Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic Salary: $46,060 Median Pay (2026 stats)
Executive Summary
About 129,850 multiple machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic work nationally, and $46,060 is the BLS national median annual wage. Employment in the series shown fell about 12% from the first to the last year; projections imply about 0.8% annual decline.
Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic: what the data shows
Common questions about multiple machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic careers, answered from BLS OEWS and O*NET in this repository.
What is a multiple machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic?
Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic is tracked by the Bureau of Labor Statistics under SOC 51-4081.
U.S. employment in our OEWS extract is about 129,850 workers.
What does a multiple machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic do?
O*NET work activities rated highest for this occupation include Getting Information, Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events, Controlling Machines and Processes, Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials, Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards, Making Decisions and Solving Problems, and related tasks. See Work Activities for the full list.
How much does a multiple machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic make?
BLS national median annual wage: $46,060 (May 2024 in our extract).
Wage percentiles below are from the California OEWS extract (not national unless noted).
| Wage percentile | Annual wage |
|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $36,956 |
| 25th percentile | $39,541 |
| Median (50th) | $46,795 |
| 75th percentile | $52,951 |
| 90th percentile | $62,954 |
What skills do you need?
O*NET ratings for this occupation emphasize skills such as Operations Monitoring, Quality Control Analysis, Operation and Control, Monitoring, Equipment Maintenance, Judgment and Decision Making, and knowledge areas including Production and Processing, Mechanical, Mathematics, English Language. See Education & Skills for detail.
Is multiple machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic in demand?
Historical employment trend in our series implies about 0.8% annual decline (compound rate in the extract).
Five-year projected employment change: -4.0%.
Ten-year projected employment change: -7.9%.
Current U.S. headcount: 129,850.
We report federal series only—compare wages, growth, and openings against your target market.
Where do multiple machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics work?
Top industries by employment share in our OEWS industry extract:
| Industry | Employment | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Cross-industry | 129,850 | 19.9% |
| Cross-industry, Private Ownership only | 129,830 | 19.9% |
| Manufacturing | 105,600 | 16.1% |
| Transportation Equipment Manufacturing | 26,870 | 4.1% |
| Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing | 21,930 | 3.4% |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 16,530 | 2.5% |
See Industry for charts.
What degrees lead to this career?
Common majors for Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic in O*NET:
See Related degrees.
What careers are related?
Other occupations linked through shared degree pathways in our mapping:
| Occupation | U.S. employment | Median wage |
|---|---|---|
| Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | 18,970 | $48,620 |
| Drilling and Boring Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | 5,310 | $46,630 |
| Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | 70,110 | $45,190 |
| Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | 31,510 | $41,600 |
| Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | 159,500 | $47,590 |
| Electric Motor, Power Tool, and Related Repairers | 16,570 | $53,990 |
| Tool and Die Makers | 55,130 | $63,180 |
Employment
Employment and salary information for the Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic workforce.
Employment Over Time
129,850 U.S. workforce (OEWS)
California employment for Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic shrank from 13,440 in 2009 to 11,780 in 2025 (12.4%).
Historical employment for Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic from the California OEWS series, 2009–2025. The U.S. workforce figure is national and is not the endpoint of this line.
Yearly Wage Ranking
$46,060 Median pay (BLS national)
Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic earn $46,060 as the BLS national median annual wage.
Wage ranking compared to other occupations.
Wage Distribution
This chart shows the distribution of average salaries by income buckets for Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic.
Salary distribution for Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic.
Employment Growth Projections
-0.8% Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR)
11,304 Projected Employment (5 years)
Projected growth: -4.0%
10,848 Projected Employment (10 years)
Projected growth: -7.9%
This occupation is experiencing a decline. Consider related fields with better growth prospects.
Historical employment trends and future projections for Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic.
Industry
Information on the industries that employ Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic and on wages for those in the field.
Occupations by Industries
This graphic shows the share of Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic employed by various industries.
Industry distribution for Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic.
Wage Trends by Industry
8.3% Average Annual Wage Growth Rate
Historical wage growth trends by industry for Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic.
Geographic Distribution
Employment and wage information by geographic location for Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic.
State employment and wages are from the U.S. BLS OEWS May 2024 state extract. Metropolitan areas use the national MSA file when available.
Top States by Employment
Top States by Employment:
- OH: 13,670 employees, $47,200 avg wage
- TX: 12,820 employees, $54,590 avg wage
- MI: 8,820 employees, $47,990 avg wage
- PA: 8,300 employees, $46,650 avg wage
- KY: 5,950 employees, $54,170 avg wage
- IN: 5,520 employees, $44,860 avg wage
- MO: 5,400 employees, $60,330 avg wage
- IL: 5,180 employees, $49,280 avg wage
- FL: 4,450 employees, $42,010 avg wage
- IA: 4,350 employees, $48,770 avg wage
Top 10 states by employment for Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic.
Top Metropolitan Areas
Top Metropolitan Areas:
- Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX: 5,530 employees, $65,140 avg wage
- Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI: 3,840 employees, $53,160 avg wage
- Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX: 3,700 employees, $48,980 avg wage
- Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN: 3,560 employees, $49,800 avg wage
- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ: 3,150 employees, $42,230 avg wage
- Cleveland, OH: 2,700 employees, $51,760 avg wage
- Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN: 2,290 employees, $49,340 avg wage
- Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD: 2,260 employees, $48,650 avg wage
- Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI: 1,940 employees, $47,440 avg wage
- Pittsburgh, PA: 1,790 employees, $47,520 avg wage
Top 10 metropolitan statistical areas by employment for Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic.
Diversity
Demographic information on Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic in the US.
Gender and Age
The U.S. workforce for Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic is about 129,850 people in our OEWS extract.
Gender and age distribution for Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic.
Races
Racial and ethnic shares when present in the career dataset. If the chart area shows a notice instead, occupational race/ethnicity fields are not yet populated for this extract.
Race and ethnicity distribution for Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic.
Education & Skills
Data on higher education choices and required skills for Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic.
Majors
The most common majors achieved by Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic in 2023 were Business Administration, Engineering, Business.
Common majors for Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic.
Education Levels
The main educational levels achieved by Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic workers.
Education level distribution for Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic.
Skills
Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic need many skills, but most especially Operations Monitoring, Quality Control Analysis, Operation and Control, Monitoring, Equipment Maintenance.
Required skills for Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic.
Knowledge & Abilities
Knowledge areas and abilities required for Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic.
Knowledge Areas
The most important knowledge areas for Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic include Production and Processing, Mechanical, Mathematics, English Language, Design.
Knowledge areas required for Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic.
Abilities
Key abilities needed for Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic include Arm-Hand Steadiness, Near Vision, Control Precision, Manual Dexterity, Problem Sensitivity.
Required abilities for Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic.
Work Activities
Common work activities performed by Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic.
Daily Activities
Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic spend their time on activities such as Getting Information, Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events, Controlling Machines and Processes, Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials, Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards.
Most important work activities for Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic.
About
Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic earn $46,060 as the BLS national median annual wage.
SOC Code
51-4081 - Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
Insights and Analysis
Compensation snapshot: Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic reports an average salary of $48,570.
Labor market presence: The current workforce is approximately 129,850 workers, indicating sustained demand.
Forward outlook: Projected annual decline is -0.8%, which should inform long-term career planning.
Data Sources
This page uses data from the following sources:
- College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
- Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
- Employment and wage data by occupation
- Latest data: May 2024
- Source: bls.gov/oes
- O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
- Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
- Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
- Source: onetcenter.org
- IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
- Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
- Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
- Demographic and workforce data
- Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
- Source: census.gov/acs
Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.
Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.
Methodology
Data for this profile is sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS), and O*NET Online.
All wage figures represent annual averages and may vary by location, industry, and experience level.