Helpers--Production Workers
Help production workers by performing duties requiring less skill. Duties include supplying or holding materials or tools, and cleaning work area and equipment.
- O*NET-SOC code
51-9198.00 - Preparation Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed
Wages
Median annual wage, U.S.$39,070
Employment, U.S.165,700
Median hourly wage$18.78
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $31,140 | $35,220 | $39,070 | $45,990 | $53,410 |
By state (49)
| State | Employment | Median annual | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 7,230 | $35,910 | 3.21 |
| Alaska | 280 | $42,530 | 0.81 |
| Arizona | 1,350 | $39,680 | 0.39 |
| Arkansas | 6,760 | $35,540 | 4.86 |
| California | 16,730 | $43,970 | 0.86 |
| Colorado | 1,350 | $45,550 | 0.44 |
| Connecticut | 1,400 | $45,260 | 0.77 |
| Delaware | 230 | $38,380 | 0.44 |
| Florida | 5,010 | $37,950 | 0.47 |
| Georgia | 4,480 | $36,280 | 0.86 |
| Hawaii | 230 | $44,380 | 0.34 |
| Idaho | 1,140 | $38,240 | 1.25 |
| Illinois | 5,210 | $41,480 | 0.80 |
| Indiana | 2,450 | $42,210 | 0.72 |
| Iowa | 2,070 | $45,560 | 1.25 |
| Kansas | 1,430 | $37,320 | 0.93 |
| Kentucky | 2,900 | $42,130 | 1.36 |
| Louisiana | 3,710 | $36,400 | 1.80 |
| Maine | 470 | $44,120 | 0.70 |
| Maryland | 1,650 | $44,680 | 0.56 |
| Massachusetts | 1,790 | $42,280 | 0.46 |
| Michigan | 3,610 | $41,660 | 0.77 |
| Minnesota | 2,570 | $44,720 | 0.82 |
| Mississippi | 3,540 | $33,880 | 2.85 |
| Missouri | 6,250 | $40,580 | 2.00 |
| Montana | 220 | $46,110 | 0.41 |
| Nebraska | 700 | $45,020 | 0.64 |
| Nevada | 680 | $39,730 | 0.41 |
| New Hampshire | 690 | $42,740 | 0.94 |
| New Jersey | 4,450 | $39,290 | 0.97 |
| New Mexico | 810 | $35,650 | 0.87 |
| New York | 3,810 | $43,540 | 0.37 |
| North Carolina | 4,350 | $39,410 | 0.83 |
| North Dakota | 220 | $46,170 | 0.49 |
| Ohio | 4,280 | $39,600 | 0.72 |
| Oklahoma | 2,200 | $36,240 | 1.21 |
| Oregon | 2,420 | $45,390 | 1.15 |
| Pennsylvania | 6,450 | $41,060 | 1.00 |
| Rhode Island | 210 | $44,720 | 0.39 |
| South Carolina | 1,950 | $36,610 | 0.79 |
| Tennessee | 5,270 | $38,330 | 1.51 |
| Texas | 30,470 | $36,610 | 2.03 |
| Utah | 1,000 | $37,110 | 0.54 |
| Vermont | 270 | $39,540 | 0.84 |
| Virginia | 3,900 | $37,740 | 0.89 |
| Washington | 3,620 | $45,450 | 0.96 |
| West Virginia | 670 | $39,190 | 0.89 |
| Wisconsin | 2,900 | $45,100 | 0.92 |
| Wyoming | 280 | $40,200 | 0.93 |
Similar occupations
Similarity is our measure: the cosine of importance x level over all 120 O*NET skills, knowledge areas and abilities. It is not an O*NET finding. More.
Circles are the 20 most similar occupations, coloured by Job Zone. Lines join pairs where one is among the other's 10 most similar; darker lines are pairs O*NET also lists as related. Drag a circle to move it out of the way; select one to open it.
| # | Occupation | Job Zone | Similarity |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders | 1-2 | 0.968 |
| 2 | Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | 1-2 | 0.964 |
| 3 | Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic | 1-2 | 0.962 |
| 4 | Adhesive Bonding Machine Operators and Tenders | 1-2 | 0.962 |
| 5 | Machine Feeders and Offbearers | 1-2 | 0.960 |
| 6 | Tire Builders | 1-2 | 0.958 |
| 7 | Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | 1-2 | 0.956 |
| 8 | Recycling and Reclamation Workers | 1-2 | 0.956 |
| 9 | Rock Splitters, Quarry | 1-2 | 0.956 |
| 10 | Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators and Tenders | 1-2 | 0.956 |
One skill away
Among the 50 occupations most similar to Helpers--Production Workers, those at the same Job Zone or lower, where exactly one skill rated at least 3 in importance needs a level more than 0.75 points higher (on O*NET's 0-7 level scale). Our definition. Change the thresholds.
| Occupation | Skill to build | Level gap | Similarity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Recycling and Reclamation Workers | Active Listening | 0.76 | 0.956 |
| Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters | Active Listening | 0.88 | 0.952 |
| Stone Cutters and Carvers, Manufacturing | Critical Thinking | 0.88 | 0.951 |
| Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers | Quality Control Analysis | 1.00 | 0.949 |
Software to learn next
Software used by at least 3 of the 20 occupations most similar to Helpers--Production Workers, excluding software Helpers--Production Workers already lists and any you named. Ranked by how many of them use it, weighted by how much more common it is among them than across all occupations (lift). Our ranking.
No software is shared by enough similar occupations.
Skills
From O*NET data. Importance is rated 1 to 5 and level 0 to 7.
| Skill | Type | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Operation and Control | Transferable skill | 2.75 | 2.62 |
| Operations Monitoring | Transferable skill | 2.75 | 2.50 |
| Active Listening | Essential skill | 2.75 | 2.12 |
| Monitoring | Essential skill | 2.75 | 2.12 |
| Reading Comprehension | Essential skill | 2.62 | 2.12 |
| Critical Thinking | Essential skill | 2.62 | 2.00 |
| Quality Control Analysis | Transferable skill | 2.62 | 2.00 |
| Speaking | Essential skill | 2.62 | 2.00 |
| Coordination | Transferable skill | 2.50 | 2.00 |
| Social Perceptiveness | Transferable skill | 2.50 | 2.00 |
| Time Management | Transferable skill | 2.12 | 1.88 |
| Active Learning | Essential skill | 2.12 | 1.75 |
| Equipment Maintenance | Transferable skill | 2.12 | 1.75 |
| Management of Personnel Resources | Transferable skill | 2.12 | 1.75 |
| Repairing | Transferable skill | 2.12 | 1.75 |
| Complex Problem Solving | Transferable skill | 2.00 | 2.00 |
| Troubleshooting | Transferable skill | 2.00 | 1.88 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | Transferable skill | 2.00 | 1.75 |
| Learning Strategies | Essential skill | 2.00 | 1.75 |
| Mathematics | Essential skill | 2.00 | 1.75 |
| Service Orientation | Transferable skill | 2.00 | 1.75 |
| Writing | Essential skill | 2.00 | 1.75 |
| Instructing | Transferable skill | 2.00 | 1.62 |
| Negotiation | Transferable skill | 2.00 | 1.12 |
| Persuasion | Transferable skill | 2.00 | 1.00 |
| Systems Analysis | Transferable skill | 2.00 | 1.00 |
| Systems Evaluation | Transferable skill | 2.00 | 1.00 |
| Equipment Selection | Transferable skill | 1.88 | 1.50 |
| Management of Material Resources | Transferable skill | 1.75 | 0.75 |
| Management of Financial Resources | Transferable skill | 1.62 | 0.62 |
| Operations Analysis | Transferable skill | 1.50 | 0.50 |
| Programming | Transferable skill | 1.12 | not rated |
| Technology Design | Transferable skill | 1.12 | not rated |
| Installation | Transferable skill | 1.00 | not rated |
| Science | Essential skill | 1.00 | not rated |
Knowledge (33) and abilities (52)
| Name | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Production and Processing | 3.38 | 3.44 |
| English Language | 3.03 | 3.37 |
| Mechanical | 2.86 | 3.23 |
| Education and Training | 2.74 | 2.89 |
| Administration and Management | 2.74 | 2.38 |
| Public Safety and Security | 2.64 | 2.37 |
| Computers and Electronics | 2.58 | 2.83 |
| Engineering and Technology | 2.45 | 2.40 |
| Mathematics | 2.36 | 1.99 |
| Administrative | 2.30 | 2.01 |
| Food Production | 2.14 | 2.18 |
| Customer and Personal Service | 2.10 | 2.21 |
| Design | 2.10 | 1.96 |
| Chemistry | 2.08 | 2.07 |
| Building and Construction | 2.07 | 1.89 |
| Physics | 2.05 | 1.89 |
| Transportation | 2.01 | 1.67 |
| Personnel and Human Resources | 1.89 | 1.57 |
| Telecommunications | 1.88 | 0.97 |
| Psychology | 1.85 | 1.65 |
| Sales and Marketing | 1.80 | 1.56 |
| Philosophy and Theology | 1.78 | 1.56 |
| Communications and Media | 1.76 | 1.16 |
| Therapy and Counseling | 1.73 | 1.34 |
| Economics and Accounting | 1.72 | 1.56 |
| Medicine and Dentistry | 1.69 | 1.18 |
| Law and Government | 1.67 | 1.24 |
| Foreign Language | 1.57 | 0.84 |
| Biology | 1.54 | 1.13 |
| History and Archeology | 1.53 | 1.22 |
| Sociology and Anthropology | 1.50 | 1.14 |
| Fine Arts | 1.49 | 0.76 |
| Geography | 1.42 | 0.95 |
| Name | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Near Vision | 3.75 | 3.12 |
| Static Strength | 3.25 | 3.25 |
| Manual Dexterity | 3.25 | 3.12 |
| Oral Expression | 3.12 | 2.88 |
| Arm-Hand Steadiness | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Control Precision | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Extent Flexibility | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Far Vision | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Finger Dexterity | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Multilimb Coordination | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Oral Comprehension | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Trunk Strength | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Perceptual Speed | 3.00 | 2.88 |
| Information Ordering | 3.00 | 2.75 |
| Problem Sensitivity | 3.00 | 2.75 |
| Stamina | 3.00 | 2.75 |
| Reaction Time | 2.88 | 3.00 |
| Selective Attention | 2.88 | 2.88 |
| Category Flexibility | 2.88 | 2.75 |
| Depth Perception | 2.75 | 2.75 |
| Speech Recognition | 2.75 | 2.12 |
| Written Comprehension | 2.75 | 2.12 |
| Deductive Reasoning | 2.62 | 2.50 |
| Visualization | 2.62 | 2.50 |
| Auditory Attention | 2.62 | 2.38 |
| Visual Color Discrimination | 2.62 | 2.25 |
| Dynamic Strength | 2.62 | 2.12 |
| Speech Clarity | 2.62 | 2.12 |
| Inductive Reasoning | 2.50 | 2.50 |
| Hearing Sensitivity | 2.50 | 2.00 |
| Rate Control | 2.25 | 2.25 |
| Response Orientation | 2.25 | 2.25 |
| Gross Body Coordination | 2.25 | 2.12 |
| Flexibility of Closure | 2.12 | 2.12 |
| Time Sharing | 2.12 | 2.12 |
| Gross Body Equilibrium | 2.12 | 2.00 |
| Speed of Closure | 2.12 | 1.75 |
| Explosive Strength | 2.12 | 1.25 |
| Number Facility | 2.00 | 2.00 |
| Written Expression | 2.00 | 2.00 |
| Fluency of Ideas | 2.00 | 1.88 |
| Mathematical Reasoning | 2.00 | 1.88 |
| Originality | 2.00 | 1.88 |
| Wrist-Finger Speed | 2.00 | 1.88 |
| Memorization | 2.00 | 1.38 |
| Peripheral Vision | 2.00 | 1.00 |
| Spatial Orientation | 2.00 | 1.00 |
| Speed of Limb Movement | 1.88 | 1.75 |
| Sound Localization | 1.88 | 1.00 |
| Glare Sensitivity | 1.88 | 0.88 |
| Night Vision | 1.88 | 0.88 |
| Dynamic Flexibility | 1.12 | not rated |
Software used
Examples from O*NET data. "Hot" and "in demand" are O*NET flags for technologies often listed in job postings.
- Adobe Acrobat hot
- Adobe InDesign hot
- Adobe Photoshop hot
- Autodesk AutoCAD hot
- Microsoft Excel hot
- Microsoft Office software hot
- Microsoft Outlook hot
- Microsoft PowerPoint hot
- Microsoft Word hot
- SAP software hot
- Operational databases
Where it concentrates
Metro areas ranked by BLS location quotient: the occupation's share of the area's jobs divided by its share of all US jobs. Above 1 means more concentrated than the nation. Metros employing fewer than 100 are left out.
| Metro area | Employment | Location quotient | Median annual |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anniston-Oxford, AL | 460 | 9.83 | $29,340 |
| Morristown, TN | 460 | 9.07 | $37,700 |
| Gadsden, AL | 270 | 7.61 | $34,720 |
| St. Joseph, MO-KS | 410 | 7.00 | $39,300 |
| Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR | 1,700 | 5.80 | $37,530 |
| Tuscaloosa, AL | 640 | 5.52 | $35,080 |
| Fort Smith, AR-OK | 550 | 5.42 | $34,860 |
| Jackson, MS | 1,430 | 4.96 | $33,030 |
| Lebanon, PA | 270 | 4.77 | $38,100 |
| Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA | 420 | 4.70 | $48,520 |