Production Occupations
BLS May 2025 wages Peer-group outlier SOC 51-2031

Engine and Other Machine Assemblers

Median pay sits 28% below the mid peer in Production Occupations (neighbors include Nuclear Power Reactor Operators, Plant and System Operators, All Other, Fabric and Apparel Patternmakers, Tool and Die Makers).

Full salary details → About this data

Same-major-group titles next to Engine and Other Machine Assemblers: Nuclear Power Reactor Operators ($123K) , Plant and System Operators, All Other ($62K) , Fabric and Apparel Patternmakers ($63K) , Tool and Die Makers ($64K) . Hash-ordered per card so residual SOC siblings do not share an identical peer sentence.

What Engine and Other Machine Assemblers publish as work

O*NET task statements for SOC 51-2031 - occupation-level descriptions, not every employer's posting. Sibling cards diverge here because the task set is entity-keyed.

  1. 1. Read and interpret assembly blueprints or specifications manuals, and plan assembly or building operations
  2. 2. Inspect, operate, and test completed products to verify functioning, machine capabilities, or conformance to customer specifications
  3. 3. Position or align components for assembly, manually or using hoists
  4. 4. Set and verify parts clearances
  5. 5. Verify conformance of parts to stock lists or blueprints, using measuring instruments such as calipers, gauges, or micrometers
  6. 6. Fasten or install piping, fixtures, or wiring and electrical components to form assemblies or subassemblies, using hand tools, rivet guns…
  7. 7. Remove rough spots and smooth surfaces to fit, trim, or clean parts, using hand tools or power tools
  8. 8. Lay out and drill, ream, tap, or cut parts for assembly
  9. 9. Rework, repair, or replace damaged parts or assemblies
  10. 10. Assemble systems of gears by aligning and meshing gears in gearboxes
  11. 11. Set up and operate metalworking machines, such as milling or grinding machines, to shape or fabricate parts
  12. 12. Maintain and lubricate parts or components

Engine and Other Machine Assemblers: O*NET ranks Operations Monitoring first

Importance-ranked O*NET profile for SOC 51-2031 - lead skill Operations Monitoring at 3.4 ; lead knowledge Mechanical. Sibling cards diverge here even when peer titles overlap.

Top skills

  1. 1. Operations Monitoring 3.4
  2. 2. Reading Comprehension 3.1
  3. 3. Quality Control Analysis 3.1
  4. 4. Active Listening 3.0
  5. 5. Speaking 3.0
  6. 6. Critical Thinking 3.0
  7. 7. Monitoring 3.0
  8. 8. Social Perceptiveness 2.9

Knowledge areas

  1. 1. Mechanical 3.9
  2. 2. Production and Processing 3.4
  3. 3. Customer and Personal Service 3.2
  4. 4. Engineering and Technology 3.0
  5. 5. Mathematics 2.9
  6. 6. Public Safety and Security 2.9
Pay vs Production Occupations peers
-28%
vs mid peer median $74,450
This role $53,710/yr
$54K
National median
↓ -21%
Growth 2024-2034
2,800
Annual openings
34,000
Estimated US jobs
Nuclear Power Reactor Operators
Highest-pay peer · $123K

Typical Entry and Preparation Assignments

Entry education High school diploma or equivalent

Top Paying States for Engine and Other Machine Assemblers

1. Idaho $54,240
2. Connecticut $61,320
3. Ohio $74,750
4. Michigan $60,950
5. Wisconsin $54,240
6. Arkansas $54,620
7. Oregon $63,420
8. New Hampshire $70,150
9. Washington $72,800
10. Minnesota $58,820

Other Production Occupations titles

  1. 1. Fabric and Apparel Patternmakers $62,750
  2. 2. Tool and Die Makers $64,050
  3. 3. Plant and System Operators, All Other $62,470
  4. 4. Nuclear Power Reactor Operators $122,890
  5. 5. Chemical Plant and System Operators $78,120
  6. 6. Power Plant Operators $102,040

Among Production Occupations peers on this card, Engine and Other Machine Assemblers sits 28% below the mid peer median ($74,450). Its own median is $53,710.

Employment Projections expect -21% change between 2024 and 2034 (declining vs baseline 3.1%). About 2,800 annual openings are projected. BLS assigns High school diploma or equivalent as typical education needed for entry. These are occupation-level assignments, not universal requirements. BLS does not publish a separate occupation-specific safety rate for this role; its broad SOC-group rate is excluded from this career card's grade.

Highest published state median in this ranking: Idaho at $54,240. The table records differences without proving causes. Highest-pay peer shown here: Nuclear Power Reactor Operators at $122,890. Compare the same statistic in the relevant local wage area before treating the national median as a personal benchmark; OEWS excludes employer benefits.

Engine and Other Machine Assemblers pay-rank #25 in Production Occupations

Among 105 detailed Production Occupations with a published OEWS median, Engine and Other Machine Assemblers is pay-rank #25, the upper third of that major group. The order is ROW_NUMBER on national median (title as tiebreak), not a worker-level percentile.

Other upper-third titles · closest medians

Full Salary Details Compare this role

Data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025. Projections from BLS Employment Projections program, 2024-2034.

Engine and Other Machine Assemblers pays 28% below its major-group peer median. See the state map and the peers closest to (and furthest from) this line.

Engine and Other Machine Assemblers salary map

State, metro, and percentile for SOC 51-2031

Idaho · top state for Engine and Other Machine Assemblers

$54K published median

Connecticut · #2 state pay

$61K · behind Idaho

Nuclear Power Reactor Operators

Highest-pay peer vs Engine and Other Machine Assemblers · $123K

Plant and System Operators, All Other

Lower-pay peer beside Engine and Other Machine Assemblers · $62K

Compare Engine and Other Machine Assemblers

Head-to-head OEWS medians with another SOC
Compare Engine and Other Machine Assemblers with another occupation →

Peer-comparison next reads

Compare Engine and Other Machine Assemblers

Against another occupation

Nuclear Power Reactor Operators card

Top peer in this major group

Frequently Asked Questions

Which Production Occupations titles sit near Engine and Other Machine Assemblers at the top of the pay table? ▼
Engine and Other Machine Assemblers is pay-rank #25 of 105 detailed Production Occupations with an OEWS median, upper third. Nearest upper-third titles: Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers ($54K), Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders ($54K), Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic ($53K), Jewelers and Precious Stone and Metal Workers ($53K). Rank is ROW_NUMBER on national median.
What do engine and other machine assemblers do day to day? ▼
O*NET lists published task statements for Engine and Other Machine Assemblers. Leading ones include: Read and interpret assembly blueprints or specifications manuals, and plan assembly or building operations; Inspect, operate, and test completed products to verify functioning, machine capabilities, or conformance to customer specifications; Position or align components for assembly, manually or using hoists; Set and verify parts clearances. These are occupation-level task descriptions, not every employer's job description.
Which O*NET skills rank highest for engine and other machine assemblers? ▼
For SOC 51-2031, O*NET importance scores lead with Operations Monitoring (3.4), Reading Comprehension (3.1), Quality Control Analysis (3.1), Active Listening (3.0). Knowledge areas emphasize Mechanical, Production and Processing, Customer and Personal Service. These are occupation-level profiles, not a hiring checklist for every employer.
What is the OEWS national median for Engine and Other Machine Assemblers? ▼
May 2025 OEWS reports $53,710 as the national median for Engine and Other Machine Assemblers. The published 10th-90th range is $38,500 to $77,750. Beside Nuclear Power Reactor Operators ($122,890), this is the occupation-level national figure, not a local offer.
What employment change does BLS publish for Engine and Other Machine Assemblers? ▼
The 2024-2034 projection for Engine and Other Machine Assemblers is -21%. Projected annual openings: about 2,800. Relative to the current all-occupations baseline of 3.1%: declining.
What typical entry education does BLS assign to Engine and Other Machine Assemblers? ▼
BLS assigns High school diploma or equivalent as the typical-education-needed-for-entry category for Engine and Other Machine Assemblers. These are occupation-level labels, not every employer's hiring rule.
Which three states show the highest OEWS medians for Engine and Other Machine Assemblers? ▼
Idaho ($54,240), Connecticut ($61,320), Ohio ($74,750) lead this ranking. The table does not identify why those state estimates differ.

Source data and WageDex calculations are identified in context on this page. Wage and state figures use BLS OEWS May 2025; growth and education use BLS Employment Projections for 2024-2034; safety fields cite BLS CFOI/SOII; task statements cite O*NET where shown. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.

Disclaimer: Wage and outlook figures on this page are provided for informational purposes only and do not constitute career, financial, or salary-negotiation advice. Actual pay varies by employer, experience, and local conditions; consult a career counselor or the hiring employer for guidance specific to your situation.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OES Occupational wage estimates by area and industry · 2025

Federal sources on this Engine and Other Machine Assemblers card
  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS / OES) - national median and percentiles for SOC 51-2031. bls.gov/oes
  • O*NET OnLine - task and skill statements for Engine and Other Machine Assemblers. onetcenter.org
  • BLS Employment Projections - 2024-2034 change and openings for this occupation. bls.gov/emp
  • U.S. Census Bureau ACS - demographic and labor-force context for state and metro geography. census.gov/programs-surveys/acs
  • IRS Statistics of Income (SOI) - payroll-tax aggregate context for wage comparisons. irs.gov/statistics