Find a Job You Really Want In
Yes, miscellaneous manufacturing industries is a good career path. Manufacturing has been a huge part of the economy for the better part of two hundred years, and current trends show no sign of that changing, especially with the push lately to move manufacturing and other industrial careers back to the United States.
Miscellaneous manufacturing industries are a broad industry, meaning that there are myriad career options to choose from. Whether you’re interested in getting a four-year degree, an associate’s degree, or just stepping into the workforce, there’s a job for you here.
There’s a lot of room for growth in the sector, as well as overlapping jobs. That means that if you think you might want to change careers at some time in the future, you can use your knowledge and experience and apply it to a different career path.
Jobs in this industry run the gamut in the amount of education and training required. Many require college degrees, while others require an apprenticeship or an education from a vocational school, and a few can be stepped right into. This means that there will be a job to meet your needs, whatever they may be.
10 of the Best Paying Jobs in Miscellaneous Manufacturing Industries
Every job on this list is going to require a college degree, as jobs that require more education tend to pay better. And if you’re looking for top-tier high-paying work, experience is going to be a requirement.
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Manufacturing Systems Engineer
Average Annual Salary: $92,000
Manufacturing systems engineers design and install manufacturing systems and equipment. They’re also expected to test and evaluate said systems to make sure that they meet the requirements and won’t fail.
As they oversee the whole manufacturing process, manufacturing system engineers work with lots of other experts, meaning that good communications skills are a must, as well as being able to work in a team.
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Average Annual Salary: $78,000
Industrial engineers specialize in the industry. Their area of expertise is on the best, most practical way to set up production. This includes helping design the layout of the production floor as well as being familiar with the processes themselves.
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Average Annual Salary: $81,000
This type of engineering is similar to industrial engineering, but it focuses entirely on the process. Process engineers help select the optimal materials, chemical components, and design for the product. They’re also involved in the testing and upgrading of systems in order to make sure it’s the best they can be.
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Continuous Improvement Engineer
Average Annual Salary: $74,000
As the name suggests, continuous improvement engineers are focused on improving a process. Their duties are mainly focused on testing and studying the current process and searching for ways to make it better – be that more efficient, less expensive, or more durable.
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Average Annual Salary: $60,000
While the general connotation of hygiene is cleanliness, its true definition is general health. Industrial hygienists focus on all aspects of health in an industrial environment.
This includes cleanliness, sanitation, comfort, and trying to bolster mental health. They are responsible for coming up with plans and helping to implement them, as well as educating the workforce.
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Average Annual Salary: $76,000
Manufacturing engineers focus entirely on the manufacturing process. They come up with the most cost-efficient way to manufacture the best product. It’s imperative they are familiar with the current rules and regulations and make sure that the manufacturing process follows them.
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Average Annual Salary: $75,000
Industrial designers design products for manufacture. They work with clients to design blueprints, mockups, and samples of products. In order to make sure their designs are feasible, they also work with manufacturers, material scientists, as well as safety and quality experts.
Due to the broadness of the career, most industrial designers have a specialty, such as toys, furniture, or vehicles.
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Average Annual Salary: $79,000
Mechanical engineers specialize in machines. Specialized machines are essential to manufacturing, meaning that a lot of mechanical engineers work in this field. Their work mainly involves improving on design, materials, and durability of the machines.
They’re also involved in coming up with better ways to maintain and repair machinery that’s already in service.
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Average Annual Salary: $86,000
This job is focused on making sure that a product is feasible to make and that quality can be maintained with the current materials and technology.
Quality assurance engineers help with overall production, but they are mainly focused on the product itself. It has to be within cost parameters but also within parameters for quality and the percentage of products that end up defective.
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Average Annual Salary: $79,000
Design engineers design and create systems and applications. This varies depending on their area of expertise and the business they’re working in – design engineers aren’t specific to manufacturing.
They aren’t limited to creating new systems, though, as they’ll also make recommendations to improve an existing system. It requires strong knowledge of computer systems and programming.
Each of the above jobs requires a college degree, and many require experience in a related field. So this is an idea of what a career in miscellaneous manufacturing industries is likely to look like at the height of your career. If you’re looking to get started in the industry, then the below list is worth a look.
10 Entry-Level Jobs in Miscellaneous Manufacturing Industries
Several of these jobs don’t require a college degree and instead rely on education from a vocational school or an apprenticeship. Most of these careers are excellent in their own right but will also help if you’re aiming to end up in the highest-paid positions.
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Average Annual Salary: $45,000
Machinists are skilled workers that are responsible for actually making machined items. While most of their job is programming the requirements into a computer, they have to be familiar with the program, components, and the machining process in order to do the job properly.
They can make custom pieces or work on a larger scale, such as setting up machining for an assembly line.
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Average Annual Salary: $36,000
This is a specialized painting position. Industrial painters provide painting services to industrial enterprises, such as construction and manufacturing. They aren’t restricted to painting walls and ceilings, either, as they may paint vehicles or other manufactured items.
They need to be familiar with different types of paint and how they work on different surfaces, as well as safety equipment. Industrial painters are unlikely to work alone, so you need to be able to follow directions and work as a team.
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Average Annual Salary: $32,000
The majority of factories have at least a few manned machines. A machine operator has to know the proper way to operate the machine, as well as basic maintenance. They’re responsible for making sure their machine runs properly as well as keeping it lubricated and clean.
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Average Annual Salary: $67,000
To do this job properly, you need to pay strong attention to detail. An operations analyst’s main job is in data management. This necessitates working closely with other members of the team to make sure that the database is kept up to date and accurate.
In order to be effective in this job, you have to be comfortable with math and computers and have good communication skills.
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Average Annual Salary: $48,000
A calibration technician’s job is to make sure that the assembly line machines are properly calibrated. This means testing them, doing measurements, and correcting them if they’re off. It requires attention to detail along with familiarity with machines and measurements.
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Average Annual Salary: $58,000
An industrial electrician is a specialized electrician. They work in industrial buildings, making sure that the electrical setup can handle the load of a factory. It involves running a lot of wires, as well as setting up the electrical system in large buildings. Industrial electricians also repair and upgrade existing electrical systems when needed.
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Average Annual Salary: $27,000
Industrial cleaning isn’t limited to industrial complexes, as anything that isn’t home is considered “industrial.” However, every place needs to be cleaned and needs a cleaning service. Cleaners have to be familiar with different types of cleaning tools, solutions, and requirements.
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Industrial Maintenance Mechanic
Average Annual Salary: $48,000
Industrial maintenance mechanics maintain industrial machinery. They check to make sure it’s running properly, and that proper maintenance is done. If there’s an issue, they’ll repair the machine. This can include replacing parts, checking wiring, and other repair duties.
Troubleshooting is also a major part of the job, as they have to find out what’s causing the problem and get it replaced quickly, as any issue with the factory equipment results in delays.
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Manufacturing Production Technician
Average Annual Salary: $27,000
This job is focused on making sure the production process works properly. Manufacturing production technicians help with the setup and make sure that the products that come off the line are properly made and meet quality standards.
If there are issues, they work to troubleshoot the equipment to find errors or inefficiencies. They’ll also check the production quality once the assembly line is up and running, but the majority of their job is making sure it gets off to a proper start.
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Average Annual Salary: $33,000
This job title is largely self-explanatory. Quality inspectors make sure that the products’ quality meets the requirements. They test durability, ease of use, and efficiency. They’re also expected to know both the manufacturer’s standards as well as the regulations on products and make sure that they’re both met.
The job requires taking a lot of measurements and testing products at random to make sure that quality is maintained.
Vocational schools will offer many of the skills for several of the above jobs, but most still need a college degree. It’s going to depend on what level of education you’ve decided you want to pursue.
Why Choose a Career in Miscellaneous Manufacturing Industries?
The types of careers in this industry are varied in the amount of education required, as well as how much you end up working with your hands versus doing more cerebral work. However, there are still some qualities that will help you with any job in this industry. Here are some traits to consider.
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You’re mechanically inclined. Not every job on this list involves working directly with machinery, but most of them require at least a passing knowledge of them. So if you don’t have at least an interest in them, it may not be the best career path for you.
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How things are made interests you. Working with industrial machinery generally means that you’re going to be working around factories or processing centers. How those processes work is a major component of it.
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You’re detail-oriented. Whether you’re designing something, improving a system, or putting a system together, the details are important. All of these jobs require attention to detail and being willing to correct errors.
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You’re goal-oriented. Most of the jobs here are about meeting requirements, goals, and deadlines. If you’re a linear thinker that likes to have goals and deadlines, then manufacturing is a good choice.
Depending on what type of job you choose to do, there will be some variation in the skill set. But if the above qualities describe you, then you should absolutely look into going into miscellaneous manufacturing industries as a career path.
Education and Certification Requirements for a Career in Miscellaneous Manufacturing Industries
The level of education required is going to vary greatly depending on the career you choose to pursue. But here are some ideas for majors to look into.
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Industrial Technology. This covers the science of industry, from manufacturing and industrial production to the management of such a system.
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Mechatronics and Robotics. This specializes in machines and robots. This is good if you want to be a mechanical engineer.
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Drafting and Design. This is good if you want to be an industrial designer or design engineer.
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Engineering. This is a generic degree that can get you into any kind of engineering. But you can also specialize:
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Industrial Engineering. If you want to be an industrial engineer.
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Manufacturing Engineering. If you’re looking to become a manufacturing engineer.
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Mechanical Engineering. If you want to be a mechanical engineer.
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A few of the jobs listed above are skilled trades. A vocational school is an excellent place to start, but several of them also have apprenticeship programs. And the majority of them must be licensed.
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Electricians need to be licensed and meet training requirements.
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The majority of those who operate heavy equipment need to be trained and licensed, too.
There are various certifications that you can get to further your career as well. This will depend on what you choose to do. For instance, it’s strongly recommended for industrial hygienists to be certified, and there are various other certifications you can get to prove your knowledge and experience.
What Do People Working In Miscellaneous Manufacturing Industries Do?
People in miscellaneous manufacturing industries set up, maintain and improve factories and other industrial complexes. This lends a great deal of variance to your career choices, as the industry involves being familiar with machinery, design, and manufacturing. Several of the careers listed above overlap with two or even all three, but many focus on just one aspect.
If you work in the setup, you can help with the layout design and the ergonomics of it. Or you can set up the machinery and test it to make sure it’s working properly and is safe.
If you’re part of maintenance, then you continue to test to make sure everything’s working properly. It also involves making sure the machinery is kept clean and oiled. If the problem runs deeper than that, then it’s time to repair or replace it, depending on the circumstances. This could be recalibration, part replacement, or even replacing it with a new apparatus.
As for improvement, those in miscellaneous manufacturing industries are always looking for ways to improve the process. Be that using different packaging, altering the order of manufacture, or switching to better materials, there’s always someone on the lookout to make it better, quicker, or less expensive – hopefully all three.
Author
Di has been a writer for more than half her life. Most of her writing so far has been fiction, and she’s gotten short stories published in online magazines Kzine and Silver Blade, as well as a flash fiction piece in the Bookends review. Di graduated from Mary Baldwin College (now University) with a degree in Psychology and Sociology.
