Side-by-side distribution
CNC Operator
$37.75/hr
per hour · USD
- Disclosing
- 44.6%
- Live roles
- 168
Production Manager
$106,050
median · per year, annualized USD
- Disclosing
- 42%
- Live roles
- 374
Highest-paying jobs
CNC Machinist
CNC Machinist/Programmer
CNC Machinist
Senior CNC Programmer & Machinist, 5-Axis
Lead CNC Machinist (PM Shift)
CNC Mill-Turn Machinist
Senior Composite CNC Programmer/Machinist
Senior CNC Programmer
CNC Programmer (Mill, Lathe & Swiss)
Senior CNC Programmer
Highest-paying jobs
Engineering Manager, Production Engineering
Senior Manager, Production Engineering
Engineering Manager - AJAX Production
Manager, Engineering (Production Orchestration)
Manager, Production Engineering
Senior Production Manager
Technical Program Manager, Production Engineering
Senior Manager of DevOps (Data Science Production Engineering)
Production Manager (Contract)
Staff Production Program Manager
Top companies hiring
| Company | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
SpaceX
|
$52,000 | 15 |
Thorlabs
|
$67,080 | 8 |
Rocket Lab Corporation
|
$88,400 | 4 |
Qualdoc
|
$48,880 | 4 |
|
Anduril Industries
|
$123,001 | 3 |
|
Rennscot MFG
|
$84,240 | 3 |
Shively Diversified Management Services
|
$65,520 | 3 |
| VT Voyager Technologies, Inc. | $55,120 | 3 |
Top companies hiring
| Company | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
|
Anduril Industries
|
$149,750 | 10 |
HelloFresh
|
$57,752 | 10 |
LandCare
|
$70,000 | 7 |
Gotion, Inc.
|
$123,750 | 6 |
Jacuzzi Group
|
$110,000 | 5 |
J&J Snack Foods
|
$70,000 | 5 |
|
Natera
|
$163,625 | 4 |
Relativity Space
|
$162,000 | 4 |
CNC Operator salary by location
| Location | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles | $84,240 | 4 |
Production Manager salary by location
| Location | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco | $161,250 | 6 |
| New York | $127,500 | 14 |
| Seattle | $120,000 | 3 |
| Los Angeles | $110,000 | 10 |
| London | $109,469 | 5 |
| Austin | $80,739 | 3 |
CNC Operator vs Production Manager: which pays more?
The median for CNC Operator is $37.75/hr per year (typically $25.00/hr–$45.13/hr), versus $106,050 for Production Manager ($76,369–$149,750). That puts Production Manager about 35% ahead at the median.
Both figures are computed live from active listings on JobsRadar and normalized to annualized USD, so CNC Operator and Production Manager are compared on equal terms regardless of the currency each role was originally posted in. Only roles that publish a salary range feed the medians; numbers refresh every few hours as new roles post and older ones close, so this comparison reflects the market right now rather than a fixed survey. Use it as a directional benchmark when weighing one path against the other.