TARGET INDUSTRIES AVIATION & AEROSPACE
ADVANCED MANUFACTURING In Greater Oklahoma City, there are more than 1,800 advanced manufacturing businesses that employ nearly 42,000 people. The region’s low tax rates and utility costs make it the ideal location for advanced manufacturing. Greater Oklahoma City is also situated in the middle of the I-35 Megalopolis, the fastest-growing region in the country. Not only is the region’s workforce large and growing, but it is also productive. Workers in the region are free to work in any company without paying union dues or fees, since
Oklahoma voters passed Right-to-Work in 2001. At the junction of three major interstates, I-35, I-40 and I-44, advanced manufacturers in Greater Oklahoma City can reach more than 178 million customers by truck the same day. Greater Oklahoma City is equidistant from both coasts and at the center of the I-35 NAFTA corridor. Learn more about advanced manufacturing in Oklahoma City at www.greateroklahomacity.com/ manufacturing .
The aerospace industry in Greater Oklahoma City is vibrant and thriving. When combining public and private employment, Oklahoma is one of the top 10 aerospace states in the United States. In fact, from 2020-2025, the number of aerospace companies located in the 10 county region has grown by an incredible 16% and employment has increased by 5%. Access to a ready-made workforce, central location, strong government partnerships, low business costs and incentives that cater to aerospace are just a handful of reasons industry leaders like Boeing, Pratt & Whitney, Kratos, Skydweller, Northrop Grumman and more are expanding rapidly in Greater Oklahoma City. Occupations Commonly Found in Aerospace
A strong federal presence with Tinker Air Force Base, home to the majority of MRO for the Air Force, and the FAA Mike Monroney Aeronautical Center, contribute to a sector that employs more than 45,500 in Greater Oklahoma City and produce a total economic impact of $15 billion annually. Only about 25% of those employed at Tinker AFB are active military, which offers greater employment opportunities to the aerospace skilled workforce. Approximately, 94,000 veterans live in the Greater OKC region. Learn more about Greater Oklahoma City’s Aviation sector at www.greateroklahomacity. com/aviation.
Advanced Manufacturing Occupations
Jobs in Greater OKC Median Hourly Earnings
Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing,
5,615 2,889 2,803
$28.37 $26.40 $18.56 $30.88 $29.47 $31.58 $19.53 $18.48 $27.06 $22.41 $23.28 $21.49 $23.49 $24.89 $17.40
Production, Planning, and Expediting Clerks Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks
Sheet Metal Workers
2,112
Industrial Machinery Mechanics
2,286 2,993
Jobs in Greater OKC Median Hourly Earnings
First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers Electrical, Electronic, and Electromechanical Assemblers
Logisticians
2,838 4,061
$43.23 $51.43 $51.64 $51.03 $52.80 $44.01 $42.06 $30.88 $31.12 $29.47 $28.39 $19.53 $18.48 $27.06 $22.41
988
Software Developers Aerospace Engineers Electrical Engineers
Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators
4,268 1,259 3,010 2,171
975 909
Machinists
Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers
Electronics Engineers, Except Computer
1,142
Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators
Industrial Engineers Mechanical Engineers Sheet Metal Workers
983 984
663
2,112 3,197 2,286
573
Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers
13,357 20,223
Industrial Machinery Mechanics Maintenance Workers, Machinery
Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand
267 988
Source: BLS, Occupational Employment Statistics via Lightcast, 2025.2
Electrical, Electronic, and Electromechanical Assem- blers, Except Coil Winders, Tapers, and Finishers
Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators
4,268 1,259 3,010
Machinists
Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers
Source: BLS, Occupational Employment Statistics via Lightcast, 2025.2
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Oklahoma City BY THE NUMBERS 2025
Oklahoma City BY THE NUMBERS 2025
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