Potters (Manufacturing)
O*NET title: Potters, Manufacturing
Operate production machines such as pug mill, jigger machine, or potter's wheel to process clay in manufacture of ceramic, pottery and stoneware products.
Also called: Clay Mixer, Glazer, Jigger Artisan, Jigger Machine Operator, Jiggerman, Kiln Worker
Median pay
$46,170
Pay for the broader BLS group “Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic”
Pay range (10th–90th)
$35,850 – $61,530
People employed
33,190
Whole BLS group
Holland code
RCA
Realistic · Conventional · Artistic
Updated October 2026 · Data: O*NET 31.0 and BLS OEWS May 2025 · How we match careers
Is this career right for you?
These are the things that stand out in this job compared with other U.S. jobs (O*NET 31.0 work context). Answer honestly.
- 1.Do you prefer a steady pace without constant deadlines?
- 2.Are you OK with hours that change?
- 3.Do you prefer doing your own work rather than directing others?
- 4.Are you happy working mostly on your own, with little contact with others?
- 5.Do you want a lot of freedom to make your own decisions?
- 6.Do you enjoy serving customers or the public?
- 7.Are you OK repeating the same tasks most of the day?
Potters (Manufacturing) pay by state
Annual median pay by state (48 states with published data). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025, for the broader group “Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic”.
What potters (manufacturing) do
- 01Operate gas or electric kilns to fire pottery pieces.
- 02Start machine units and conveyors and observe lights and gauges on panel board to verify operational efficiency.
- 03Mix and apply glazes to pottery pieces, using tools, such as spray guns.
- 04Raise and shape clay into wares, such as vases and pitchers, on revolving wheels, using hands, fingers, and thumbs.
- 05Adjust wheel speeds according to the feel of the clay as pieces enlarge and walls become thinner.
- 06Position balls of clay in centers of potters' wheels, and start motors or pump treadles with feet to revolve wheels.
Skills that matter most
- Critical Thinking
- Monitoring
- Active Listening
- Speaking
- Reading Comprehension
- Writing
Knowledge
- Fine Arts
- Production and Processing
- Design
- Customer and Personal Service
- Chemistry
Work styles that stand out
- Attention to Detail
Education and first steps
Share of workers by required education, as reported to O*NET.
How people get started
- Usually needs vocational training or an associate degree (O*NET Job Zone 3).
- Related work experience: over 4 years, up to and including 6 years.
- On-the-job training: anything beyond short demonstration, up to and including 1 month.
Most common answers from O*NET 31.0 Education, Training and Experience.
Interest fit (Holland code)
O*NET occupational interest scores, scale 1–7. Take the Free Career Test to compare with your own.
Career changes
Change from potters (manufacturing)
- Craft Artists75% · —
- Model Makers, Wood72% · —
- Foundry Mold and Coremakers71% · —
- Patternmakers, Metal and Plastic71% · —
- Sewers, Hand69% · —
Change into potters (manufacturing)
Jobs whose skills carry over best (skill match, their median pay).
- Craft Artists72% · $46,080
- Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators52% · $55,490