U.S. manufacturing jobs
Seasonally adjusted manufacturing employment in September 2026. Employment was up 72,000 from its recent low in December 2025.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, September 2026 ↗REFERENCE DATA
U.S. industrial marking and engraving statistics.
A compact, source-led view of the manufacturing and workforce context around permanent product marking. Every figure below links to the primary source.
Last updated:
READ THIS FIRST
There is no single U.S. census code for laser marking.
Industrial laser marking sits across engraving, fabrication, machinery, product decoration, and contract production. The government datasets below do not claim to count every laser-marking job. Instead, they provide the closest published workforce and manufacturing context, with the scope of each number stated plainly.
That makes this a useful reference for writers, procurement teams, and partners who need credible context without treating a proxy as a precise market size.
THE FIGURES
Six citable facts.
average weekly manufacturing earnings
Average weekly earnings for all manufacturing employees in September 2026. This is broad manufacturing context, not a laser-marking wage estimate.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, September 2026 ↗average manufacturing workweek hours
The average workweek for all manufacturing employees in September 2026. Manufacturing overtime averaged 3.0 hours that month.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, September 2026 ↗etchers and engravers
National employment estimate for etchers and engravers in May 2025. The same survey reported a mean annual wage of $46,320.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025 ↗welding machine operators
National employment estimate for welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders in May 2025. The survey reported a mean annual wage of $50,220.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025 ↗manufacturing jobs in one month
Manufacturing employment increased by 9,000 in September 2026, including gains in machinery manufacturing and plastics and rubber products manufacturing.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, September 2026 ↗METHODOLOGY AND SOURCES
Built for accurate citation.
Figures are taken from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The monthly manufacturing figures use the September 2026 Employment Situation release. Occupation figures use the May 2025 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, the newest occupation release available as of this update.
- Employment Situation, September 2026, manufacturing employment and earnings.
- Employment Situation Summary, September 2026, workweek, overtime, and monthly employment change.
- National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates, May 2025, engraver and machine-operator figures.
Cite this page
In A Flash Laser. “U.S. Industrial Marking and Engraving Statistics.” Updated October 26, 2026. https://inaflashlaser.com/industry-marking-statistics/
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