STEM
Industry 4.0
Automation

Advanced Manufacturing Career Pathways

Build the future with precision manufacturing, automation, and Industry 4.0 technologies. Colorado's manufacturing sector is modernizing rapidly.

MANUFACTURING FIRMS
5,900
Colorado's manufacturing ecosystem spans machining, welding, mechatronics, food processing, ceramics, med-tech and wind components.
DIRECT EMPLOYEES
150,700
Manufacturing is a major employer across the state, overlapping with aerospace, energy, food and bioscience sectors.
SQ FT ADVANCED MANUFACTURING CENTER
33,280
Community College of Denver's Advanced Manufacturing Center is a tangible example of Colorado's workforce investment.
CERTIFICATE TO WORK
33 weeks
Many welding and CNC certificates in Colorado's CCCS system can be completed in under a year, with immediate earning potential.

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Explore My Colorado Journey Career Pathways

Learn how to browse Advanced Manufacturing careers, compare pathway levels, and use Colorado labor-market information to plan your next step.

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Explore Colorado Advanced Manufacturing

What to know about Advanced Manufacturing

A quick look, straight from Colorado’s industry data.

Advanced Manufacturing Careers

Explore the employers that are "Making Colorado" and industry talent needs in the "Manufacturing Resources" section of the Colorado Advanced Manufacturing Association website.

Highly Skilled, Tech Enabled Workforce

Nearly everything in manufacturing incorporates a computer or electronic circuitry. It's critical to have a highly-skilled staff of individuals who keep these advanced systems operating efficiently. If you love working with your hands and technology and you are a good problem solver, these positions could be a perfect match for you.

Industry Crosswalks

Are you already working in construction, energy, or the military? See how your skills translate into advanced manufacturing opportunities.

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About this pathway

Manufacturing Makes Everything - Better: Manufacturing is clean, tuned up, light, fast-paced, team-oriented, focused on sustainability and filled with cool technologies that leverage precision. From nanotechnology to robotics, innovative ideas happen every day. But who transforms these raw ideas into the must-have products that improve the lives of everyone around us? With a career in manufacturing YOU WILL

Advanced Manufacturing Careers: Explore the employers that are "Making Colorado" and industry talent needs in the "Manufacturing Resources" section of the Colorado Advanced Manufacturing Association website.

Highly Skilled, Tech Enabled Workforce: Nearly everything in manufacturing incorporates a computer or electronic circuitry. It's critical to have a highly-skilled staff of individuals who keep these advanced systems operating efficiently. If you love working with your hands and technology and you are a good problem solver, these positions could be a perfect match for you.

Industry Crosswalks: Are you already working in construction, energy, or the military? See how your skills translate into advanced manufacturing opportunities.

Roles in this pathway

Salary ranges are career-ladder estimates. Occupation pages show unique job postings where available.

Role	Track	Level	Typical education	Salary range
Additional Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders	Technical	1	High school / GED	$36k–$49k
Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders	Technical	1	High school / GED	$42k–$57k
Chemical Plant and System Operators	Technical	1	High school / GED	$55k–$74k
CNC Machine Operator	Technical	1	High school / GED	$43k–$59k
Electric Motor, Power Tool, and Related Repairers	Technical	1	High school / GED	$45k–$61k
Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Commercial and Industrial Equipment	Technical	1	High school / GED	$61k–$82k
Electrical/Electronic Equipment Assembler	Technical	1	High school / GED	$40k–$54k
Fabricator / Assembler	Technical	1	High school / GED	$36k–$49k
Forklift Operator	Technical	1	High school / GED	$41k–$56k
Helper/Apprentice - Installation, Maintenance, and Repair	Technical	1	High school / GED	$37k–$50k
Helper/Apprentice - Production Worker	Technical	1	High school / GED	$35k–$47k
Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers	Technical	1	High school / GED	$44k–$60k
Installation, Maintenance and Repair Worker, Machinery	Technical	1	High school / GED	$50k–$68k
Laborer and Freight, Stock, and Material Mover, Hand	Technical	1	High school / GED	$38k–$51k
Machine Feeder and Offbearer	Technical	1	High school / GED	$33k–$44k
Maintenance & Repair Worker, General	Technical	1	High school / GED	$44k–$59k
Medical Equipment Repairers	Technical	1	High school / GED	$58k–$78k
Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders	Technical	1	High school / GED	$38k–$52k
Packaging and Filling Machine Operator and Tender	Technical	1	High school / GED	$36k–$48k
Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Operators	Technical	1	High school / GED	$41k–$56k
Shipping, Receiving, and Traffic Clerk	Technical	1	High school / GED	$39k–$53k
Welder	Technical	1	See role page	$49k–$66k
Billing and Accounts Payable Clerk	Technical	2	High school / GED	$43k–$58k
CNC Machine Programmer	Technical	2	Associate degree	$65k–$88k
Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technician	Technical	2	Associate degree	$66k–$89k
Electro-Mechanical and Mechatronics Technician	Technical	2	Associate degree	$61k–$83k
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers	Technical	2	High school / GED	$51k–$70k
Industrial Engineering Technician	Technical	2	Associate degree	$58k–$78k
Industrial Machinery Mechanic	Technical	2	High school / GED	$61k–$83k
Mechanical Drafter and CAD/CAM Programmer	Technical	2	Associate degree	$66k–$89k
Mechanical Engineering Technician	Technical	2	Associate degree	$69k–$94k
Ophthalmic Laboratory Technician	Technical	2	Associate degree	$40k–$54k
Production Technician	Technical	2	Associate degree	$58k–$78k
Production, Planning and Expediting Clerk	Technical	2	High school / GED	$53k–$71k
Weighers, Measurers, Checkers, and Samplers, Recordkeeping	Technical	2	High school / GED	$42k–$56k
Computer Hardware Engineer	Technical	3	Bachelor's degree	$122k–$165k
Electrical Engineer	Technical	3	Bachelor's degree	$98k–$133k
Electronics Engineer	Technical	3	Bachelor's degree	$113k–$153k
Industrial Engineer	Technical	3	Bachelor's degree	$91k–$123k
Logistician	Technical	3	Certificate	$80k–$109k
Machinist	Technical	3	Associate degree	$51k–$69k
Materials Engineer	Technical	3	Bachelor's degree	$93k–$126k
Mechanical Engineer	Technical	3	Bachelor's degree	$91k–$123k
Project Coordinator	Technical	3	Bachelor's degree	$56k–$76k
Purchasing Agent	Technical	3	Bachelor's degree	$67k–$91k
Quality Assurance Engineer	Technical	4	Bachelor's degree	$91k–$123k
Electrical Technician Supervisor	Management	3	High school / GED	$61k–$83k
Facilities Engineer	Management	4	Bachelor's degree	$153k–$207k
First-Line Supervisor of Production and Operating Workers	Management	4	Bachelor's degree	$64k–$87k
First-line Supervisor of Transportation and Material-moving Machine and Vehicle Operators	Management	4	See role page	$57k–$77k
First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers	Management	4	High school / GED	$71k–$96k
Project Manager	Management	4	Bachelor's degree	$88k–$120k
Architectural and Engineering Manager	Management	6	Bachelor's degree	$153k–$207k
Quality Assurance Director	Management	6	Bachelor's degree	$118k–$160k
Supply Chain Manager	Management	6	Bachelor's degree	$105k–$142k
Quality Assurance Technician	Specialist	2	Associate degree	$51k–$69k
Quality Assurance Specialist	Specialist	3	Bachelor's degree	$91k–$123k

Role

Track

Level

Typical education

Salary range

Additional Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders

Technical

High school / GED

$36k–$49k

Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders

Technical

High school / GED

$42k–$57k

Chemical Plant and System Operators

Technical

High school / GED

$55k–$74k

CNC Machine Operator

Technical

High school / GED

$43k–$59k

Electric Motor, Power Tool, and Related Repairers

Technical

High school / GED

$45k–$61k

Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Commercial and Industrial Equipment

Technical

High school / GED

$61k–$82k

Electrical/Electronic Equipment Assembler

Technical

High school / GED

$40k–$54k

Fabricator / Assembler

Technical

High school / GED

$36k–$49k

Forklift Operator

Technical

High school / GED

$41k–$56k

Helper/Apprentice - Installation, Maintenance, and Repair

Technical

High school / GED

$37k–$50k

Helper/Apprentice - Production Worker

Technical

High school / GED

$35k–$47k

Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers

Technical

High school / GED

$44k–$60k

Installation, Maintenance and Repair Worker, Machinery

Technical

High school / GED

$50k–$68k

Laborer and Freight, Stock, and Material Mover, Hand

Technical

High school / GED

$38k–$51k

Machine Feeder and Offbearer

Technical

High school / GED

$33k–$44k

Maintenance & Repair Worker, General

Technical

High school / GED

$44k–$59k

Medical Equipment Repairers

Technical

High school / GED

$58k–$78k

Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders

Technical

High school / GED

$38k–$52k

Packaging and Filling Machine Operator and Tender

Technical

High school / GED

$36k–$48k

Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Operators

Technical

High school / GED

$41k–$56k

Shipping, Receiving, and Traffic Clerk

Technical

High school / GED

$39k–$53k

Welder

Technical

See role page

$49k–$66k

Billing and Accounts Payable Clerk

Technical

High school / GED

$43k–$58k

CNC Machine Programmer

Technical

Associate degree

$65k–$88k

Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technician

Technical

Associate degree

$66k–$89k

Electro-Mechanical and Mechatronics Technician

Technical

Associate degree

$61k–$83k

Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers

Technical

High school / GED

$51k–$70k

Industrial Engineering Technician

Technical

Associate degree

$58k–$78k

Industrial Machinery Mechanic

Technical

High school / GED

$61k–$83k

Mechanical Drafter and CAD/CAM Programmer

Technical

Associate degree

$66k–$89k

Mechanical Engineering Technician

Technical

Associate degree

$69k–$94k

Ophthalmic Laboratory Technician

Technical

Associate degree

$40k–$54k

Production Technician

Technical

Associate degree

$58k–$78k

Production, Planning and Expediting Clerk

Technical

High school / GED

$53k–$71k

Weighers, Measurers, Checkers, and Samplers, Recordkeeping

Technical

High school / GED

$42k–$56k

Computer Hardware Engineer

Technical

Bachelor's degree

$122k–$165k

Electrical Engineer

Technical

Bachelor's degree

$98k–$133k

Electronics Engineer

Technical

Bachelor's degree

$113k–$153k

Industrial Engineer

Technical

Bachelor's degree

$91k–$123k

Logistician

Technical

Certificate

$80k–$109k

Machinist

Technical

Associate degree

$51k–$69k

Materials Engineer

Technical

Bachelor's degree

$93k–$126k

Mechanical Engineer

Technical

Bachelor's degree

$91k–$123k

Project Coordinator

Technical

Bachelor's degree

$56k–$76k

Purchasing Agent

Technical

Bachelor's degree

$67k–$91k

Quality Assurance Engineer

Technical

Bachelor's degree

$91k–$123k

Electrical Technician Supervisor

Management

High school / GED

$61k–$83k

Facilities Engineer

Management

Bachelor's degree

$153k–$207k

First-Line Supervisor of Production and Operating Workers

Management

Bachelor's degree

$64k–$87k

First-line Supervisor of Transportation and Material-moving Machine and Vehicle Operators

Management

See role page

$57k–$77k

First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers

Management

High school / GED

$71k–$96k

Project Manager

Management

Bachelor's degree

$88k–$120k

Architectural and Engineering Manager

Management

Bachelor's degree

$153k–$207k

Quality Assurance Director

Management

Bachelor's degree

$118k–$160k

Supply Chain Manager

Management

Bachelor's degree

$105k–$142k

Quality Assurance Technician

Specialist

Associate degree

$51k–$69k

Quality Assurance Specialist

Specialist

Bachelor's degree

$91k–$123k

Advanced Manufacturing Career Pathways

Explore My Colorado Journey Career Pathways

What to know about Advanced Manufacturing

Advanced Manufacturing Careers

Highly Skilled, Tech Enabled Workforce

Industry Crosswalks

Student Support Services

College Scorecard

Apprenticeship Directory

Apprenticeship Intermediaries

ICAP Resources

Interest Assessments

Advanced Manufacturing Career Pathways

About this pathway

Roles in this pathway (57)

Roles in this pathway