---

Potters, Manufacturing: Career Profile

Operate production machines such as pug mill, jigger machine, or potter's wheel to process clay in manufacture of ceramic, pottery and stoneware products.

What Tasks Do Potters, Manufacturing Do?

The day-to-day responsibilities of potters, manufacturing cover:

• Operate gas or electric kilns to fire pottery pieces.
• Mix and apply glazes to pottery pieces, using tools, such as spray guns.
• Raise and shape clay into wares, such as vases and pitchers, on revolving wheels, using hands, fingers, and thumbs.
• Adjust wheel speeds according to the feel of the clay as pieces enlarge and walls become thinner.
• Position balls of clay in centers of potters' wheels, and start motors or pump treadles with feet to revolve wheels.
• Move pieces from wheels so that they can dry.
• Prepare work for sale or exhibition, and maintain relationships with retail, pottery, art, and resource networks that can facilitate sale or exhibition of work.
• Attach handles to pottery pieces.

Skills and Knowledge

Successful potters, manufacturing draw on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.

Most Important Skills

The abilities that matter most in this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Core Knowledge

Types of Potters, Manufacturing Jobs

People in this occupation may also be known by titles such as:

• Clay Mixer
• Glazer
• Jigger Artisan
• Jigger Machine Operator
• Jiggerman
• Kiln Worker
• Manufacturing Potter
• Pot Maker

Job Outlook

The U.S. employs around 773,789 potters, manufacturing working in the United States today. This occupation is expected to grow by +4.6% over the projection horizon.

How Much Do Potters, Manufacturing Make?

Statistic	Value
Annual median	$58,919
Hourly median	$28.33
10th percentile	$32,892
25th percentile	$45,906
75th percentile	$71,932
90th percentile	$84,945

Compensation varies based on experience, location, and industry.

How Much Do Potters, Manufacturing Make in Different U.S. States?

State	Annual median salary
Hawaii	$74,780
Maryland	$51,470
New Hampshire	$50,690
New York	$50,470
Connecticut	$50,350
Massachusetts	$49,530
Montana	$49,350
Oregon	$49,290
New Jersey	$49,120
California	$48,390
Georgia	$48,320
Louisiana	$48,280
Washington	$48,100
Vermont	$47,700
Nebraska	$47,640
Rhode Island	$47,630
Delaware	$47,210
Arizona	$47,170
Maine	$47,100
Kansas	$47,040
Indiana	$46,990
Nevada	$46,350
Wisconsin	$45,870
Pennsylvania	$45,810
Illinois	$45,720
Colorado	$45,480
North Dakota	$45,230
Minnesota	$45,090
Iowa	$44,760
Ohio	$44,660
Idaho	$43,960
Florida	$43,730
South Carolina	$42,730
Michigan	$42,520
Missouri	$42,090
Arkansas	$41,920
Virginia	$41,280
Oklahoma	$41,010
Kentucky	$40,280
Tennessee	$39,570
Utah	$39,260
North Carolina	$39,090
Texas	$38,960
West Virginia	$36,970
Alabama	$36,240
Mississippi	$30,070

Where Potters, Manufacturing Earn the Most

Pay for potters, manufacturing differ across the country. These regions lead on median pay:

Region	Median annual wage	Share of U.S. jobs	Location quotient
New England	$49,134	5.4%	1.41
Far Western US	$48,466	17.7%	1.08
Middle Atlantic	$48,200	12.1%	0.94
Plains States	$45,055	9.9%	1.63
Great Lakes	$44,930	21.5%	1.69
Rocky Mountains	$42,963	4.2%	1.26
Southeast	$40,825	21.6%	1.13
Southwest	$40,351	7.6%	0.63

Top Metro Areas

Metro area	State	Median annual wage	Employment
Vineland, NJ	NJ	$62,530	200
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA	CA	$61,000	180
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA	CA	$58,630	420
Modesto, CA	CA	$58,150	80
Rochester, NY	NY	$57,360	60
Syracuse, NY	NY	$54,560	40
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH	MA	$54,250	450
Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY	NY	$52,740	80

Top Industries Employing Potters, Manufacturing

The bulk of potters, manufacturing are found across these industries:

Industry	Employment	Median annual wage
Manufacturing	28,900	$45,490
Construction	3,060	$48,720
Retail Trade	840	$49,730
Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services	840	$36,100
Wholesale Trade	520	$43,310
Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction	140	$48,040
Other Services (except Public Administration)	40	$41,700

Potters, Manufacturing work in the following industries:

Tools and Technology

• Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
• Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)

Work Environment

Daily working conditions for potters, manufacturing tends to involve the following characteristics:

• Freedom to Make Decisions
• Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls
• Determine Tasks, Priorities and Goals
• Deal With External Customers or the Public in General
• Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams

How to Become Potters, Manufacturing

Entry-level potters, manufacturing positions require a postsecondary nondegree award as the typical entry-level education. This occupation sits in Medium Preparation Needed (Job Zone 3), reflecting the level of preparation typically expected.

Other Careers to Consider

Similar Occupations

• Craft Artists (Primary-Short)
• Refractory Materials Repairers, Except Brickmasons (Supplemental)
• Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters (Supplemental)
• Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic (Supplemental)
• Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic (Supplemental)
• Pourers and Casters, Metal (Supplemental)
• Patternmakers, Metal and Plastic (Supplemental)
• Foundry Mold and Coremakers (Primary-Long)

References

Statistics shown above are sourced from the following authoritative sources:

• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
• BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
• O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.

SOC code: 51-9195.05 (Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic).