Careers / Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders — Career Decision Dashboard
United States
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Report generated from official BLS OEWS and O*NET data — United States.
Median annual wage
$45,760
United States, 2025
Employment
58,770
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, such as glass-forming machines, plodder machines, and tuber machines, to shape and form products such as glassware, food, rubber, soap, brick, tile, clay, wax, tobacco, or cosmetics.
- O*NET code
- 51-9041.00
- Job zone
- 2
- Experience required
- Over 1 year, up to and including 2 years
Typical tasks
- Complete work tickets, and place them with products.
- Press control buttons to activate machinery and equipment.
- Disassemble equipment to repair it or to replace parts, such as nozzles, punches, and filters.
- Swab molds with solutions to prevent products from sticking.
- Remove molds, mold components, and feeder tubes from machinery after production is complete.
- Adjust machine components to regulate speeds, pressures, and temperatures, and amounts, dimensions, and flow of materials or ingredients.
- Examine, measure, and weigh materials or products to verify conformance to standards, using measuring devices such as templates, micrometers, or scales.
- Monitor machine operations and observe lights and gauges to detect malfunctions.
Choose a location
Salary analysis — United States
10th percentile
$34,630
25th percentile
$38,360
75th percentile
$52,580
90th percentile
$63,450
Most important skills
- Operation and Control3.8
- Operations Monitoring3.8
- Monitoring3.4
- Speaking3.1
- Troubleshooting3.0
- Quality Control Analysis3.0
- Active Listening3.0
- Reading Comprehension3.0
- Critical Thinking3.0
- Social Perceptiveness2.9
- Judgment and Decision Making2.9
- Complex Problem Solving2.9
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 9 identified skills
Matched
0
Missing
9
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 | 3.8 | 3.8 | Not selected | 3.8 |
| Operation and Control | 3.8 | 3.6 | Not selected | 3.6 |
| Monitoring | 3.4 | 3.1 | Not selected | 3.1 |
| Quality Control Analysis | 3.0 | 3.1 | Not selected | 3.1 |
| Troubleshooting | 3.0 | 2.9 | Not selected | 2.9 |
| Active Listening | 3.0 | 2.8 | Not selected | 2.8 |
| Reading Comprehension | 3.0 | 2.8 | Not selected | 2.8 |
| Critical Thinking | 3.0 | 2.8 | Not selected | 2.8 |
| Speaking | 3.1 | 2.4 | Not selected | 2.4 |
Ordered by required level gap multiplied by O*NET importance. No prediction or recommendation is implied.
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Compare with Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHow salary varies by location
| Location | Median | Employment | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Modesto, CA | $88,940 | 140 | 2025 |
| Oshkosh, WI | $72,500 | 100 | 2025 |
| Lincoln, NE | $61,820 | 170 | 2025 |
| Vallejo, CA | $59,110 | 110 | 2025 |
| Terre Haute, IN | $59,080 | 170 | 2025 |
| ME | $57,990 | 140 | 2025 |
| Duluth, MN | $57,910 | 30 | 2025 |
| St. Louis, MO | $56,320 | 590 | 2025 |
| Gulfport, MS | $55,940 | 40 | 2025 |
| San Francisco, CA | $55,780 | 260 | 2025 |
| Appleton, WI | $54,630 | 30 | 2025 |
| Reading, PA | $54,530 | 160 | 2025 |
| Stockton, CA | $54,200 | 140 | 2025 |
| PA | $53,580 | 2,450 | 2025 |
| Des Moines, IA | $52,560 | 90 | 2025 |
| Burlington, VT | $52,340 | 130 | 2025 |
| VT | $52,340 | 160 | 2025 |
| MN | $52,070 | 560 | 2025 |
| Philadelphia, PA | $51,830 | 470 | 2025 |
| Sioux City, IA | $51,670 | 40 | 2025 |
Career transition paths
Compare the skills of a career you hold today with Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders 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.