Helpers--Production Workers build operation and control, operations monitoring and quality control analysis skills that carry over to other work. Below are 25 careers ranked by how closely their skills match, with pay from BLS May 2025. The closest match is Machine Feeders and Offbearers (90%).
Updated October 2026 · Data: O*NET 31.0 and BLS OEWS May 2025 · How we match careers
Sorted by skill match.
| # | Career | Skill match | Median pay | Pay change | Extra education |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Machine Feeders and Offbearers | 90% | $41,220 | +6% | None |
| 2 | Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers | 81% | $34,890 | −11% | None |
| 3 | Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | 80% | $46,550 | +19% | None |
| 4 | Helpers--Extraction Workers | 80% | $47,730 | +22% | None |
| 5 | Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 79% | $40,240 | +3% | None |
| 6 | Packers and Packagers, Hand | 79% | $36,280 | −7% | None |
| 7 | Pourers and Casters, Metal | 79% | $51,810 | +33% | None |
| 8 | Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders | 79% | $54,430 | +39% | None |
| 9 | Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Synthetic and Glass Fibers | 78% | $46,350 | +19% | None |
| 10 | Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers | 78% | $96,710 | +148% | None |
Compared with Helpers--Production Workers, median $39,070. Skill match is our estimate (0–99) from O*NET 31.0 skills, knowledge, work activities and interests, adjusted for preparation and big pay drops. Pay: BLS OEWS May 2025, national median.
How important each skill is in work as helpers--production workers (O*NET importance, scale 1–5).
The gaps that show up most often across your top 10 matches.
Free and low-cost training: use the CareerOneStop training finder below.
A concrete first step, the skills to add, and the hard parts of each job, from O*NET 31.0 education, training and work context data.
90% skill match · $41,220 · +6% pay
Troubleshooting · Operations Monitoring · Judgment and Decision Making
81% skill match · $34,890 · −11% pay
Time Management · Service Orientation · Judgment and Decision Making
80% skill match · $46,550 · +19% pay
Operation and Control · Operations Monitoring · Judgment and Decision Making
If you want to stay close to what you do now, these roles are the nearest.
The closest matches are Machine Feeders and Offbearers (90% skill match, median $41,220), Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers (81% skill match, median $34,890) and Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic (80% skill match, median $46,550), based on O*NET 31.0 data and BLS May 2025 pay.
Among the 25 matches, 18 pay more than helpers--production workers at the median. The biggest increases: Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers (+148%, $96,710), Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders (+39%, $54,430) and Pourers and Casters, Metal (+33%, $51,810).
25 of the 25 matches usually need no more education than you have now, based on O*NET Job Zones.
We compare the importance of skills, knowledge, work activities and interests in O*NET 31.0 for your job and every other career, then adjust for extra preparation and big pay drops. The full method is on our Methodology page.