Careers / Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic — Career Decision Dashboard
United States
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Report generated from official BLS OEWS and O*NET data — United States.
Median annual wage
$46,330
United States, 2025
Employment
171,200
United States, 2025
Typical education
High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)
Job Zone 2
Skills identified
35
10 related careers
Career overview
Set up, operate, or tend machines to saw, cut, shear, slit, punch, crimp, notch, bend, or straighten metal or plastic material.
- O*NET code
- 51-4031.00
- Job zone
- 2
- Experience required
- Over 2 years, up to and including 4 years
Typical tasks
- Examine completed workpieces for defects, such as chipped edges or marred surfaces and sort defective pieces according to types of flaws.
- Read work orders or production schedules to determine specifications, such as materials to be used, locations of cutting lines, or dimensions and tolerances.
- Start machines, monitor their operations, and record operational data.
- Set up, operate, or tend machines to saw, cut, shear, slit, punch, crimp, notch, bend, or straighten metal or plastic material.
- Test and adjust machine speeds or actions, according to product specifications, using gauges and hand tools.
- Load workpieces, plastic material, or chemical solutions into machines.
- Turn controls to set cutting speeds, feed rates, or table angles for specified operations.
- Clean work area.
Choose a location
Salary analysis — United States
10th percentile
$35,760
25th percentile
$38,870
75th percentile
$55,410
90th percentile
$65,510
Most important skills
- Operations Monitoring3.5
- Operation and Control3.4
- Quality Control Analysis3.0
- Troubleshooting3.0
- Critical Thinking3.0
- Monitoring3.0
- Speaking3.0
- Active Listening3.0
- Judgment and Decision Making2.9
- Active Learning2.8
- Coordination2.8
- Time Management2.8
What skills do you need?
Select the skills you already have
Skills listed are those O*NET rates at importance 3.0 or above for this occupation. Set your own level on the same 0–7 O*NET scale.
Skill coverage
0%
0 of 8 identified skills
Matched
0
Missing
8
Your selected skills cover approximately 0% of the skills identified for this occupation in O*NET. This is a coverage measure of listed skills only — it is not a qualification, hiring or interview outcome.
Skills to develop
| Skill | Importance | Required level | Your level | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Operations Monitoring | 3.5 | 3.5 | Not selected | 3.5 |
| Operation and Control | 3.4 | 3.6 | Not selected | 3.6 |
| Quality Control Analysis | 3.0 | 3.1 | Not selected | 3.1 |
| Troubleshooting | 3.0 | 3.0 | Not selected | 3.0 |
| Critical Thinking | 3.0 | 3.0 | Not selected | 3.0 |
| Monitoring | 3.0 | 3.0 | Not selected | 3.0 |
| Speaking | 3.0 | 2.9 | Not selected | 2.9 |
| Active Listening | 3.0 | 2.9 | Not selected | 2.9 |
Ordered by required level gap multiplied by O*NET importance. No prediction or recommendation is implied.
Related careers
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Compare with Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHow salary varies by location
| Location | Median | Employment | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flint, MI | $78,600 | 380 | 2025 |
| Rome, GA | $63,740 | 200 | 2025 |
| Oshkosh, WI | $62,250 | 560 | 2025 |
| Louisville/Jefferson County, KY | $60,230 | 3,100 | 2025 |
| Allentown, PA | $60,080 | 730 | 2025 |
| Bellingham, WA | $59,380 | 30 | 2025 |
| Lewiston, ME | $59,300 | 60 | 2025 |
| San Jose, CA | $58,580 | 410 | 2025 |
| Denver, CO | $58,240 | 640 | 2025 |
| Mankato, MN | $57,850 | 60 | 2025 |
| Lincoln, NE | $57,780 | 270 | 2025 |
| Mount Vernon, WA | $57,290 | 30 | 2025 |
| Portland, OR | $57,110 | 800 | 2025 |
| Albany, OR | $56,410 | 70 | 2025 |
| Saginaw, MI | $55,630 | 390 | 2025 |
| Seattle, WA | $54,920 | 1,000 | 2025 |
| Sandusky, OH | $54,770 | 200 | 2025 |
| Reading, PA | $54,760 | 610 | 2025 |
| OR | $53,680 | 1,180 | 2025 |
| Bend, OR | $53,680 | 50 | 2025 |
Career transition paths
Compare the skills of a career you hold today with Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic to see shared skills, target-only skills and skill overlap.
Build a transition comparisonCareer and skills data: O*NET 31.0.
Salary and employment data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS, 2025 (May 2025 release).
Figures are periodic published survey snapshots, not real-time market rates.