What's Up With Manufacturing Wages?

March 12, 2015

Do manufacturing wages outpace other sectors? Or are they diving to retail clerk level? Both. Here's an explanation.

The data for these charts and graphs comes primarily from two sources:

Facts About Manufacturing, produced by The Manufacturing Institute, the Manufacturers Alliance for Productivity and Innovation (MAPI), and the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM).
Manufacturing Low Pay: Declining Wages in the Jobs that Build America's Middle Class, produced by the National Employment Law Project (NELP).

About the Author

Patricia Panchak | Patricia Panchak, Former Editor-in-Chief

Focus: Competitiveness & Public Policy

Call: 216-931-9252

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In her commentary and reporting for IndustryWeek, Editor-in-Chief Patricia Panchak covers world-class manufacturing industry strategies, best practices and public policy issues that affect manufacturers’ competitiveness. She delivers news and analysis—and reports the trends--in tax, trade and labor policy; federal, state and local government agencies and programs; and judicial, executive and legislative actions. As well, she shares case studies about how manufacturing executives can capitalize on the latest best practices to cut costs, boost productivity and increase profits.

As editor, she directs the strategic development of all IW editorial products, including the magazine, IndustryWeek.com, research and information products, and executive conferences.

An award-winning editor, Panchak received the 2004 Jesse H. Neal Business Journalism Award for Signed Commentary and helped her staff earn the 2004 Neal Award for Subject-Related Series. She also has earned the American Business Media’s Midwest Award for Editorial Courage and Integrity.

Patricia holds bachelor’s degrees in Journalism and English from Bowling Green State University and a master’s degree in Journalism from Ohio University’s E.W. Scripps School of Journalism. She lives in Cleveland Hts., Ohio, with her family.