Overview
EMPLOYED
868,100
PART-TIME SHARE
17%
WORKFORCE SHARE
5.9%
FEMALE SHARE
30%
MEDIAN WEEKLY EARNINGS
$1,654
MEDIAN AGE
43
Manufacturing is a large employing industry. Around 5.9% of workers have their main job in this industry.
Manufacturing involves transforming materials, substances or components into new products like:
- food and beverages
- textiles, leather, clothing and footwear
- wood and paper products
- petroleum and coal products
- chemical, polymer and rubber products
- mineral and metal products
- machinery and equipment
- furniture and other products.
Median earnings are $1,654 per week, lower than all industries median earnings of $1,741.
Details
On this page
Employment
Employment in the Manufacturing industry fell over the 20 years to February 2026.
The number of workers fell by 8,700 (or -1%) over the last year.
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Sectors
Bakery Product Manufacturing is the largest sector in the Manufacturing industry, employing 63,200 workers.
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Occupations
Structural Steel and Welding Trades Workers is the largest employing occupation in the Manufacturing industry.
The 10 largest employing occupations are shown below.
Some occupations are common across a number of industries.
Largest employing occupations
| ANZSCO Code | Occupation title |
|---|---|
| 3223 | Structural Steel and Welding Trades Workers |
| 1335 | Production Managers |
| 3232 | Metal Fitters and Machinists |
| 3941 | Cabinetmakers |
| 8321 | Packers |
| 6211 | Sales Assistants (General) |
| 8311 | Food and Drink Factory Workers |
| 7411 | Storepersons |
| 3511 | Bakers and Pastrycooks |
| 8322 | Product Assemblers |
Data Downloads
Industry data
This file contains data for all 19 industries to make comparing industry data easy. Information available includes:
- industry overview
- industry employment (20-year time series)
- industry sector employment
- top employing occupations by industry.