Manufacturing workers in nonsupervisory roles are making more money this year than last. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor, manufacturing workers made an average of $15.15 an hour in February this year. That is a 3.7% increase over the $14.61 an hour manufacturing workers earned in February 2001. The increase translates to average weekly earnings of $610.55, a 3.2% increase, over the weekly average of $591.71 a year earlier.

On average, workers in manufacturing still make less than workers in industries including mining, construction, transportation, wholesale trade, finance, insurance and real estate. But when service and retail industries are added in, manufacturing workers earn an average of 3.2% more per hour than the average earned by workers in all private industry. Data on average weekly earnings are collected from payroll reports of private nonfarm organizations.