Metal Workers and Plastic Workers, All Other Salary: $42,750 Median Pay (2026 stats)
Executive Summary
About 20,270 metal workers and plastic workers, all other work nationally, and $42,750 is the BLS national median annual wage. Employment in the series shown fell about 25% from the first to the last year; projections imply about 2.9% annual decline.
Metal Workers and Plastic Workers, All Other: what the data shows
Common questions about metal workers and plastic workers, all other careers, answered from BLS OEWS and O*NET in this repository.
What is a metal workers and plastic workers, all other?
Metal Workers and Plastic Workers, All Other is tracked by the Bureau of Labor Statistics under SOC 51-4199.
U.S. employment in our OEWS extract is about 20,270 workers.
What does a metal workers and plastic workers, all other do?
O*NET work activities rated highest for this occupation include Handling and Moving Objects, Controlling Machines and Processes, Performing General Physical Activities, Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events, Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment, Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates, and related tasks. See Work Activities for the full list.
How much does a metal workers and plastic workers, all other make?
BLS national median annual wage: $42,750 (May 2024 in our extract).
Mean annual wage in our occupational extract: $49,370 — 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 | $37,664 |
| 25th percentile | $40,208 |
| Median (50th) | $46,025 |
| 75th percentile | $52,807 |
| 90th percentile | $67,560 |
What skills do you need?
O*NET ratings for this occupation emphasize skills such as Operation and Control, Operations Monitoring, Speaking, Quality Control Analysis, Active Listening, Monitoring, and knowledge areas including Production and Processing, Mathematics, Education and Training, Administration and Management. See Education & Skills for detail.
Is metal workers and plastic workers, all other in demand?
Historical employment trend in our series implies about 2.9% annual decline (compound rate in the extract).
Five-year projected employment change: -13.7%.
Ten-year projected employment change: -25.5%.
Current U.S. headcount: 20,270.
We report federal series only—compare wages, growth, and openings against your target market.
Where do metal workers and plastic workers, all others work?
Top industries by employment share in our OEWS industry extract:
| Industry | Employment | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Cross-industry | 20,270 | 19.5% |
| Cross-industry, Private Ownership only | 19,690 | 18.9% |
| Manufacturing | 13,480 | 13.0% |
| Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing | 4,780 | 4.6% |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 4,330 | 4.2% |
| Employment Services | 4,250 | 4.1% |
See Industry for charts.
What degrees lead to this career?
Common majors for Metal Workers and Plastic Workers, All Other 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | 31,510 | $41,600 |
| Model Makers, Metal and Plastic | 3,230 | $62,700 |
| Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters | 53,380 | $49,900 |
| Heat Treating Equipment Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | 14,590 | $47,450 |
| Jewelers and Precious Stone and Metal Workers | 23,420 | $49,140 |
Employment
Employment and salary information for the Metal Workers and Plastic Workers, All Other workforce.
Employment Over Time
20,270 U.S. workforce (OEWS)
California employment for Metal Workers and Plastic Workers, All Other shrank from 15,480 in 2009 to 9,660 in 2025 (37.6%).
Historical employment for Metal Workers and Plastic Workers, All Other 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
$42,750 Median pay (BLS national)
Metal Workers and Plastic Workers, All Other earn $42,750 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 Metal Workers and Plastic Workers, All Other.
Salary distribution for Metal Workers and Plastic Workers, All Other.
Employment Growth Projections
-2.9% Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR)
8,336 Projected Employment (5 years)
Projected growth: -13.7%
7,194 Projected Employment (10 years)
Projected growth: -25.5%
This occupation is experiencing a decline. Consider related fields with better growth prospects.
Historical employment trends and future projections for Metal Workers and Plastic Workers, All Other.
Industry
Information on the industries that employ Metal Workers and Plastic Workers, All Other and on wages for those in the field.
Occupations by Industries
This graphic shows the share of Metal Workers and Plastic Workers, All Other employed by various industries.
Industry distribution for Metal Workers and Plastic Workers, All Other.
Wage Trends by Industry
11.2% Average Annual Wage Growth Rate
Historical wage growth trends by industry for Metal Workers and Plastic Workers, All Other.
Geographic Distribution
Employment and wage information by geographic location for Metal Workers and Plastic Workers, All Other.
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: 2,490 employees, $48,120 avg wage
- GA: 2,020 employees, $38,680 avg wage
- TX: 1,500 employees, $42,440 avg wage
- TN: 1,460 employees, $37,600 avg wage
- PA: 1,280 employees, $44,660 avg wage
- OH: 1,160 employees, $44,730 avg wage
- MI: 1,140 employees, $43,020 avg wage
- FL: 1,040 employees, $37,010 avg wage
- NH: 930 employees, $46,190 avg wage
- SC: 740 employees, $43,850 avg wage
Top 10 states by employment for Metal Workers and Plastic Workers, All Other.
Top Metropolitan Areas
Top Metropolitan Areas:
- Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA: 1,160 employees, $40,270 avg wage
- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA: 990 employees, $46,680 avg wage
- Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI: 530 employees, $44,070 avg wage
- Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX: 480 employees, $39,490 avg wage
- Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA: 430 employees, $44,920 avg wage
- Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN: 380 employees, $39,520 avg wage
- Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX: 370 employees, $44,320 avg wage
- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA: 330 employees, $73,890 avg wage
- Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL: 330 employees, $37,060 avg wage
- San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA: 300 employees, $63,040 avg wage
Top 10 metropolitan statistical areas by employment for Metal Workers and Plastic Workers, All Other.
Diversity
Demographic information on Metal Workers and Plastic Workers, All Other in the US.
Gender and Age
The U.S. workforce for Metal Workers and Plastic Workers, All Other is about 20,270 people in our OEWS extract.
Gender and age distribution for Metal Workers and Plastic Workers, All Other.
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 Metal Workers and Plastic Workers, All Other.
Education & Skills
Data on higher education choices and required skills for Metal Workers and Plastic Workers, All Other.
Majors
The most common majors achieved by Metal Workers and Plastic Workers, All Other in 2023 were Business, Social Sciences, General Studies.
Common majors for Metal Workers and Plastic Workers, All Other.
Education Levels
The main educational levels achieved by Metal Workers and Plastic Workers, All Other workers.
Education level distribution for Metal Workers and Plastic Workers, All Other.
Skills
Metal Workers and Plastic Workers, All Other need many skills, but most especially Operation and Control, Operations Monitoring, Speaking, Quality Control Analysis, Active Listening.
Required skills for Metal Workers and Plastic Workers, All Other.
Knowledge & Abilities
Knowledge areas and abilities required for Metal Workers and Plastic Workers, All Other.
Knowledge Areas
The most important knowledge areas for Metal Workers and Plastic Workers, All Other include Production and Processing, Mathematics, Education and Training, Administration and Management, Chemistry.
Knowledge areas required for Metal Workers and Plastic Workers, All Other.
Abilities
Key abilities needed for Metal Workers and Plastic Workers, All Other include Arm-Hand Steadiness, Multilimb Coordination, Reaction Time, Manual Dexterity, Near Vision.
Required abilities for Metal Workers and Plastic Workers, All Other.
Work Activities
Common work activities performed by Metal Workers and Plastic Workers, All Other.
Daily Activities
Metal Workers and Plastic Workers, All Other spend their time on activities such as Handling and Moving Objects, Controlling Machines and Processes, Performing General Physical Activities, Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events, Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment.
Most important work activities for Metal Workers and Plastic Workers, All Other.
About
Metal Workers and Plastic Workers, All Other
Metal Workers and Plastic Workers, All Other earn $42,750 as the BLS national median annual wage.
SOC Code
51-4199 - Metal Workers and Plastic Workers, All Other
Insights and Analysis
Compensation snapshot: Metal Workers and Plastic Workers, All Other reports an average salary of $49,370.
Labor market presence: The current workforce is approximately 20,270 workers, indicating sustained demand.
Forward outlook: Projected annual decline is -2.9%, 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.