Skip to main content
Key Occupations

2026 Michigan Manufacturing Industry Workforce Analysis
Key Occupations

Occupational analysis is critical to understanding an industry. Key occupations are chosen by a favorable mix of criteria such as Manufacturing’s share of statewide employment for the occupation, the occupation’s projected outlook, and the occupation’s share of total Manufacturing employment. Because key occupations have high employment within Manufacturing, they are generally representative of the expected wages, education, and skills within the industry sector.

  1. Many key occupations in Manufacturing offer wage ranges that fall within the statewide range of $18–$37.
  2. Almost all the key occupations require at least one month of on-the-job training or more than 12 months of on-the-job training along with a high school diploma or equivalent.
  3. Miscellaneous assemblers and fabricators is by far the largest occupation in the sector with nearly 88,300 employees. Although projected to experience employment decline through 2034, the occupation offers wages nearly identical to the statewide range and is expected to have high annual openings.
  4. Many occupations are not displayed in the key occupations list but remain important to the sector like Packers and packagers, hand or Architectural and engineering managers.

Most key occupations within Manufacturing required a high school diploma or equivalent and on-the-job training.

Figure 7: Key Occupations (2024), Michigan Manufacturing

Key Occupation Sector Employment Sector Wage Range Michigan Annual Openings Michigan Projected Growth Typical Education and Training
Chemical Equipment Operators 5,030 $22–$32 550 1.4% HSD or Equivalent and Moderate-term OJT
Coating & Painting Machine Operators 5,180 $18–$24 605 -2.0% HSD or Equivalent and Moderate-term OJT
CNC Tool Operators 6,460 $20–$28 560 -14.9% HSD or Equivalent and Moderate-term OJT
Cutting, Punching, & Press Machine Operators 20,560 $19–$35 1,500 -20.3% HSD or Equivalent and Moderate-term OJT
Electrical, Electronic, & Electromechanical Assemblers 6,260 $18–$24 1,220 2.2% HSD or Equivalent and Moderate-term OJT
Supervisors of Production & Operating Workers 21,010 $28–$40 2,575 -2.7% HSD or Equivalent
Industrial Engineers 16,280 $38–$53 2,035 5.7% Bachelor's Degree
Industrial Machinery Mechanics 11,810 $29–$37 1,900 13.0% HSD or Equivalent and Long-term OJT
Industrial Production Managers 11,430 $47–$68 925 -2.9% Bachelor's Degree
Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators 9,210 $19–$23 2,280 -2.6% No Formal Educational Credential and Short-term OJT
Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers 16,320 $19–$28 3,280 -3.0% HSD or Equivalent and Moderate-term OJT
Machinists 17,840 $23–$30 2,040 -5.8% HSD or Equivalent and Long-term OJT
Mechanical Engineers 10,010 $38–$58 1,845 7.0% Bachelor's Degree
Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators 88,290 $19–$36 11,865 -6.3% HSD or Equivalent and Moderate-term OJT
Molding, Coremaking, & Casting Mach. Operators 12,140 $18–$23 1,200 -8.8% HSD or Equivalent and Moderate-term OJT
Multiple Machine Tool Setters & Operators 6,920 $21–$32 765 -6.5% HSD or Equivalent and Moderate-term OJT
Packaging & Filling Machine Operators 8,040 $19–$24 1,830 3.0% HSD or Equivalent and Moderate-term OJT
Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks 10,910 $20–$25 2,130 -11.3% HSD or Equivalent and Short-term OJT
Tool and Die Makers 8,820 $28–$39 660 -18.5% Postsecondary Nondegree Award and Long-term OJT
Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers 10,400 $22–$28 1,320 -2.5% HSD or Equivalent and Moderate-term OJT

Source: 2025 Occupational Employment and Wages Statistics, Michigan Center for Data and Analytics (Employment and Wages); 2024–2034 Long-term Occupational Projections, Michigan Center for Data and Analytics (Annual Openings and Projected Growth); U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (Education and Training)

 

Note: The Michigan average projected employment growth rate is 0.4 percent between 2024 and 2034. The statewide wage range is $18–$37 for 2025.
HSD = High School Diploma
OJT = On-the-Job Training
 
Previous PageNext Page