Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic Salary: $48,620 Median Pay (2026 stats)
Executive Summary
About 18,970 lathe and turning machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic work nationally, and $48,620 is the BLS national median annual wage. Employment in the series shown rose about 8% from the first to the last year; projections imply about 4.6% annual decline.
Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic: what the data shows
Common questions about lathe and turning machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic careers, answered from BLS OEWS and O*NET in this repository.
What is a lathe and turning machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic?
Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic is tracked by the Bureau of Labor Statistics under SOC 51-4034.
U.S. employment in our OEWS extract is about 18,970 workers.
What does a lathe and turning machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic do?
O*NET work activities rated highest for this occupation include Controlling Machines and Processes, Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials, Getting Information, Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards, Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings, Handling and Moving Objects, and related tasks. See Work Activities for the full list.
How much does a lathe and turning machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic make?
BLS national median annual wage: $48,620 (May 2024 in our extract).
Mean annual wage in our occupational extract: $53,330 — higher than the median, which often reflects top earners in the distribution.
Wage percentiles below are from the California OEWS extract (not national unless noted).
| Wage percentile | Annual wage |
|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $39,346 |
| 25th percentile | $44,117 |
| Median (50th) | $48,898 |
| 75th percentile | $61,169 |
| 90th percentile | $74,568 |
What skills do you need?
O*NET ratings for this occupation emphasize skills such as Operations Monitoring, Operation and Control, Quality Control Analysis, Monitoring, Active Listening, Reading Comprehension, and knowledge areas including Mathematics, Mechanical, English Language, Education and Training. See Education & Skills for detail.
Is lathe and turning machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic in demand?
Historical employment trend in our series implies about 4.6% annual decline (compound rate in the extract).
Five-year projected employment change: -20.9%.
Ten-year projected employment change: -37.4%.
Current U.S. headcount: 18,970.
We report federal series only—compare wages, growth, and openings against your target market.
Where do lathe and turning 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 | 18,970 | 18.8% |
| Cross-industry, Private Ownership only | 18,970 | 18.8% |
| Manufacturing | 18,000 | 17.9% |
| Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing | 10,900 | 10.8% |
| Machine Shops; Turned Product; and Screw, Nut, and Bolt Manufacturing | 6,560 | 6.5% |
| Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (3321, 3322, 3325, 3326, and 3329 only) | 3,980 | 4.0% |
See Industry for charts.
What degrees lead to this career?
Common majors for Lathe and Turning 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | 129,850 | $46,060 |
| 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 Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic workforce.
Employment Over Time
18,970 U.S. workforce (OEWS)
California employment for Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic shrank from 19,020 in 2009 to 9,000 in 2025 (52.7%).
Historical employment for Lathe and Turning 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
$48,620 Median pay (BLS national)
Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic earn $48,620 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 Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic.
Salary distribution for Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic.
Employment Growth Projections
-4.6% Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR)
7,123 Projected Employment (5 years)
Projected growth: -20.9%
5,638 Projected Employment (10 years)
Projected growth: -37.4%
This occupation is experiencing a decline. Consider related fields with better growth prospects.
Historical employment trends and future projections for Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic.
Industry
Information on the industries that employ Lathe and Turning 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 Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic employed by various industries.
Industry distribution for Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic.
Wage Trends by Industry
-4.4% Average Annual Wage Growth Rate
Historical wage growth trends by industry for Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic.
Geographic Distribution
Employment and wage information by geographic location for Lathe and Turning 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:
- CA: 2,330 employees, $51,980 avg wage
- TX: 2,100 employees, $43,380 avg wage
- MI: 1,750 employees, $48,790 avg wage
- OH: 1,500 employees, $49,050 avg wage
- IL: 1,430 employees, $51,870 avg wage
- IN: 1,250 employees, $54,680 avg wage
- TN: 1,060 employees, $44,720 avg wage
- CT: 800 employees, $51,910 avg wage
- NY: 790 employees, $53,600 avg wage
- PA: 760 employees, $56,620 avg wage
Top 10 states by employment for Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic.
Top Metropolitan Areas
Top Metropolitan Areas:
- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA: 1,100 employees, $51,110 avg wage
- Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI: 870 employees, $50,790 avg wage
- Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX: 780 employees, $47,890 avg wage
- Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN: 600 employees, $50,910 avg wage
- Knoxville, TN: 580 employees, $46,550 avg wage
- Cleveland, OH: 520 employees, $50,010 avg wage
- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ: 440 employees, $58,070 avg wage
- Pittsburgh, PA: 330 employees, $59,360 avg wage
- Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH: 330 employees, $60,780 avg wage
- Waterbury-Shelton, CT: 290 employees, $43,450 avg wage
Top 10 metropolitan statistical areas by employment for Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic.
Diversity
Demographic information on Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic in the US.
Gender and Age
The U.S. workforce for Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic is about 18,970 people in our OEWS extract.
Gender and age distribution for Lathe and Turning 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 Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic.
Education & Skills
Data on higher education choices and required skills for Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic.
Majors
The most common majors achieved by Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic in 2023 were Engineering, Business, Social Sciences.
Common majors for Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic.
Education Levels
The main educational levels achieved by Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic workers.
Education level distribution for Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic.
Skills
Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic need many skills, but most especially Operations Monitoring, Operation and Control, Quality Control Analysis, Monitoring, Active Listening.
Required skills for Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic.
Knowledge & Abilities
Knowledge areas and abilities required for Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic.
Knowledge Areas
The most important knowledge areas for Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic include Mathematics, Mechanical, English Language, Education and Training, Production and Processing.
Knowledge areas required for Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic.
Abilities
Key abilities needed for Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic include Control Precision, Arm-Hand Steadiness, Near Vision, Finger Dexterity, Reaction Time.
Required abilities for Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic.
Work Activities
Common work activities performed by Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic.
Daily Activities
Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic spend their time on activities such as Controlling Machines and Processes, Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials, Getting Information, Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards, Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings.
Most important work activities for Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic.
About
Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic earn $48,620 as the BLS national median annual wage.
SOC Code
51-4034 - Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
Insights and Analysis
Compensation snapshot: Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic reports an average salary of $53,330.
Labor market presence: The current workforce is approximately 18,970 workers, indicating sustained demand.
Forward outlook: Projected annual decline is -4.6%, 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.