Salary guide, May 2025
Setup Technician pay, United States
Manufacturing Headhunters uses the published BLS OEWS figures below. They describe the mapped occupation and area, not an individual offer.
This is what we do all day: recruit manufacturing professionals.
The median annual wage for Production Workers, All Other in the United States was $40,110 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS, May 2025). The middle half of workers earned between $36,030 and $49,010.
Also searched as: Setup Operator, Changeover Technician, Machine Setter. These titles share this page because BLS reports them under one occupation.
Broader occupation · SOC 51-9199 Production Workers, All Other
The Setup Technician title maps to the published occupation. BLS does not separate this process, credential, shift or plant-specific title from other work in the occupation.
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $31,200 | $36,030 | $40,110 | $49,010 | $61,530 |
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $15.00 | $17.32 | $19.29 | $23.56 | $29.58 |
BLS estimated 251,700 workers employed in this occupation in the United States.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. SOC 51-9199 Production Workers, All Other, U.S.. Official occupation data · Official area tables. Released 2026-05-15.
How does pay compare in the target metros?
| Metro | Median | 25th to 75th | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $38,100 | $32,300 to $47,630 | 2,860 | 0.63 |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $36,790 | $30,470 to $42,850 | 2,220 | 0.95 |
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $37,370 | $31,130 to $38,680 | 1,330 | 0.58 |
| Raleigh-Cary, NC | $39,510 | $32,670 to $55,860 | 2,400 | 1.99 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $40,610 | $37,130 to $48,340 | 4,740 | 0.31 |
| Northern New Jersey within New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $40,610 | $37,130 to $48,340 | 4,740 | 0.31 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $39,540 | $35,030 to $46,560 | 6,150 | 0.94 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $41,250 | $37,600 to $49,750 | 4,810 | 0.66 |
Rank every metro for Setup Technician
What should you know about pay by manufacturing industry, United States?
Same BLS occupation, national estimates for each manufacturing industry (NAICS) BLS publishes, May 2025. Industry names are BLS labels.
- Tobacco Manufacturing$77,630
- Pulp, Paper, and Paperboard Mills$68,720
- Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing$59,620
- Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing$58,900
- Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing$58,900
- Motor Vehicle Manufacturing$58,420
- Grain and Oilseed Milling$58,050
- Dairy Product Manufacturing$55,190
- Other Electrical Equipment and Component Manufacturing$54,890
- Audio and Video Equipment Manufacturing$54,060
- Other Furniture Related Product Manufacturing$51,970
- Beverage and Tobacco Product Manufacturing$51,710
- Beverage Manufacturing$51,710
- Iron and Steel Mills and Ferroalloy Manufacturing$50,980
- Ship and Boat Building$50,570
Bars show up to 15 industries with exact annual medians. The table lists every published industry.
| NAICS | Industry | Employment | 25th | Median | 75th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31-33 | Manufacturing | 121,680 | $37,240 | $45,600 | $54,890 |
| 311000 | Food Manufacturing | 15,310 | $36,200 | $41,680 | $50,710 |
| 336000 | Transportation Equipment Manufacturing | 14,200 | $36,940 | $45,600 | $51,560 |
| 326000 | Plastics and Rubber Products Manufacturing | 10,490 | $37,960 | $44,550 | $50,150 |
| 332000 | Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing | 10,490 | $37,370 | $45,440 | $51,930 |
| 333000 | Machinery Manufacturing | 10,020 | $37,790 | $46,470 | $58,610 |
| 336300 | Motor Vehicle Parts Manufacturing | 8,790 | $36,030 | $40,240 | $46,950 |
| 326100 | Plastics Product Manufacturing | 8,420 | $37,220 | $43,720 | $48,740 |
| 339000 | Miscellaneous Manufacturing | 7,940 | $34,770 | $42,190 | $51,100 |
| 325000 | Chemical Manufacturing | 7,690 | $38,340 | $46,580 | $56,710 |
| 327000 | Nonmetallic Mineral Product Manufacturing | 7,130 | $39,820 | $47,450 | $56,130 |
| 327000 | Nonmetallic Mineral Product Manufacturing | 7,130 | $39,820 | $47,450 | $56,130 |
| 3330A1 | Machinery Manufacturing (3331, 3332, 3334, and 3339 only) | 6,580 | $38,100 | $47,300 | $56,820 |
| 322000 | Paper Manufacturing | 6,060 | $38,510 | $50,430 | $62,040 |
| 335000 | Electrical Equipment, Appliance, and Component Manufacturing | 6,010 | $43,160 | $49,800 | $54,890 |
| 331000 | Primary Metal Manufacturing | 5,820 | $42,320 | $48,900 | $59,510 |
| 321000 | Wood Product Manufacturing | 5,630 | $34,680 | $39,360 | $48,850 |
| 339900 | Other Miscellaneous Manufacturing | 5,500 | $35,030 | $40,910 | $49,540 |
| 322200 | Converted Paper Product Manufacturing | 4,140 | $36,980 | $46,690 | $56,040 |
| 334000 | Computer and Electronic Product Manufacturing | 3,830 | $41,350 | $46,470 | $53,510 |
| 3320A1 | Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (3321, 3322, 3325, 3326, and 3329 only) | 3,810 | $39,440 | $47,700 | $54,250 |
| 335900 | Other Electrical Equipment and Component Manufacturing | 3,810 | $45,340 | $54,890 | $54,890 |
| 311600 | Animal Slaughtering and Processing | 3,590 | $36,040 | $36,460 | $43,610 |
| 3250A1 | Chemical Manufacturing (3251, 3252, 3253, and 3259 only) | 3,200 | $36,680 | $45,580 | $55,840 |
| 3320A2 | Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (3323 and 3324 only) | 3,190 | $39,940 | $47,040 | $56,020 |
| 337000 | Furniture and Related Product Manufacturing | 3,050 | $35,540 | $39,350 | $48,700 |
| 321900 | Other Wood Product Manufacturing | 2,950 | $31,110 | $38,270 | $49,030 |
| 325400 | Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing | 2,790 | $40,700 | $47,850 | $57,160 |
| 333600 | Engine, Turbine, and Power Transmission Equipment Manufacturing | 2,520 | $34,650 | $45,780 | $62,000 |
| 323000 | Printing and Related Support Activities | 2,490 | $37,530 | $42,540 | $46,230 |
| 323100 | Printing and Related Support Activities | 2,490 | $37,530 | $42,540 | $46,230 |
| 3370A1 | Furniture and Related Product Manufacturing (3371 and 3372 only) | 2,490 | $35,540 | $38,660 | $47,480 |
| 339100 | Medical Equipment and Supplies Manufacturing | 2,440 | $34,370 | $44,060 | $59,120 |
| 311900 | Other Food Manufacturing | 2,410 | $37,720 | $41,360 | $46,550 |
| 332800 | Coating, Engraving, Heat Treating, and Allied Activities | 2,080 | $33,960 | $37,940 | $46,270 |
| 326200 | Rubber Product Manufacturing | 2,070 | $40,050 | $46,300 | $62,340 |
| 334400 | Semiconductor and Other Electronic Component Manufacturing | 2,010 | $39,640 | $46,040 | $53,510 |
| 311400 | Fruit and Vegetable Preserving and Specialty Food Manufacturing | 1,960 | $35,940 | $42,230 | $50,670 |
| 311200 | Grain and Oilseed Milling | 1,940 | $47,250 | $58,050 | $61,780 |
| 336400 | Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing | 1,930 | $46,970 | $59,620 | $79,120 |
| 322100 | Pulp, Paper, and Paperboard Mills | 1,920 | $57,660 | $68,720 | $84,420 |
| 331100 | Iron and Steel Mills and Ferroalloy Manufacturing | 1,840 | $43,550 | $50,980 | $65,200 |
| 311800 | Bakeries and Tortilla Manufacturing | 1,800 | $34,820 | $39,410 | $49,470 |
| 324000 | Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing | 1,710 | $44,600 | $58,900 | $66,420 |
| 324100 | Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing | 1,710 | $44,600 | $58,900 | $66,420 |
| 3250A2 | Chemical Manufacturing (3255 and 3256 only) | 1,700 | $37,870 | $44,590 | $54,900 |
| 321200 | Veneer, Plywood, and Engineered Wood Product Manufacturing | 1,690 | $38,170 | $45,740 | $50,450 |
| 311500 | Dairy Product Manufacturing | 1,500 | $48,450 | $55,190 | $63,540 |
| 331500 | Foundries | 1,490 | $36,200 | $47,900 | $56,810 |
| 332700 | Machine Shops; Turned Product; and Screw, Nut, and Bolt Manufacturing | 1,420 | $35,270 | $39,420 | $50,660 |
| 335300 | Electrical Equipment Manufacturing | 1,400 | $38,550 | $48,520 | $56,690 |
| 334500 | Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing | 1,310 | $42,890 | $47,480 | $60,980 |
| 312000 | Beverage and Tobacco Product Manufacturing | 1,230 | $42,590 | $51,710 | $65,420 |
| 331400 | Nonferrous Metal (except Aluminum) Production and Processing | 1,210 | $44,630 | $49,990 | $59,510 |
| 332710 | Machine Shops | 1,170 | $35,260 | $39,350 | $48,970 |
| 312100 | Beverage Manufacturing | 1,130 | $41,190 | $51,710 | $63,430 |
| 313000 | Textile Mills | 1,080 | $35,350 | $38,690 | $44,880 |
| 311700 | Seafood Product Preparation and Packaging | 990 | $28,620 | $28,620 | $29,890 |
| 321100 | Sawmills and Wood Preservation | 980 | $32,260 | $38,060 | $41,790 |
| 336200 | Motor Vehicle Body and Trailer Manufacturing | 980 | $37,170 | $44,770 | $52,360 |
| 336600 | Ship and Boat Building | 940 | $44,620 | $50,570 | $62,390 |
| 336900 | Other Transportation Equipment Manufacturing | 890 | $44,480 | $50,270 | $63,070 |
| 331300 | Alumina and Aluminum Production and Processing | 800 | $39,610 | $46,700 | $57,420 |
| 333500 | Metalworking Machinery Manufacturing | 710 | $39,600 | $44,730 | $52,460 |
| 335200 | Household Appliance Manufacturing | 710 | $43,160 | $46,170 | $47,020 |
| 311300 | Sugar and Confectionery Product Manufacturing | 680 | $37,440 | $45,600 | $50,930 |
| 336100 | Motor Vehicle Manufacturing | 570 | $39,900 | $58,420 | $74,340 |
| 337900 | Other Furniture Related Product Manufacturing | 570 | $40,150 | $51,970 | $57,640 |
| 313200 | Fabric Mills | 520 | $34,700 | $38,320 | $44,720 |
| 331200 | Steel Product Manufacturing from Purchased Steel | 490 | $43,720 | $46,740 | $55,310 |
| 311100 | Animal Food Manufacturing | 440 | $34,830 | $36,080 | $46,360 |
| 313100 | Fiber, Yarn, and Thread Mills | 340 | $37,160 | $38,880 | $48,120 |
| 315000 | Apparel Manufacturing | 330 | $33,000 | $36,760 | $38,270 |
| 314100 | Textile Furnishings Mills | 250 | $33,330 | $40,850 | $45,280 |
| 332720 | Turned Product and Screw, Nut, and Bolt Manufacturing | 250 | $35,270 | $42,770 | $52,800 |
| 313300 | Textile and Fabric Finishing and Fabric Coating Mills | 220 | $35,330 | $38,800 | $44,420 |
| 334100 | Computer and Peripheral Equipment Manufacturing | 220 | $24,660 | $46,470 | $46,470 |
| 333300 | Commercial and Service Industry Machinery Manufacturing | 200 | $40,190 | $48,470 | $60,670 |
| 315200 | Cut and Sew Apparel Manufacturing | 180 | $33,330 | $37,160 | $40,790 |
| 315900 | Apparel Accessories and Other Apparel Manufacturing | 120 | $34,810 | $36,760 | $40,320 |
| 312200 | Tobacco Manufacturing | 110 | $58,960 | $77,630 | $80,350 |
| 336500 | Railroad Rolling Stock Manufacturing | 100 | $36,120 | $39,570 | $49,360 |
| 334600 | Manufacturing and Reproducing Magnetic and Optical Media | 90 | $36,410 | $41,410 | $42,510 |
| 335100 | Electric Lighting Equipment Manufacturing | 90 | $39,380 | $39,730 | $45,260 |
| 334200 | Communications Equipment Manufacturing | 70 | $39,080 | $46,630 | $64,990 |
| 316100 | Leather and Hide Tanning and Finishing | 50 | $37,450 | $43,850 | $45,720 |
| 315100 | Apparel Knitting Mills | 40 | $31,390 | $31,390 | $35,670 |
| 339910 | Jewelry and Silverware Manufacturing | 40 | $25,960 | $31,580 | $39,420 |
| 314000 | Textile Product Mills | Not published by BLS | $35,000 | $43,560 | $50,430 |
| 314900 | Other Textile Product Mills | Not published by BLS | $36,050 | $45,090 | $50,430 |
| 316000 | Leather and Allied Product Manufacturing | Not published by BLS | $37,380 | $37,720 | $44,020 |
| 316900 | Other Leather and Allied Product Manufacturing | Not published by BLS | $33,590 | $37,720 | $37,720 |
| 334300 | Audio and Video Equipment Manufacturing | Not published by BLS | $42,570 | $54,060 | $68,760 |
What should you know about manufacturing pay mix?
For Setup Technician, write the straight-time rate separately from shift coverage and extra hours. OEWS includes base rate, guaranteed pay and production incentive pay. It excludes overtime premium, shift differentials and nonproduction bonuses. An attendance bonus is not a production bonus; confirm its purpose and treatment rather than adding every bonus to the BLS figure.
Skills-based pay steps affect the base rate when they are part of straight-time pay; BLS does not publish a separate rate for each plant's skill grade. Ask whether a tool allowance is expense reimbursement or wage pay. OEWS does not publish a separate tool-allowance component. Keep these items separate in the offer so the published wage is not mistaken for the whole package.
Pay mix here means how published medians for this one BLS occupation differ across manufacturing industries and against the all-industry median. It does not split pay into base, incentive or overtime. BLS wages are straight-time gross pay and exclude overtime, shift differentials and nonproduction bonuses.
What should you know about two BLS releases?
| Release period | 25th | Median | 75th |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2024 | $35,080 | $38,820 | $47,550 |
| May 2025 | $36,030 | $40,110 | $49,010 |
These are two separate BLS estimates from different survey panels. The workers and employers behind them differ, so the gap is not like-for-like pay for the same workers and is not a growth rate. We show no percentage change.
What should you know about supervisory and worker occupations?
BLS publishes these as separate occupations. Pay for one is not a pay step for the other.
- Supervisor occupation: Production Supervisor pay (SOC 51-1011)
Recruiter's read. Qualitative, not BLS data.
What should you know about safe setup practice?
Setup is when people are closest to hazards. Lockout, stored energy, guard bypass and crane use all come up. Candidates should explain how they verify zero energy. We note anyone who treats safety steps as optional. Credentials vary by process and we ask for those that apply.
What should you know about questions?
Wages for the OEWS survey are straight-time, gross pay, exclusive of premium pay. Base rate; cost-of-living allowances; guaranteed pay; hazardous-duty pay; incentive pay, including commissions and production bonuses; and tips are included. Excluded are overtime pay, severance pay, shift differentials, nonproduction bonuses, employer cost for supplementary benefits, and tuition reimbursements.
What is the median pay for a Setup Technician?
The median annual wage for Production Workers, All Other in the United States was $40,110 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS, May 2025). The middle half of workers earned between $36,030 and $49,010. This is the broader occupation BLS publishes, not a figure for this exact title.
What does the 10th percentile mean here?
10% of workers in this occupation and area earned less than $31,200. 90% earned less than $61,530.
Does this include overtime or bonuses?
Wages for the OEWS survey are straight-time, gross pay, exclusive of premium pay. Base rate; cost-of-living allowances; guaranteed pay; hazardous-duty pay; incentive pay, including commissions and production bonuses; and tips are included. Excluded are overtime pay, severance pay, shift differentials, nonproduction bonuses, employer cost for supplementary benefits, and tuition reimbursements.
Is this the pay for a Setup Technician at a plant?
The Setup Technician title maps to the published occupation. BLS does not separate this process, credential, shift or plant-specific title from other work in the occupation. These are occupation estimates across all industries, not an offer for a particular manufacturing title.
How many people work in this occupation?
BLS estimated 251,700 workers employed in this occupation in the United States.
What should you know about related?
What does this data mean for your opening?
The Setup Technician title maps to SOC 51-9199, Production Workers, All Other. As of May 2025, the national median salary is $40,110, which is a $1,290 increase from the May 2024 median of $38,820. The middle-band width for this occupation is $12,980, defined by the 25th percentile at $36,030 and the 75th percentile at $49,010.
Manufacturing Headhunters highlights that this data represents a broad category of production workers, and therefore does not specifically isolate the technical requirements of SMED or setup processes. Furthermore, the figures exclude performance incentives, shift premiums, and specialized trade bonuses that are standard for setup professionals in many manufacturing plants.
In the compared metropolitan areas, Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim reports a median of $39,520 with a middle-band width of $12,820. Nationally, industry-specific wages vary significantly, such as $77,630 in Tobacco Manufacturing and $68,720 in Pulp, Paper, and Paperboard Mills. These industry medians are national values and are not representative of specific local wage scales for a setup technician. The BLS occupation data remains highly generalized, encompassing various manual production tasks that may differ in complexity from setup work.
The location quotient for Los Angeles is 1.1, while Atlanta exhibits a location quotient of 2.29, reflecting the density of production-related employment in these regions. The middle-band width and median change are straightforward arithmetic values provided by the source. Because the BLS data does not distinguish by credential or specific machine set, these figures should be interpreted as general trends rather than compensation targets for a setup technician role. No estimation for the impact of specialized skills, such as molding or stamping set-ups, has been factored into the data, as the BLS does not isolate these specific tasks.
Which pay questions should you settle before hiring?
What is the national median salary for the Setup Technician role?
The national median salary is $40,110 as of May 2025. This shows an increase of $1,290 compared to the May 2024 median of $38,820.
How do the middle-band widths for Los Angeles and Atlanta compare?
The middle-band width in Los Angeles is $12,820, while the middle-band width in Atlanta is $14,330. Both are relatively close to the national middle-band width of $12,980.
Does the SOC 51-9199 code isolate setup technician duties?
No, the SOC 51-9199 code covers a broad range of production workers. The BLS does not separate setup-specific tasks from other manual assembly or production activities.
Related recruiting or pay page · Related wage comparison 1 · Data methodology · Related wage comparison 3 · Related wage comparison 4