American Factories Are Hiring Again. But The Jobs They’re Offering Are Changing.

American factories are adding workers again after years of declining employment, but the jobs being created increasingly require engineering expertise, technical training and the ability to operate sophisticated machinery rather than traditional assembly-line skills.

U.S. manufacturers have added 72,000 jobs since December 2025, recovering from a recent employment low, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics' September employment report. The sector added 9,000 positions in September alone, bringing total manufacturing employment to approximately 12.65 million.

But the recovery looks different from previous periods of factory hiring. Between 2015 and 2025, manufacturers eliminated 244,000 production jobs while adding 358,000 positions in management and business and financial operations, according to Labor Department figures examined by The Wall Street Journal.

The changes are particularly visible in industries that rely on advanced machinery, computer-controlled production and specialized equipment.

In Phoenix, Arizona, Swift Coat, a company that manufactures antireflective glass coatings for satellites, plans to hire two or three employees by the end of the year. All the positions will require engineering degrees, the Journal reported.

The company uses automated production equipment that allows a relatively small workforce to manage manufacturing operations. Its hiring plans illustrate how some manufacturers are prioritizing employees who can design, operate and maintain complex systems.

The change also creates a challenge for workers whose experience comes primarily from conventional production lines.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics' May 2026 manufacturing career report offers a closer look at the occupations expected to grow as U.S. factories adopt new technologies.

Industrial machinery mechanics are projected to gain 41,200 jobs within manufacturing between 2024 and 2034, the largest increase among the occupations highlighted in the report.

Industrial engineers are expected to add 25,600 positions, followed by packaging and filling machine operators with 14,800 jobs.

Software developers and mechanical engineers are also among the occupations projected to expand, adding 11,800 and 11,000 manufacturing jobs, respectively, over the decade.

These are employment projections rather than positions already created. The expected growth reflects the increasing complexity of factory operations, where employees may be responsible for programming equipment, monitoring automated processes, troubleshooting machinery or improving production efficiency.

Pay varies considerably depending on the role. BLS figures show that software developers working in manufacturing earned a median annual wage of $134,910 in 2024, while industrial engineers earned $100,060 and mechanical engineers earned $99,990.

Industrial machinery mechanics earned a median of $64,680 within manufacturing, compared with $43,010 for packaging and filling machine operators.

The qualifications required also differ. Engineering and software development positions typically require bachelor's degrees, while machinery mechanics can enter with a high school diploma and receive extensive on-the-job training.

For workers without four-year degrees, equipment maintenance and technical roles may offer another route into advanced manufacturing.

The BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook projects that employment of industrial machinery mechanics, maintenance workers and millwrights across all industries will grow 14% between 2025 and 2035, considerably faster than the average for all occupations.

The agency expects approximately 51,900 openings annually in these occupations, many arising when existing workers retire or change careers.

The shift toward more technical jobs is creating new demands on workforce training programs. At Arizona State University, educators are preparing equipment technicians for semiconductor manufacturing, including roles connected to Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co.'s operations in Arizona, according to the Journal.

Semiconductor production involves highly specialized equipment that must operate under tightly controlled conditions. Technicians need training in areas such as electronics, mechanical systems, maintenance and equipment troubleshooting.

The growth potential extends beyond semiconductor manufacturing. BLS projections published in May show that other electrical equipment and component manufacturing could add 48,400 jobs between 2024 and 2034, while semiconductor and other electronic component manufacturing could add 44,500.

Aerospace product and parts manufacturing is projected to gain 30,100 positions, while pharmaceutical and medicine manufacturing could add 19,000.

Still, advanced technical positions are not the only opportunities available. Production occupations accounted for approximately half of all manufacturing jobs in 2024, and BLS projections show nearly one million openings annually across production occupations throughout the economy between 2024 and 2034.

Most of those openings are expected to come from replacing workers who retire or move into other occupations, rather than from net employment growth.

Traditional manufacturing jobs therefore remain a significant part of the workforce, even as companies expand their use of automated equipment.

For job seekers considering a manufacturing career, the training requirements can differ substantially between occupations. Some positions require engineering degrees, while others offer entry through apprenticeships, technical certificates or employer-provided instruction.

The BLS expects demand for workers who maintain automated machinery to keep growing, with industrial machinery mechanics alone projected to add approximately 79,700 jobs across the U.S. economy between 2025 and 2035.