Side-by-side distribution
CNC Operator
$31.00/hr
per hour · USD
- Disclosing
- 41.3%
- Live roles
- 670
Production Manager
$94,500
median · per year, annualized USD
- Disclosing
- 35.5%
- Live roles
- 1,810
Highest-paying jobs
Sr. Principal CNC Programmer
CNC Machinist (1st Shift)
CNC Programmer
CNC Machinist/Programmer
Lead Design CNC Programmer/Operator
CNC Programmer/ Manufacturing Engineer- Machining
CNC Machinist (Multiple Shifts)
Lead CNC Machinist (PM Shift)
CNC Mill-Turn Machinist
CNC Programmer
Highest-paying jobs
Production Supervisor 2nd Shift
Manager, Security Engineering, Production Security
Manager, Software Engineering - Production Engineering
Tech Lead and Manager (TLM), Production Engineering
Marketing - Senior Manager/Manager, Event Production, Events & Experiences
SAP Production Planning & Execution Manager - Industrial
AMC-R Production Program Manager 3
Senior Manager, Production Engineering
Program Manager II-Production
Sr Manager, Production Planning & Control
Top companies hiring
| Company | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
Regal Rexnord
|
$61,360 | 14 |
SpaceX
|
$52,000 | 13 |
Caterpillar
|
$66,498 | 9 |
| GV GE Vernova | $85,635 | 8 |
Graco
|
$67,912 | 8 |
Mitsubishi Chemical Group
|
$67,600 | 8 |
Jabil
|
$66,508 | 8 |
| WO Woodward | $52,182 | 8 |
Top companies hiring
| Company | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
Anduril Industries
|
$170,000 | 17 |
Kraft Heinz
|
$87,550 | 16 |
|
Northrop Grumman
|
$174,800 | 13 |
Heidelberg Materials
|
$99,047 | 13 |
Flex
|
$101,600 | 9 |
Oshkosh Corporation
|
$95,500 | 9 |
Gotion, Inc.
|
$90,000 | 9 |
| JC Johnson Controls | $60,542 | 9 |
CNC Operator salary by location
| Location | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
| Seattle | $98,186 | 4 |
| Los Angeles | $84,240 | 4 |
| New York | $63,800 | 6 |
Production Manager salary by location
| Location | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco | $171,075 | 8 |
| Seattle | $120,000 | 5 |
| Los Angeles | $107,500 | 19 |
| Chicago | $103,208 | 13 |
| New York | $95,000 | 39 |
| Toronto | $80,750 | 7 |
| Denver | $79,383 | 5 |
| Boston | $76,500 | 12 |
| Austin | $58,963 | 3 |
CNC Operator vs Production Manager: which pays more?
The median for CNC Operator is $31.00/hr per year (typically $25.00/hr–$36.69/hr), versus $94,500 for Production Manager ($78,000–$122,500). That puts Production Manager about 47% 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.