Manufacturing Technician: career path and pay in the US
Where a Manufacturing Technician goes next, what each step typically pays in the United States, and how exposed the path is to AI replacement. 4 steps, from Manufacturing Technician to Maintenance Manager / Manufacturing Manager.
Also for the United Kingdom: Manufacturing Technician in the UK
The path
Step 1 · 0 to 2 years
Manufacturing Technician
$40K to $60K
Typical US pay for this job title, retrieved September 2026.
What this step adds
Credentials that help: Manufacturing Technician Certification (optional) - Global, Manufacturing Safety Certification (required) - Global, Health & Safety Certification (required) - Global.
Step 2 · 2 to 5 years
Senior Manufacturing Technician
$45K to $70K
Typical US pay for this job title, retrieved September 2026.
What this step adds
Credentials that help: Manufacturing Technician Certification - Global, Manufacturing Safety Certification - Global, Health & Safety Certification - Global, Equipment-specific certifications (optional) - Global.
Step 3 · 5 to 10 years
Manufacturing Technician Supervisor / Maintenance Supervisor
$50K to $75K
Typical US pay for this job title, retrieved September 2026.
What this step adds
Credentials that help: Manufacturing Technician Certification - Global, Manufacturing Safety Certification - Global, Health & Safety Certification - Global, Equipment-specific certifications - Global.
Step 4 · 10+ years
Maintenance Manager / Manufacturing Manager
$75K to $115K
Typical US pay for this job title, retrieved September 2026.
What this step adds
Credentials that help: Manufacturing Technician Certification - Global, Manufacturing Safety Certification - Global, Health & Safety Certification - Global, Equipment-specific certifications - Global.
Exposure and pay along the path
Exposure to AI, now to later
24% → 24%
Stays level across the path. Lower is better.
Typical pay, now to later
$40K to $60K → $75K to $115K
US estimates by job title, Glassdoor, Indeed and PayScale US. Indeed publishes a hourly average for Manufacturing Technician ($24.02); this band converts it at 40 hours a week. Indeed publishes a hourly average for Senior Manufacturing Technician ($27.28); this band converts it at 40 hours a week. Indeed publishes a hourly average for Manufacturing Technician Supervisor ($29.08); this band converts it at 40 hours a week.
What the work involves
Apply engineering theory and principles to problems of industrial layout or manufacturing production, usually under the direction of engineering staff. May perform time and motion studies on worker operations in a variety of industries for purposes such as establishing standard production rates or improving efficiency.
Skills that matter most
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Listening
- Critical Thinking
- Writing
- Speaking
- Mathematics
Knowledge areas
- Engineering and Technology
- Production and Processing
- Design
- Mechanical
- English Language
- Computers and Electronics
Education people bring
Job Zone 3, job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed. Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job.
Other paths from here
- Maintenance Manager
- Manufacturing Engineer
- Production Manager
- Operations Manager
More Manufacturing/Warehouse paths in the US
Related occupations in O*NET: Industrial Engineers, Manufacturing Engineers, Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians, Calibration Technologists and Technicians, Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians.
Your own role
How exposed is your job, task by task? Free score in under a minute.
SourcesSalary bands: Glassdoor, Indeed and PayScale US, US national averages by job title, retrieved September 2026Skills, knowledge and education: O*NET 31.0 Database
This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CC BY 4.0
Salary estimates by job title from Glassdoor, Indeed and PayScale, retrieved September 2026. Each band runs from 20% below to 20% above the reported average, rounded to $5K. Exposure percentages and the skills listed under each step are this app's own editorial ratings, not published data.