How Many Jobs Are Available in Capital Goods? [2026 Data]

Capital goods hiring is real but narrower than most guides claim, and the pay gap between roles is wide. This guide uses Bureau of Labor Statistics data to show how many jobs are open, what they pay, and who should pursue them.

Key takeaways

• Manufacturing had 522,000 open jobs in August 2026, including 380,000 in durable goods manufacturing, the closest federal proxy for capital goods hiring, according to preliminary Bureau of Labor Statistics data.
• About 3.3 million people work in machinery, electrical equipment and transportation equipment manufacturing, the core of the capital goods industry, as of September 2026.
• Pay depends on the role: the 2025 median is $45,450 for assemblers, $64,100 for industrial machinery mechanics and millwrights, and $125,040 for electrical and electronics engineers, against $50,980 for all U.S. occupations.
• Capital goods is a good career path for skilled maintenance, machining and engineering roles, but BLS projects production jobs overall to show little or no change through 2035.
• No federal agency counts capital goods as one category, and the 1 million to 1.3 million openings figure that circulates online is far above BLS's count and has no primary source we could trace.

The U.S. had about 522,000 open jobs in manufacturing in August 2026, and 380,000 of them were in durable goods manufacturing, the closest federal measure of capital goods hiring. No agency counts capital goods as a single category, so the honest answer is a range of roughly 380,000 to 522,000 open jobs at any given time. Those openings sit on top of a workforce of about 3.3 million in machinery, electrical equipment and transportation equipment manufacturing.

Most guides to this question quote a number between 970,000 and 1.3 million. An earlier version of this article did too. That figure has no primary source behind it, and it is far larger than the 522,000 open manufacturing jobs the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports. If you are deciding whether to retrain, relocate or apply, a number you cannot verify is a bad foundation.

The better question is not how many jobs exist, but how many you qualify for. That depends on the role, the credential and how your resume reads to the person screening it.

How many jobs are available in capital goods right now?

About 380,000 jobs were open in durable goods manufacturing in August 2026, and 522,000 were open across all manufacturing, according to the BLS Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey.

Durable goods manufacturing includes machinery, electrical equipment and transportation equipment, so it is the best federal stand-in for capital goods hiring. Openings in durable goods were up about 51% from a year earlier, and all manufacturing openings were up about 25%.

Treat these as a snapshot, not an annual total. The survey counts openings on the last business day of each month, and the durable goods figure moved from 327,000 in May 2026 to 423,000 in July and back to 380,000 in August.

You will see figures of 1 million to 1.3 million "capital goods jobs available" on career sites. We could not trace those to a federal series or any other primary source, and they run well above BLS's count of open manufacturing jobs.

An open-jobs count tells you the market is hiring, not whether your background reads as qualified for any one opening. AIApply's Skills Translator closes that gap by turning non-traditional experience, such as warehouse shifts, military maintenance duty or line-lead work, into professional resume language.

What counts as a capital goods job?

A capital goods job is any job at a company that makes or builds the equipment other businesses use to produce goods and services, such as machinery, electrical equipment, aircraft and construction engineering work.

S&P Global's Global Industry Classification Standard describes the group as manufacturers and distributors of capital goods such as aerospace and defense, building products, electrical equipment and machinery, plus companies that offer construction and engineering services.

BLS does not track capital goods as a category. It reports employment by industry, so this guide uses manufacturing of machinery, electrical equipment and transportation equipment as the proxy. The proxy is imperfect. It leaves out construction and engineering services, and it includes motor vehicles and household appliances, which GICS classifies elsewhere.

How many people work in capital goods?

About 3.3 million people worked in machinery, electrical equipment and transportation equipment manufacturing in September 2026, out of 12.7 million manufacturing workers overall, based on BLS payroll data.

Manufacturing employment was little changed in September, up 9,000, and BLS reports it is up 72,000 since a recent low in December 2025. Machinery manufacturing added 5,000 jobs in September, according to the BLS Employment Situation release.

Is the capital goods job market growing or shrinking?

Openings are growing quickly while headcount is nearly flat: manufacturing employment is up about 40,000 from a year ago, openings are up about 25%, and BLS projects skilled maintenance roles to grow much faster than average through 2035 while production jobs overall are projected to show little or no change.

Manufacturing employment was 12.61 million in September 2025 and 12.65 million in September 2026, so the sector has recovered from its December 2025 low without expanding much. Openings are the stronger signal right now, and they swing from month to month.

The projections split along the line between maintaining machines and operating them. BLS projects employment of industrial machinery mechanics, machinery maintenance workers and millwrights to grow 14% from 2025 to 2035, adding about 78,900 jobs, much faster than the 3% average for all occupations. BLS says continued adoption of automated manufacturing machinery is expected to create work for these roles because someone has to keep the machines running.

Production occupations as a group are projected to show little or no change over the same decade, even though about 867,700 openings a year are expected, largely from workers leaving the occupations permanently.

Industry research points the same way on demand. A 2024 study by Deloitte and The Manufacturing Institute projected that manufacturers could need as many as 3.8 million additional workers between 2024 and 2033, and that about 1.9 million of those jobs could go unfilled without changes to hiring and training.

What do capital goods jobs pay?

Pay runs from a $45,450 median for assemblers and fabricators to $64,100 for industrial machinery mechanics, machinery maintenance workers and millwrights, and $125,040 for electrical and electronics engineers, compared with a $50,980 median for all U.S. occupations in May 2025.

The pattern is consistent. Entry-level production work pays near or below the national median, and pay climbs with skill, maintenance responsibility and engineering credentials. Production occupations as a group had a median of $46,990, per the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook. The engineer figure comes from BLS's electrical and electronics engineers profile.

Which capital goods jobs pay the most without a four-year degree?

Industrial machinery mechanics, machinery maintenance workers and millwrights earn the most among the no-degree roles in this guide, with a $64,100 median, followed by machinists and tool and die makers at $59,620.

BLS lists a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry requirement for this maintenance group. Mechanics and maintenance workers usually need a year or more of on-the-job training, and most millwrights complete an apprenticeship of about four years. The top of the range is well above the median: the highest-paid 10% of this group earned more than $94,530 in May 2025, and the lowest-paid 10% earned less than $45,760.

How much does overtime add to capital goods pay?

BLS does not publish an overtime dollar figure for capital goods, but manufacturing employees averaged a 40.6-hour workweek that included 3.0 hours of overtime in September 2026.

For maintenance roles, BLS notes that overtime is common, particularly for mechanics, and that some work night or weekend shifts or are on call. Ask every employer about overtime and shift expectations before you compare base pay, because two offers with the same base can pay very differently. If you are asked for a number early, how to answer salary expectations shows how to give a researched range.

Is capital goods a good career path?

Yes, if you want skilled technical work with pay above the national median, especially in maintenance, machining and engineering. No, if you want fast growth in entry-level production jobs, which BLS projects to be flat through 2035.

What are the biggest advantages of a capital goods career?

The biggest advantages are accessible entry points, above-median pay in skilled roles and strong projected growth in maintenance work.

Assemblers, welders and industrial machinery mechanics all list a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry requirement. Skilled roles clear the national median by real money: machinists and tool and die makers by $8,640, and the maintenance group by $13,120. And BLS projects 14% growth through 2035 for industrial machinery mechanics, machinery maintenance workers and millwrights.

What are the biggest risks of a capital goods career?

The biggest risks are flat growth in production jobs, exposure to economic swings, physical hazards and shift work.

BLS projects production occupations to show little or no change from 2025 to 2035. Manufacturing employment fell to a low in December 2025 before recovering, which shows how cyclical the work can be. BLS also warns that working with industrial machinery can be dangerous, and that overtime, night shifts and weekend work are common in maintenance roles.

Job titles within a growing group can still shrink. BLS projects industrial machinery mechanics to grow 18% from 2025 to 2035, while machinery maintenance workers are projected to decline 2%, partly because predictive maintenance makes work scheduling more efficient.

Who is a capital goods career best for?

Capital goods suits people who prefer hands-on, technical work and are willing to train for a specific trade, and it suits less well anyone who needs remote work, since BLS notes that most of these maintenance roles are in manufacturing facilities.

If that sounds like you, choose a role family first and a credential second. If you are moving over from another field, how to pivot careers covers how to reframe the experience you already have.

Do capital goods jobs require a college degree?

Most production and maintenance jobs in capital goods require a high school diploma plus on-the-job training or an apprenticeship, while engineering roles such as electrical and electronics engineers typically require a bachelor's degree.

BLS lists a high school diploma or equivalent for assemblers and fabricators, welders and industrial machinery mechanics. Mechanics usually add a year or more of on-the-job training, and some complete a two-year associate's degree in industrial maintenance first. Most millwrights learn the trade through a three- or four-year apprenticeship. If this would be your first job in any field, how to make a resume for your first job shows what to put on it when you have little experience.

How do you get hired in capital goods?

Pick one role family, add one credential employers ask for, write your resume for each posting's exact wording, apply through the employer's own application page, and follow up after you apply.

1. Pick one role family. Maintenance, machining, welding, assembly and quality, or engineering. Each has a different entry route and pay ceiling (see the table above), so applying to all of them dilutes every application.
2. Match one credential to it. Industrial maintenance usually means a year or more of on-the-job training, and millwright work means an apprenticeship of about four years, according to BLS. Choose the route before you apply, not after.
3. Write your resume for the posting. Manufacturing postings name specific equipment, processes and credentials. Use the same terms wherever they honestly describe your experience, and see how to tailor your resume to a job description for the method. AIApply's AI Resume Scanner scores your resume against a specific posting and highlights keyword gaps and ATS compatibility problems, so you can see which required terms are missing before you apply.
4. Apply through the employer's own careers page. Keep a record of what you sent and when, so every follow-up is specific.
5. Follow up with a short, specific message. Reference the role and one relevant qualification. Job application follow-up email examples gives wording you can adapt.
6. Prepare for the technical screen. Practice explaining how you would troubleshoot a machine that fails mid-shift and how you would handle a safety concern. Employers in these roles care about both.

The formula: Getting hired in capital goods = one role family + one credential + a resume written for the posting + applications through the employer's page + a short follow-up.

Where does the data in this guide come from?

Every figure comes from a federal source or a named study and is linked where it appears, with the date of the data.

• Openings: BLS Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey, Table 1, August 2026 (preliminary).
• Employment: BLS Current Employment Statistics, Table B-1, September 2026 (preliminary, seasonally adjusted), and the Employment Situation release of October 2, 2026.
• Pay and education: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, May 2025 wage data, as updated in August 2026.
• Projections: BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035, via the Occupational Outlook Handbook; Deloitte and The Manufacturing Institute, April 2024.
• Definition: S&P Global, Global Industry Classification Standard.

Because BLS has no capital goods category, headcounts are proxies built from machinery, electrical equipment and transportation equipment manufacturing. Revised releases will change the numbers.

What do people ask most about capital goods jobs?

How many capital goods jobs are there in the US?

BLS data shows about 3.3 million people working in machinery, electrical equipment and transportation equipment manufacturing in September 2026, and about 380,000 open jobs across all durable goods manufacturing in August 2026. No federal series counts capital goods as a single category, so both figures are proxies.

How much do capital goods workers make?

It depends on the role: BLS's May 2025 medians run from $45,450 for assemblers and fabricators to $64,100 for industrial machinery mechanics, machinery maintenance workers and millwrights, and $125,040 for electrical and electronics engineers.

Do capital goods jobs pay more than average jobs?

Skilled roles do and entry-level production roles do not. Machinists and tool and die makers earned a $59,620 median in May 2025 and the maintenance group earned $64,100, versus $50,980 for all occupations, while assemblers earned $45,450.

Can you get a capital goods job without a degree?

Yes, many roles list a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry requirement, including assemblers, welders and industrial machinery mechanics. Mechanics usually need a year or more of on-the-job training, and millwrights typically complete an apprenticeship of about four years.

Are capital goods jobs being replaced by automation?

Not broadly, according to BLS, which projects industrial machinery mechanics, machinery maintenance workers and millwrights to grow 14% from 2025 to 2035 because automated equipment needs maintenance. Production occupations overall are projected to show little or no change, and machinery maintenance workers specifically are projected to decline 2%.

How long does it take to become an industrial machinery mechanic?

It typically takes a high school diploma plus at least a year of on-the-job training, according to BLS, and some workers complete a two-year associate's degree in industrial maintenance first.

Is capital goods the same as manufacturing?

No. Capital goods is the part of the economy that makes or builds equipment for other businesses, such as machinery, electrical equipment and aircraft, while manufacturing also includes food, chemicals, apparel and other products.

What should you do next if you want a capital goods job?

Choose one role from the pay table, find the credential its postings ask for, and apply to a short list of openings you actually fit, with a resume written for each one.

The data says the door is open but not equally wide. Maintenance, machining and engineering roles pay above the national median and have real growth behind them, while entry-level production work pays less and is not projected to grow. Put your effort where the pay and the demand are.

AIApply's Resume Builder lets you start from a role-specific, ATS-optimized template and edit it in real time for each posting, so a new certification or a different target role means a quick revision, not a rewrite.