13 min

Who works at a factory

A factory isn't only people at machines. Someone wins the work, someone draws it, someone buys the steel, someone checks it and someone loads the truck. Meet every team, and spend a day as the person who runs the floor.

Ticket 01 · The guess

How many make the product?

Sources and every number (6)

Sources

Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025: Manufacturing (sectors 31-33) and Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (NAICS 332000), employment by occupation · U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2025
Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025: national estimates for all industries (first-line supervisors of production workers, welders, inspectors, industrial machinery mechanics) · U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2025
Employment Projections: Occupational projections, 2025-35, and worker characteristics, 2025 (table 1.2) · U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2025
Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages: number of private manufacturing establishments (NAICS 31-33) by employment size class, first quarter 2025 (series ENUUS0002 1 to 9, 5, 31-33) · U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2025
O*NET OnLine: First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers (51-1011.00), tasks and work context (updated 2026) · O*NET, U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, 2026
State Plans (OSHA-approved state occupational safety and health programs) · Occupational Safety and Health Administration, 2026

Every number

12.7 million jobsbls.gov ·2025 · All jobs: jobs in US manufacturing, all of its industries, May 2025. BLS counts wage and salary jobs, not the self-employed.
6.1 million jobsbls.gov ·2025 · Production occupations (the people who run machines, weld, assemble, inspect and supervise the floor): jobs in US manufacturing, all of its industries, May 2025. BLS counts wage and salary jobs, not the self-employed.
48 peoplebls.gov ·2025 · Worked out: 6.1 million jobs out of 12.7 million jobs, for every hundred. US manufacturing, all of its industries, May 2025. BLS counts wage and salary jobs, not the self-employed.
1.4 million jobsbls.gov ·2025 · All jobs in fabricated metal product manufacturing, US, May 2025.
827,680 jobsbls.gov ·2025 · Production occupations in fabricated metal product manufacturing, US, May 2025.
58 peoplebls.gov ·2025 · Worked out: 827,680 jobs out of 1.4 million jobs, for every hundred. Metal-parts plants, like our example, US, May 2025.
1.1 million jobsbls.gov ·2025 · Transportation and material moving occupations: jobs in US manufacturing, all of its industries, May 2025. BLS counts wage and salary jobs, not the self-employed.
943,510 jobsbls.gov ·2025 · Office and administrative support occupations: jobs in US manufacturing, all of its industries, May 2025. BLS counts wage and salary jobs, not the self-employed.
878,260 jobsbls.gov ·2025 · Management occupations: jobs in US manufacturing, all of its industries, May 2025. BLS counts wage and salary jobs, not the self-employed.
804,500 jobsbls.gov ·2025 · Architecture and engineering occupations: jobs in US manufacturing, all of its industries, May 2025. BLS counts wage and salary jobs, not the self-employed.
699,320 jobsbls.gov ·2025 · Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations: jobs in US manufacturing, all of its industries, May 2025. BLS counts wage and salary jobs, not the self-employed.
657,330 jobsbls.gov ·2025 · Business and financial operations occupations: jobs in US manufacturing, all of its industries, May 2025. BLS counts wage and salary jobs, not the self-employed.
393,150 jobsbls.gov ·2025 · Sales and related occupations: jobs in US manufacturing, all of its industries, May 2025. BLS counts wage and salary jobs, not the self-employed.
1.1 million jobsbls.gov ·2025 · Worked out: 657,330 jobs + 393,150 jobs. US manufacturing, all of its industries, May 2025. BLS counts wage and salary jobs, not the self-employed.
1 million jobsbls.gov ·2025 · Worked out: every other occupation group (12.7 million jobs minus the eight groups above): jobs in US manufacturing, all of its industries, May 2025. BLS counts wage and salary jobs, not the self-employed.
$53,750/yearbls.gov ·2025 · Median yearly pay for welders, cutters, solderers and brazers, May 2025, all US industries.
$48,570/yearbls.gov ·2025 · Median yearly pay for inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers and weighers, May 2025, all US industries.
$64,520/yearbls.gov ·2025 · Median yearly pay for industrial machinery mechanics, May 2025, all US industries.
17.8%bls.gov ·2025 · BLS's projected growth in industrial machinery mechanic jobs, 2025 to 2035.
397,955 locationsbls.gov ·2025 · All sizes. Private manufacturing establishments (locations, not companies), first quarter 2025, by employees in March; 'fewer than five' includes some locations with nobody on the payroll that month.
194,663 locationsbls.gov ·2025 · Fewer than five employees. Private manufacturing establishments (locations, not companies), first quarter 2025, by employees in March; 'fewer than five' includes some locations with nobody on the payroll that month.
154,769 locationsbls.gov ·2025 · Worked out: BLS's five-to-nine, ten-to-nineteen and twenty-to-forty-nine size classes added up. Private manufacturing establishments (locations, not companies), first quarter 2025, by employees in March; 'fewer than five' includes some locations with nobody on the payroll that month.
45,373 locationsbls.gov ·2025 · Worked out: BLS's fifty-to-ninety-nine, hundred-to-two-hundred-forty-nine and two-hundred-fifty-to-four-hundred-ninety-nine size classes added up. Private manufacturing establishments (locations, not companies), first quarter 2025, by employees in March; 'fewer than five' includes some locations with nobody on the payroll that month.
3,150 locationsbls.gov ·2025 · Worked out: BLS's five-hundred-to-nine-hundred-ninety-nine and thousand-or-more size classes added up. Private manufacturing establishments (locations, not companies), first quarter 2025, by employees in March; 'fewer than five' includes some locations with nobody on the payroll that month.
48.9%bls.gov ·2025 · Worked out: 194,663 locations out of 397,955 locations. Private manufacturing establishments (locations, not companies), first quarter 2025, by employees in March; 'fewer than five' includes some locations with nobody on the payroll that month.
38.9%bls.gov ·2025 · Worked out: 154,769 locations out of 397,955 locations. Private manufacturing establishments (locations, not companies), first quarter 2025, by employees in March; 'fewer than five' includes some locations with nobody on the payroll that month.
11.4%bls.gov ·2025 · Worked out: 45,373 locations out of 397,955 locations. Private manufacturing establishments (locations, not companies), first quarter 2025, by employees in March; 'fewer than five' includes some locations with nobody on the payroll that month.
0.8%bls.gov ·2025 · Worked out: 3,150 locations out of 397,955 locations. Private manufacturing establishments (locations, not companies), first quarter 2025, by employees in March; 'fewer than five' includes some locations with nobody on the payroll that month.
5 people (example number: Our example: a small metal shop's whole crew, not a measured average.) · Our example: a small metal shop's whole crew, not a measured average.
50 people (example number: Our example: a mid-size metal shop like the one in this lesson, not a measured average.) · Our example: a mid-size metal shop like the one in this lesson, not a measured average.
500 people (example number: Our example: a large plant, not a measured average.) · Our example: a large plant, not a measured average.
30 people (example number: Our example: the operators, welders and painters in our shop of 50 people. More of the building is on the floor than the national average, as in metal-parts plants overall (58 people in every hundred).) · Our example: the operators, welders and painters in our shop of 50 people. More of the building is on the floor than the national average, as in metal-parts plants overall (58 people in every hundred).
83%onetonline.org ·2026 · Share of first-line supervisors of production and operating workers answering O*NET's survey who said they typically work more than forty hours a week (the rest said forty).
491,210 jobsbls.gov ·2025 · First-line supervisors of production and operating workers: jobs in US manufacturing, all of its industries, May 2025. BLS counts wage and salary jobs, not the self-employed.
11 workersbls.gov ·2025 · Worked out: (6.1 million jobs − 491,210 jobs) ÷ 491,210 jobs, production workers for each first-line supervisor, rounded. A national average, not one team. US manufacturing, all of its industries, May 2025. BLS counts wage and salary jobs, not the self-employed.
$74,450/yearbls.gov ·2025 · Median yearly pay for first-line supervisors of production and operating workers, May 2025, all US industries.
$35.79/hourbls.gov ·2025 · Median hourly pay for first-line supervisors of production and operating workers, May 2025, all US industries.
1.8%bls.gov ·2025 · BLS's projected growth in first-line supervisor of production and operating worker jobs, 2025 to 2035.
3.5%bls.gov ·2025 · BLS's projected growth in all US jobs, 2025 to 2035.
61,000 openings a yearbls.gov ·2025 · BLS's projected openings for first-line supervisors of production and operating workers, average each year 2025 to 2035, most from people retiring or changing jobs.

13 min

Who works at a factory

Ticket 01 · The guess

How many make the product?

Sources and every number (6)

Sources

Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025: Manufacturing (sectors 31-33) and Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (NAICS 332000), employment by occupation · U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2025
Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025: national estimates for all industries (first-line supervisors of production workers, welders, inspectors, industrial machinery mechanics) · U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2025
Employment Projections: Occupational projections, 2025-35, and worker characteristics, 2025 (table 1.2) · U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2025
Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages: number of private manufacturing establishments (NAICS 31-33) by employment size class, first quarter 2025 (series ENUUS0002 1 to 9, 5, 31-33) · U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2025
O*NET OnLine: First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers (51-1011.00), tasks and work context (updated 2026) · O*NET, U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, 2026
State Plans (OSHA-approved state occupational safety and health programs) · Occupational Safety and Health Administration, 2026

Every number

12.7 million jobsbls.gov ·2025 · All jobs: jobs in US manufacturing, all of its industries, May 2025. BLS counts wage and salary jobs, not the self-employed.
6.1 million jobsbls.gov ·2025 · Production occupations (the people who run machines, weld, assemble, inspect and supervise the floor): jobs in US manufacturing, all of its industries, May 2025. BLS counts wage and salary jobs, not the self-employed.
48 peoplebls.gov ·2025 · Worked out: 6.1 million jobs out of 12.7 million jobs, for every hundred. US manufacturing, all of its industries, May 2025. BLS counts wage and salary jobs, not the self-employed.
1.4 million jobsbls.gov ·2025 · All jobs in fabricated metal product manufacturing, US, May 2025.
827,680 jobsbls.gov ·2025 · Production occupations in fabricated metal product manufacturing, US, May 2025.
58 peoplebls.gov ·2025 · Worked out: 827,680 jobs out of 1.4 million jobs, for every hundred. Metal-parts plants, like our example, US, May 2025.
1.1 million jobsbls.gov ·2025 · Transportation and material moving occupations: jobs in US manufacturing, all of its industries, May 2025. BLS counts wage and salary jobs, not the self-employed.
943,510 jobsbls.gov ·2025 · Office and administrative support occupations: jobs in US manufacturing, all of its industries, May 2025. BLS counts wage and salary jobs, not the self-employed.
878,260 jobsbls.gov ·2025 · Management occupations: jobs in US manufacturing, all of its industries, May 2025. BLS counts wage and salary jobs, not the self-employed.
804,500 jobsbls.gov ·2025 · Architecture and engineering occupations: jobs in US manufacturing, all of its industries, May 2025. BLS counts wage and salary jobs, not the self-employed.
699,320 jobsbls.gov ·2025 · Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations: jobs in US manufacturing, all of its industries, May 2025. BLS counts wage and salary jobs, not the self-employed.
657,330 jobsbls.gov ·2025 · Business and financial operations occupations: jobs in US manufacturing, all of its industries, May 2025. BLS counts wage and salary jobs, not the self-employed.
393,150 jobsbls.gov ·2025 · Sales and related occupations: jobs in US manufacturing, all of its industries, May 2025. BLS counts wage and salary jobs, not the self-employed.
1.1 million jobsbls.gov ·2025 · Worked out: 657,330 jobs + 393,150 jobs. US manufacturing, all of its industries, May 2025. BLS counts wage and salary jobs, not the self-employed.
1 million jobsbls.gov ·2025 · Worked out: every other occupation group (12.7 million jobs minus the eight groups above): jobs in US manufacturing, all of its industries, May 2025. BLS counts wage and salary jobs, not the self-employed.
$53,750/yearbls.gov ·2025 · Median yearly pay for welders, cutters, solderers and brazers, May 2025, all US industries.
$48,570/yearbls.gov ·2025 · Median yearly pay for inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers and weighers, May 2025, all US industries.
$64,520/yearbls.gov ·2025 · Median yearly pay for industrial machinery mechanics, May 2025, all US industries.
17.8%bls.gov ·2025 · BLS's projected growth in industrial machinery mechanic jobs, 2025 to 2035.
397,955 locationsbls.gov ·2025 · All sizes. Private manufacturing establishments (locations, not companies), first quarter 2025, by employees in March; 'fewer than five' includes some locations with nobody on the payroll that month.
194,663 locationsbls.gov ·2025 · Fewer than five employees. Private manufacturing establishments (locations, not companies), first quarter 2025, by employees in March; 'fewer than five' includes some locations with nobody on the payroll that month.
154,769 locationsbls.gov ·2025 · Worked out: BLS's five-to-nine, ten-to-nineteen and twenty-to-forty-nine size classes added up. Private manufacturing establishments (locations, not companies), first quarter 2025, by employees in March; 'fewer than five' includes some locations with nobody on the payroll that month.
45,373 locationsbls.gov ·2025 · Worked out: BLS's fifty-to-ninety-nine, hundred-to-two-hundred-forty-nine and two-hundred-fifty-to-four-hundred-ninety-nine size classes added up. Private manufacturing establishments (locations, not companies), first quarter 2025, by employees in March; 'fewer than five' includes some locations with nobody on the payroll that month.
3,150 locationsbls.gov ·2025 · Worked out: BLS's five-hundred-to-nine-hundred-ninety-nine and thousand-or-more size classes added up. Private manufacturing establishments (locations, not companies), first quarter 2025, by employees in March; 'fewer than five' includes some locations with nobody on the payroll that month.
48.9%bls.gov ·2025 · Worked out: 194,663 locations out of 397,955 locations. Private manufacturing establishments (locations, not companies), first quarter 2025, by employees in March; 'fewer than five' includes some locations with nobody on the payroll that month.
38.9%bls.gov ·2025 · Worked out: 154,769 locations out of 397,955 locations. Private manufacturing establishments (locations, not companies), first quarter 2025, by employees in March; 'fewer than five' includes some locations with nobody on the payroll that month.
11.4%bls.gov ·2025 · Worked out: 45,373 locations out of 397,955 locations. Private manufacturing establishments (locations, not companies), first quarter 2025, by employees in March; 'fewer than five' includes some locations with nobody on the payroll that month.
0.8%bls.gov ·2025 · Worked out: 3,150 locations out of 397,955 locations. Private manufacturing establishments (locations, not companies), first quarter 2025, by employees in March; 'fewer than five' includes some locations with nobody on the payroll that month.
5 people (example number: Our example: a small metal shop's whole crew, not a measured average.) · Our example: a small metal shop's whole crew, not a measured average.
50 people (example number: Our example: a mid-size metal shop like the one in this lesson, not a measured average.) · Our example: a mid-size metal shop like the one in this lesson, not a measured average.
500 people (example number: Our example: a large plant, not a measured average.) · Our example: a large plant, not a measured average.
30 people (example number: Our example: the operators, welders and painters in our shop of 50 people. More of the building is on the floor than the national average, as in metal-parts plants overall (58 people in every hundred).) · Our example: the operators, welders and painters in our shop of 50 people. More of the building is on the floor than the national average, as in metal-parts plants overall (58 people in every hundred).
83%onetonline.org ·2026 · Share of first-line supervisors of production and operating workers answering O*NET's survey who said they typically work more than forty hours a week (the rest said forty).
491,210 jobsbls.gov ·2025 · First-line supervisors of production and operating workers: jobs in US manufacturing, all of its industries, May 2025. BLS counts wage and salary jobs, not the self-employed.
11 workersbls.gov ·2025 · Worked out: (6.1 million jobs − 491,210 jobs) ÷ 491,210 jobs, production workers for each first-line supervisor, rounded. A national average, not one team. US manufacturing, all of its industries, May 2025. BLS counts wage and salary jobs, not the self-employed.
$74,450/yearbls.gov ·2025 · Median yearly pay for first-line supervisors of production and operating workers, May 2025, all US industries.
$35.79/hourbls.gov ·2025 · Median hourly pay for first-line supervisors of production and operating workers, May 2025, all US industries.
1.8%bls.gov ·2025 · BLS's projected growth in first-line supervisor of production and operating worker jobs, 2025 to 2035.
3.5%bls.gov ·2025 · BLS's projected growth in all US jobs, 2025 to 2035.
61,000 openings a yearbls.gov ·2025 · BLS's projected openings for first-line supervisors of production and operating workers, average each year 2025 to 2035, most from people retiring or changing jobs.

Who works at a factory

How many make the product?

Spot something wrong?

Who works at a factory

How many make the product?

Spot something wrong?