Salary guide, May 2025
Skilled Mechanical Assembler 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 Engine and Other Machine Assemblers in the United States was $53,710 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS, May 2025). The middle half of workers earned between $45,230 and $74,920.
Also searched as: Mechanical Assembler, Electromechanical Assembler, Assembly Technician. These titles share this page because BLS reports them under one occupation.
Broader occupation · SOC 51-2031 Engine and Other Machine Assemblers
Skilled Mechanical Assembler is shown within the broader published occupation. BLS does not separate this plant-specific title, seniority, shift, process or credential. Compare the duties with the SOC definition before using the range.
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $38,500 | $45,230 | $53,710 | $74,920 | $77,750 |
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $18.51 | $21.75 | $25.82 | $36.02 | $37.38 |
BLS estimated 34,000 workers employed in this occupation in the United States.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. SOC 51-2031 Engine and Other Machine Assemblers, 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 | Not published by BLS for this area. National figures above apply. | |||
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | Not published by BLS for this area. National figures above apply. | |||
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | Not published by BLS for this area. National figures above apply. | |||
| Raleigh-Cary, NC | Not published by BLS for this area. National figures above apply. | |||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $62,400 | $50,910 to $72,170 | 90 | 0.04 |
| Northern New Jersey within New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $62,400 | $50,910 to $72,170 | 90 | 0.04 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | Not published by BLS for this area. National figures above apply. | |||
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $49,630 | $40,950 to $49,630 | 540 | 0.55 |
Rank every metro for Skilled Mechanical Assembler
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. Nested NAICS rows overlap; they are not independent samples and must not be added together. Identical source rows repeated at different publication levels appear once.
- Plastics and Rubber Products Manufacturing (NAICS 326000)$71,040
- Transportation Equipment Manufacturing (NAICS 336000)$60,530
- Electrical Equipment, Appliance, and Component Manufacturing (NAICS 335000)$56,270
- Machinery Manufacturing (NAICS 333000)$47,470
- Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (NAICS 332000)$43,660
Bars compare up to 15 non-overlapping 3-digit manufacturing subsectors with exact annual medians. More detailed scopes remain in the table, identified by code and publication level.
| NAICS / scope | Industry | Employment | 25th | Median | 75th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31-33 · sector | Manufacturing | 31,810 | $45,400 | $53,710 | $75,770 |
| 336000 · 3-digit | Transportation Equipment Manufacturing | 21,900 | $46,810 | $60,530 | $75,930 |
| 336300 · 4-digit | Motor Vehicle Parts Manufacturing | 19,090 | $46,500 | $60,530 | $75,930 |
| 333000 · 3-digit | Machinery Manufacturing | 9,140 | $41,920 | $47,470 | $58,450 |
| 333600 · 4-digit | Engine, Turbine, and Power Transmission Equipment Manufacturing | 5,420 | $40,940 | $46,070 | $57,870 |
| 3330A1 · 4-digit | Machinery Manufacturing (3331, 3332, 3334, and 3339 only) | 2,920 | $44,940 | $48,990 | $57,330 |
| 336400 · 4-digit | Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing | 2,320 | $49,620 | $70,150 | $93,130 |
| 333500 · 4-digit | Metalworking Machinery Manufacturing | 480 | $49,620 | $61,680 | $64,680 |
| 332000 · 3-digit | Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing | 390 | $35,170 | $43,660 | $53,400 |
| 332700 · 4-digit | Machine Shops; Turned Product; and Screw, Nut, and Bolt Manufacturing | 360 | $35,120 | $43,660 | $50,940 |
| 332710 · 5-digit | Machine Shops | 360 | $35,120 | $43,660 | $50,940 |
| 333300 · 4-digit | Commercial and Service Industry Machinery Manufacturing | 310 | $47,250 | $47,270 | $56,460 |
| 336100 · 4-digit | Motor Vehicle Manufacturing | 230 | $64,060 | $80,170 | $84,950 |
| 335000 · 3-digit | Electrical Equipment, Appliance, and Component Manufacturing | 200 | $44,510 | $56,270 | $63,960 |
| 326000 · 3-digit | Plastics and Rubber Products Manufacturing | 190 | $37,390 | $71,040 | $72,380 |
| 335300 · 4-digit | Electrical Equipment Manufacturing | 190 | $44,510 | $55,340 | $67,940 |
| 336900 · 4-digit | Other Transportation Equipment Manufacturing | 60 | $39,040 | $49,800 | $58,400 |
| 326200 · 4-digit | Rubber Product Manufacturing | Not published by BLS | $60,990 | $72,380 | $75,660 |
What should you know about manufacturing pay mix?
For Skilled Mechanical Assembler, write the straight-time rate separately from shift coverage and extra hours. OEWS measures straight-time gross wages, not pure base salary or total compensation. It includes base rate, guaranteed pay, commissions and production bonuses. It excludes overtime, shift differentials, nonproduction bonuses and benefits.
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 | $42,790 | $52,540 | $70,050 |
| May 2025 | $45,230 | $53,710 | $74,920 |
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 practical qualification?
Because credentials are limited here, we judge by what the person built. We ask for the largest assembly they completed alone, the number of components, the test steps and the problems they solved. People with real builds tell clear, ordered stories.
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 Skilled Mechanical Assembler?
The median annual wage for Engine and Other Machine Assemblers in the United States was $53,710 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS, May 2025). The middle half of workers earned between $45,230 and $74,920. 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 $38,500. 90% earned less than $77,750.
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 Skilled Mechanical Assembler at a plant?
Skilled Mechanical Assembler is shown within the broader published occupation. BLS does not separate this plant-specific title, seniority, shift, process or credential. Compare the duties with the SOC definition before using the range. These are occupation estimates across all industries, not an offer for a particular manufacturing title.
How many people work in this occupation?
BLS estimated 34,000 workers employed in this occupation in the United States.
What should you know about related?
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What does this data mean for your opening?
Skilled Mechanical Assemblers are identified within the SOC 51-2031 occupational code. For Skilled Mechanical Assembler in the United States, releases are separate survey estimates. The May 2025 median is $53,710; the May 2024 median is $52,540. Their arithmetic difference is $1,170. They are not the same workers' raises and do not establish a pay trend or its cause.
The middle-band width for this occupation is $29,690, calculated from the 25th percentile at $45,230 and the 75th percentile at $74,920. Manufacturing Headhunters notes that these figures cover a wide array of machine assemblers. The BLS does not distinguish between general assembly and high-precision mechanical assembly that requires blueprint reading and torque tool calibration. Total compensation often includes elements like shift differentials or performance pay which are excluded from these annual figures.
Comparing regional hubs, Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI, reports a median salary of $64,820 with a middle-band width of $27,660. The Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC, area shows a median of $46,950 with a middle-band width of $0. These data points illustrate the variance in mechanical assembly pay across significant manufacturing hubs. National industry figures include $80,170 for Motor Vehicle Manufacturing and $72,380 for Rubber Product Manufacturing. These industry medians are national aggregates and do not account for local market conditions or the specific technical assembly tasks required for a skilled assembler role.
The location quotient in Detroit is 7.99, while Greenville reports a 10.69 location quotient, highlighting the strong concentration of assembly work in these metros. For Skilled Mechanical Assembler in the United States, releases are separate survey estimates. The May 2025 median is $53,710; the May 2024 median is $52,540. Their arithmetic difference is $1,170. They are not the same workers' raises and do not establish a pay trend or its cause. The user should be aware that the lack of differentiation within the SOC 51-2031 category means these figures are inclusive of varied experience levels and manufacturing environments. There is no accounting for the specific complexity of hydraulic or pneumatic build duties in this dataset, as the BLS does not measure these factors separately from the broader machine assembly occupation.
Which pay questions should you settle before hiring?
For Skilled Mechanical Assembler in the United States, releases are separate survey estimates. The May 2025 median is $53,710; the May 2024 median is $52,540. Their arithmetic difference is $1,170. They are not the same workers' raises and do not establish a pay trend or its cause.
What is the national median salary change for the Skilled Mechanical Assembler role?
For Skilled Mechanical Assembler in the United States, releases are separate survey estimates. The May 2025 median is $53,710; the May 2024 median is $52,540. Their arithmetic difference is $1,170. They are not the same workers' raises and do not establish a pay trend or its cause.
Why does the Greenville-Anderson-Greer middle-band width appear to be $0?
The middle-band width is a simple arithmetic result based on the provided percentiles. In this specific data for Greenville, the 25th, 50th, and 75th percentiles are all $46,950, resulting in a zero difference.
Does the Motor Vehicle Manufacturing wage of $80,170 represent local assembler pay?
No, the $80,170 figure is a national industry-wide median. It does not represent localized annual salary data for skilled mechanical assemblers.
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