SOC 51-9198 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Helpers--Production Workers — Salem
Salem, OR · 5 metro areas compared
Median pay for this occupation in Salem, OR comes to $45,310 a year, ahead of the national median of $39,070 by 16.0%.
Wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
How pay has moved
The next ten years
Projected to decline
- Change in jobs, 2024 to 2034
- -8.9%
- Openings per year
- 23,600
- Typical entry-level education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- On-the-job training
- Short-term on-the-job training
Includes jobs opened by workers leaving the occupation, not only new positions.
Projections are published nationally only. This is the outlook for the occupation across the United States, not a measurement for Salem, OR.
Projections are based on 2024 employment and run to 2034. The wages above are from the May 2025 survey, a separate BLS programme on a different release cycle, so the two are not two views of one dataset.
Salary overview
Median pay for this occupation in Salem, OR comes to $45,310 a year, ahead of the national median of $39,070 by 16.0%. Pay ranges from under $37,090 at the tenth percentile to more than $54,080 at the ninetieth, with the interquartile range running from $40,290 to $48,620.
The area has 150 jobs in this occupation, giving a location quotient of 0.74 — a measure of how concentrated the occupation is here relative to the country as a whole. Within the state, Albany records the highest median at $52,290. Of the 434 occupations with published wages in this area, it sits 357th.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $37,090 | −5.1% |
| 25th | $40,290 | +3.1% |
| Median (50th) | $45,310 | +16.0% |
| 75th | $48,620 | +24.4% |
| 90th | $54,080 | +38.4% |
| Mean | $45,230 | +15.8% |
Other metro areas in Oregon
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in Salem run 3.6% above the national average, so the median of $45,310 buys what $43,736 would elsewhere in the country. Measured that way the gap against the national median narrows to 11.9% above the national median in real terms.
Published median
$45,310as reported by BLSLocal price level
103.6US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$43,736US average = 100 · BEA 2024Why the state that pays most is usually not where pay goes furthest
Key takeaways
- Median pay is $45,310 a year, 16.0% above the national median.
- Published pay spans $37,090 to $54,080 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- The area has 150 jobs in this occupation.
- The highest-paying metro area covered is Albany, at $52,290.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for Helpers--Production Workers in Salem, OR?
The median annual wage is $45,310, or $21.78 per hour, as of May 2025. Half of the workers in this occupation earn more than that and half earn less.
Is that higher than the national average?
The national median for this occupation is $39,070, so pay in Salem, OR is 16.0% higher. These figures are medians, not averages: half of workers fall on each side.
What do the top earners make?
The top tenth of this occupation in Salem, OR earns more than $54,080 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $37,090 per year. The survey measures wages actually paid rather than experience level, so this reflects the lowest-paid tenth rather than entry-level pay specifically.
Which area nearby pays the most?
The highest median for this occupation among the metro areas covered is in Albany, at $52,290 per year.
How many jobs are there in this occupation here?
The survey estimates 150 jobs in this occupation in Salem, OR. Self-employed workers are not included.
Source and methodology
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 Wages are for wage-and-salary workers; self-employed workers are not included. Salary Explorer is an independent project. It is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics or any government agency. Full methodology.
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