Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic Salary: $46,980 Median Pay (2026 stats)
Executive Summary
About 65,700 extruding and drawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic work nationally, and $46,980 is the BLS national median annual wage. Employment in the series shown rose about 58% from the first to the last year; projections imply about 1.1% annual decline.
Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic: what the data shows
Common questions about extruding and drawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic careers, answered from BLS OEWS and O*NET in this repository.
What is a extruding and drawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic?
Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic is tracked by the Bureau of Labor Statistics under SOC 51-4021.
U.S. employment in our OEWS extract is about 65,700 workers.
What does a extruding and drawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic do?
O*NET work activities rated highest for this occupation include Controlling Machines and Processes, Making Decisions and Solving Problems, Getting Information, Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates, Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials, Performing General Physical Activities, and related tasks. See Work Activities for the full list.
How much does a extruding and drawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic make?
BLS national median annual wage: $46,980 (May 2024 in our extract).
Wage percentiles below are from the California OEWS extract (not national unless noted).
| Wage percentile | Annual wage |
|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $36,627 |
| 25th percentile | $39,623 |
| Median (50th) | $46,138 |
| 75th percentile | $51,319 |
| 90th percentile | $62,779 |
What skills do you need?
O*NET ratings for this occupation emphasize skills such as Operations Monitoring, Operation and Control, Monitoring, Critical Thinking, Judgment and Decision Making, Quality Control Analysis, and knowledge areas including Production and Processing, Mathematics, English Language, Administration and Management. See Education & Skills for detail.
Is extruding and drawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic in demand?
Historical employment trend in our series implies about 1.1% annual decline (compound rate in the extract).
Five-year projected employment change: -5.2%.
Ten-year projected employment change: -10.2%.
Current U.S. headcount: 65,700.
We report federal series only—compare wages, growth, and openings against your target market.
Where do extruding and drawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics work?
Top industries by employment share in our OEWS industry extract:
| Industry | Employment | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Cross-industry | 65,700 | 20.0% |
| Cross-industry, Private Ownership only | 65,700 | 20.0% |
| Manufacturing | 63,050 | 19.2% |
| Plastics and Rubber Products Manufacturing | 34,080 | 10.4% |
| Plastics Product Manufacturing | 32,720 | 10.0% |
| Primary Metal Manufacturing | 12,520 | 3.8% |
See Industry for charts.
What degrees lead to this career?
Common majors for Extruding and Drawing Machine 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Textile Winding, Twisting, and Drawing Out Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | 20,600 | $37,660 |
Employment
Employment and salary information for the Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic workforce.
Employment Over Time
65,700 U.S. workforce (OEWS)
California employment for Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic shrank from 20,840 in 2009 to 17,540 in 2025 (15.8%).
Historical employment for Extruding and Drawing Machine 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
$46,980 Median pay (BLS national)
Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic earn $46,980 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 Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic.
Salary distribution for Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic.
Employment Growth Projections
-1.1% Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR)
16,620 Projected Employment (5 years)
Projected growth: -5.2%
15,748 Projected Employment (10 years)
Projected growth: -10.2%
This occupation is experiencing a decline. Consider related fields with better growth prospects.
Historical employment trends and future projections for Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic.
Industry
Information on the industries that employ Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic and on wages for those in the field.
Occupations by Industries
This graphic shows the share of Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic employed by various industries.
Industry distribution for Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic.
Wage Trends by Industry
5.9% Average Annual Wage Growth Rate
Historical wage growth trends by industry for Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic.
Geographic Distribution
Employment and wage information by geographic location for Extruding and Drawing Machine 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:
- TX: 5,220 employees, $45,020 avg wage
- CA: 4,860 employees, $46,580 avg wage
- NC: 4,370 employees, $51,380 avg wage
- OH: 4,150 employees, $43,870 avg wage
- TN: 3,790 employees, $44,030 avg wage
- IN: 3,750 employees, $47,880 avg wage
- PA: 3,660 employees, $51,540 avg wage
- WI: 2,890 employees, $51,000 avg wage
- GA: 2,550 employees, $50,800 avg wage
- SC: 2,310 employees, $51,560 avg wage
Top 10 states by employment for Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic.
Top Metropolitan Areas
Top Metropolitan Areas:
- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA: 1,880 employees, $47,440 avg wage
- Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX: 1,870 employees, $48,590 avg wage
- Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA: 1,470 employees, $55,240 avg wage
- Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC: 1,400 employees, $52,510 avg wage
- Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC: 1,370 employees, $51,600 avg wage
- Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN: 1,280 employees, $50,530 avg wage
- Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX: 1,250 employees, $43,000 avg wage
- Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA: 1,090 employees, $44,060 avg wage
- Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN: 1,020 employees, $46,880 avg wage
- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ: 940 employees, $52,550 avg wage
Top 10 metropolitan statistical areas by employment for Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic.
Diversity
Demographic information on Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic in the US.
Gender and Age
The U.S. workforce for Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic is about 65,700 people in our OEWS extract.
Gender and age distribution for Extruding and Drawing Machine 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 Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic.
Education & Skills
Data on higher education choices and required skills for Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic.
Majors
The most common majors achieved by Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic in 2023 were Business Administration, Engineering, Business.
Common majors for Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic.
Education Levels
The main educational levels achieved by Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic workers.
Education level distribution for Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic.
Skills
Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic need many skills, but most especially Operations Monitoring, Operation and Control, Monitoring, Critical Thinking, Judgment and Decision Making.
Required skills for Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic.
Knowledge & Abilities
Knowledge areas and abilities required for Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic.
Knowledge Areas
The most important knowledge areas for Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic include Production and Processing, Mathematics, English Language, Administration and Management, Computers and Electronics.
Knowledge areas required for Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic.
Abilities
Key abilities needed for Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic include Control Precision, Reaction Time, Multilimb Coordination, Manual Dexterity, Rate Control.
Required abilities for Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic.
Work Activities
Common work activities performed by Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic.
Daily Activities
Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic spend their time on activities such as Controlling Machines and Processes, Making Decisions and Solving Problems, Getting Information, Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates, Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials.
Most important work activities for Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic.
About
Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic earn $46,980 as the BLS national median annual wage.
SOC Code
51-4021 - Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
Insights and Analysis
Compensation snapshot: Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic reports an average salary of $47,790.
Labor market presence: The current workforce is approximately 65,700 workers, indicating sustained demand.
Forward outlook: Projected annual decline is -1.1%, 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.