Occupation salary profile

Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

SOC 51-4081 BLS OEWS May 2025

Set up, operate, or tend more than one type of cutting or forming machine tool or robot.

National median · BLS
$47,180
▲ +2.43% YoY
H-1B sponsor median
—
Too few H-1B filings
Average salary · BLS
$50,030
Mean annual wage
U.S. employment
124,590
Jobs (BLS)
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Pay range for Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

Annual base pay at each percentile. BLS covers all U.S. workers in this occupation.

Percentile All U.S. workers (BLS)
10th — entry pay$35,780
25th$39,420
Median (50th)$47,180
75th$57,800
90th — top pay$74,450

Hourly ⇄ annual pay

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Based on hrs/week × weeks/year = 2,080 hrs
Projections 2025–2035

Job outlook for Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

BLS projects employment of multiple machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic to grow 0.6% from 2025 to 2035, slower than the 3.5% average for all occupations. About 11,600 openings are projected each year, on average, from new jobs and from replacing workers who retire or move to other occupations.

Jobs 2025 → 2035
127,100 → 127,900
+800 jobs
Projected change
+0.6%
All occupations: +3.5%
Openings per year
11,600
Average, 2025–2035
Typical entry education
High school diploma or equivalent
No related experience required
On-the-job training
Moderate-term on-the-job training
Self-employed
2.7% of workers (2025)
Preparation needed (O*NET Job Zone 2)
Very Little to Some Preparation Needed. Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
Fastest-growing jobs → Best-paying jobs that need a high school diploma →

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025–2035 · BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook →

Skills & tools

Skills needed for Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

How important each skill and knowledge area is for this job, rated by O*NET on a 1–5 scale from surveys of workers and occupational analysts.

Top skills
  • Operations Monitoring4.0
  • Quality Control Analysis3.4
  • Equipment Maintenance3.1
  • Judgment and Decision Making3.1
  • Monitoring3.1
  • Operation and Control3.1
  • Active Listening3.0
  • Complex Problem Solving3.0
  • Critical Thinking3.0
  • Reading Comprehension3.0
Top knowledge areas
  • Production and Processing4.1
  • Mechanical3.9
  • Mathematics3.6
  • English Language3.3
  • Design3.1
  • Education and Training2.9
  • Customer and Personal Service2.8
  • Engineering and Technology2.7
Software and technology used
Autodesk AutoCADMicrosoft ExcelMicrosoft Office softwareMicrosoft OutlookMicrosoft WindowsMicrosoft WordSAP softwareEmail software

Highlighted = in demand: frequently listed in employer job postings for this occupation (O*NET).

Source: O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.

About the job

What multiple machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic do

  • Inspect workpieces for defects, and measure workpieces to determine accuracy of machine operation, using rules, templates, or other measuring instruments.
  • Position, adjust, and secure stock material or workpieces against stops, on arbors, or in chucks, fixtures, or automatic feeding mechanisms, manually or using hoists.
  • Read blueprints or job orders to determine product specifications and tooling instructions and to plan operational sequences.
  • Select, install, and adjust alignment of drills, cutters, dies, guides, and holding devices, using templates, measuring instruments, and hand tools.
  • Observe machine operation to detect workpiece defects or machine malfunctions, adjusting machines as necessary.
  • Set up and operate machines, such as lathes, cutters, shears, borers, millers, grinders, presses, drills, or auxiliary machines, to make metallic and plastic workpieces.
  • Change worn machine accessories, such as cutting tools or brushes, using hand tools.
  • Set machine stops or guides to specified lengths as indicated by scales, rules, or templates.
Also called
Cell TechnicianCNC Machine Setter (Computer Numerically Controlled Machine Setter)Machine OperatorMachine TechnicianFabrication Set-Up PersonInjection Molding TechnicianMold SetterProduction OperatorShear OperatorTooling Set-Up Person
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Source: O*NET 31.0 (USDOL/ETA, CC BY 4.0). These are general job titles, not H-1B filings; for titles employers actually filed, see “Job titles” above.