Careers / Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
Multiple Machine Tool 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
$47,180
United States, 2025
Employment
124,590
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 more than one type of cutting or forming machine tool or robot.
- O*NET code
- 51-4081.00
- Job zone
- 2
- Experience required
- None
Typical tasks
- Set machine stops or guides to specified lengths as indicated by scales, rules, or templates.
- 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.
Choose a location
Salary analysis — United States
10th percentile
$35,780
25th percentile
$39,420
75th percentile
$57,800
90th percentile
$74,450
Most important skills
- Operations Monitoring4.0
- Quality Control Analysis3.4
- Judgment and Decision Making3.1
- Operation and Control3.1
- Monitoring3.1
- Equipment Maintenance3.1
- Repairing3.0
- Speaking3.0
- Reading Comprehension3.0
- Critical Thinking3.0
- Social Perceptiveness3.0
- Complex Problem Solving3.0
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 14 identified skills
Matched
0
Missing
14
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 | 4.0 | 4.0 | Not selected | 4.0 |
| Quality Control Analysis | 3.4 | 3.5 | Not selected | 3.5 |
| Operation and Control | 3.1 | 3.1 | Not selected | 3.1 |
| Equipment Maintenance | 3.1 | 3.1 | Not selected | 3.1 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.1 | 3.0 | Not selected | 3.0 |
| Monitoring | 3.1 | 3.0 | Not selected | 3.0 |
| Critical Thinking | 3.0 | 3.1 | Not selected | 3.1 |
| Repairing | 3.0 | 3.0 | Not selected | 3.0 |
| Reading Comprehension | 3.0 | 3.0 | Not selected | 3.0 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 3.0 | 3.0 | Not selected | 3.0 |
| Active Listening | 3.0 | 3.0 | Not selected | 3.0 |
| Troubleshooting | 3.0 | 3.0 | Not selected | 3.0 |
| Speaking | 3.0 | 2.9 | Not selected | 2.9 |
| Social Perceptiveness | 3.0 | 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 Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHow salary varies by location
| Location | Median | Employment | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dallas, TX | $80,110 | 5,440 | 2025 |
| WV | $76,080 | 1,920 | 2025 |
| Charleston, WV | $71,470 | 90 | 2025 |
| Saginaw, MI | $65,610 | 130 | 2025 |
| Oshkosh, WI | $63,060 | 110 | 2025 |
| Athens, GA | $62,600 | 170 | 2025 |
| St. Louis, MO | $62,090 | 4,480 | 2025 |
| Ann Arbor, MI | $61,320 | 380 | 2025 |
| Rochester, NY | $55,700 | 550 | 2025 |
| Roanoke, VA | $55,300 | 50 | 2025 |
| Sioux City, IA | $54,980 | 80 | 2025 |
| KY | $54,960 | 5,510 | 2025 |
| Fayetteville, AR | $54,390 | 220 | 2025 |
| Terre Haute, IN | $54,050 | 260 | 2025 |
| Cedar Rapids, IA | $53,940 | 530 | 2025 |
| Baltimore, MD | $53,860 | 160 | 2025 |
| MO | $53,160 | 7,220 | 2025 |
| St. George, UT | $52,810 | 40 | 2025 |
| Charlotte, NC | $52,530 | 1,210 | 2025 |
| Greensboro, NC | $52,380 | 280 | 2025 |
Career transition paths
Compare the skills of a career you hold today with Multiple Machine Tool 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.