Heat Treating Equipment Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
SOC 51-4191BLS OEWS May 2025
Set up, operate, or tend heating equipment, such as heat-treating furnaces, flame-hardening machines, induction machines, soaking pits, or vacuum equipment to temper, harden, anneal, or heat treat metal or plastic objects.
National median · BLS
$48,750
▲ +2.74%YoY
H-1B sponsor median
—
Too few H-1B filings
Average salary · BLS
$50,450
Mean annual wage
U.S. employment
14,000
Jobs (BLS)
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Enter your pay and a location to see where you stand against BLS and H-1B pay, your estimated take-home pay, and your purchasing power.
Pay range for Heat Treating Equipment 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
$35,180
25th
$40,660
Median (50th)
$48,750
75th
$58,400
90th — top pay
$66,350
Hourly ⇄ annual pay
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Monthly—
Every 2 weeks—
Weekly—
Daily—
Based on
hrs/week ×
weeks/year
= 2,080 hrs
Projections 2025–2035
Job outlook for Heat Treating Equipment Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
BLS projects employment of heat treating equipment setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic to decline 9.5% from 2025 to 2035, while employment across all occupations grows 3.5%.
About 1,100 openings are projected each year, on average, from new jobs and from replacing workers who retire or move to other occupations.
Jobs 2025 → 2035
14,400 → 13,000
-1,400 jobs
Projected change
-9.5%
All occupations: +3.5%
Openings per year
1,100
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
2.6% 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.
Heat Treating Equipment Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic salaries by state
BLS state medians, plus the same figure adjusted for local prices (BEA Regional Price Parities). Tap a state for its full range and H-1B pay.
State
Median
Jobs
Cost-adjusted
Profile
Heat Treating Equipment Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic salaries by metro area
Search by city, ZIP code or metro name. Tap a metro for its full range.
Metro area
Median
Jobs
Cost-adjusted
Profile
Skills & tools
Skills needed for Heat Treating Equipment 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
Operation and Control3.8
Operations Monitoring3.8
Active Listening3.1
Monitoring3.1
Quality Control Analysis3.1
Speaking3.1
Critical Thinking3.0
Equipment Maintenance3.0
Judgment and Decision Making3.0
Coordination2.9
Top knowledge areas
Production and Processing3.9
Mathematics3.3
Education and Training2.9
Administration and Management2.8
Chemistry2.7
Mechanical2.6
Customer and Personal Service2.6
Engineering and Technology2.6
Software and technology used
Microsoft WordMicrosoft ExcelMicrosoft Office softwareMicrosoft OutlookSAP 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 heat treating equipment setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic do
Read production schedules and work orders to determine processing sequences, furnace temperatures, and heat cycle requirements for objects to be heat-treated.
Record times that parts are removed from furnaces to document that objects have attained specified temperatures for specified times.
Adjust controls to maintain temperatures and heating times, using thermal instruments and charts, dials and gauges of furnaces, and color of stock in furnaces to make setting determinations.
Start conveyors and open furnace doors to load stock, or signal crane operators to uncover soaking pits and lower ingots into them.
Set up and operate or tend machines, such as furnaces, baths, flame-hardening machines, and electronic induction machines, that harden, anneal, and heat-treat metal.
Remove parts from furnaces after specified times, and air dry or cool parts in water, oil brine, or other baths.
Move controls to light gas burners and to adjust gas and water flow and flame temperature.
Instruct new workers in machine operation.
Also called
Furnace OperatorHeat Treat OperatorHeat Treat TechnicianHeat TreaterBatch Heat Treat OperatorBurnerCoating Line WorkerHeat Treat Furnace OperatorScarf and Anneal Operator
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.
Similar jobs and how they pay
Occupations O*NET lists as closely related to Heat Treating Equipment Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic, with BLS national medians compared with this occupation's $48,750.
