None
Electric Motor, Power Tool, and Related Repairers fix, maintain, or install electric motors, wiring, or switches.
$55,260 ($26.57/hr)
High school diploma or equivalent
None
Crane and Tower Operators operate mechanical boom and cable or tower and cable equipment to lift and move materials, machines, or products in many directions.
$38,000 ($18.27/hr)
High school diploma or equivalent
None
Hazardous Materials (hazmat) Removal Workers identify and dispose of harmful substances, such as asbestos, lead, mold, and radioactive waste. They also neutralize and clean up materials that are flammable, corrosive, or toxic.
$46,500 ($22.36/hr)
High school diploma or equivalent
None
Home appliance repairers install, adjust, or repair all types of electric or gas household appliances, such as refrigerators, washers, dryers, and ovens.
$40,490 ($19.47/hr)
High school diploma or equivalent
None
Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders set up, operate, or tend machines to mix or blend materials, such as chemicals, tobacco, liquids, color pigments, or explosive ingredients.
$46,380 ($22.30/hr)
High school diploma or equivalent
None
Semiconductor Processing Technicians perform any or all of the following functions in the manufacture of electronic semiconductors: load semiconductor material into furnace; saw formed ingots into segments; load individual segment into crystal growing chamber and monitor controls; locate crystal axis in ingot using x-ray equipment and saw ingots into wafers; and clean, polish, and load wafers into series of special purpose furnaces, chemical baths, and equipment used to form circuitry and change conductive properties.
$47,360 ($22.77/hr)
High school diploma or equivalent
None
Surface Mining Excavating Machine, Loading Machine, and Dragline Operators handle or tend machinery at surface mining sites. They use vehicles and tools equipped with scoops, shovels, or buckets to excavate and load loose materials.
$50,290 ($24.18/hr)
Postsecondary nondegree award
None
Ship Engineers operate and maintain a vessel's propulsion system, which includes the engine, boilers, generators, pumps, and other machinery.
$45,930 ($22.08/hr)
High school diploma or equivalent
None
Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators manage a system of machines, often through the use of control boards, to transfer or treat water or wastewater.
$48,950 ($23.53/hr)
High school diploma or equivalent
None
Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders operate or tend equipment to control chemical changes or reactions in the processing of industrial or consumer products. The equipment that they use can include devulcanizers, steam-jacketed kettles, and reactor vessels.
$43,720 ($21.02/hr)
High school diploma or equivalent
None
Synthetic and Glass Fiber Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders set up, operate, or tend machines that extrude and form continuous filaments from synthetic materials, such as liquid polymer, rayon, and fiberglass.
$41,950 ($20.17/hr)
High school diploma or equivalent
None
Metal and Plastic Heat Treating Equipment Setters, Operators, and Tenders set up, operate, or tend heating equipment such as heat-treating furnaces, flame-hardening machines, induction machines, soaking pits, or vacuum equipment to temper, harden, or heat-treat metal or plastic objects.
$48,180 ($23.16/hr)
High school diploma or equivalent
None
Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems assemblers fit, fasten, and install parts of airplanes, space vehicles, or missiles.