Cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $35,760 | $17.19 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $46,330 | $22.27 |
| Mean (average) | $48,430 | $23.28 |
| 90th percentile | $65,510 | $31.50 |
These wages describe everyone employed in the occupation, from new entrants to experienced workers. They are not starting salaries and not earnings of graduates from any particular program. Verified data
Cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 50 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $43,830 | $34,660 | $54,760 | 6,000 | 2.58 |
| Alaska | $49,010 | $43,770 | $62,470 | 80 | 0.21 |
| Arizona | $46,610 | $37,540 | $62,680 | 1,100 | 0.31 |
| Arkansas | $45,580 | $32,800 | $56,860 | 3,020 | 2.11 |
| California | $48,450 | $37,090 | $68,500 | 7,710 | 0.38 |
| Colorado | $50,790 | $41,690 | $71,800 | 1,400 | 0.44 |
| Connecticut | $46,280 | $37,110 | $64,770 | 2,030 | 1.08 |
| Delaware | $41,640 | $38,260 | $57,860 | 240 | 0.45 |
| Florida | $39,440 | $33,180 | $50,630 | 2,740 | 0.25 |
| Georgia | $45,080 | $35,400 | $63,740 | 5,260 | 0.98 |
| Idaho | $39,580 | $36,240 | $50,540 | 720 | 0.77 |
| Illinois | $48,990 | $36,960 | $73,270 | 8,060 | 1.2 |
| Indiana | $46,980 | $36,960 | $73,840 | 9,680 | 2.75 |
| Iowa | $48,240 | $36,550 | $57,490 | 2,030 | 1.18 |
| Kansas | $46,840 | $36,360 | $63,150 | 1,900 | 1.2 |
| Kentucky | $45,760 | $34,920 | $66,280 | 7,290 | 3.31 |
| Louisiana | $40,870 | $35,730 | $60,960 | 760 | 0.36 |
| Maine | $51,820 | $38,290 | $64,800 | 180 | 0.25 |
| Maryland | $47,320 | $35,470 | $57,360 | 270 | 0.09 |
| Massachusetts | $45,760 | $37,460 | $64,160 | 2,590 | 0.65 |
| Michigan | $46,120 | $36,130 | $76,720 | 22,060 | 4.55 |
| Minnesota | $49,770 | $34,670 | $64,700 | 6,130 | 1.89 |
| Mississippi | $40,650 | $32,000 | $63,180 | 1,700 | 1.33 |
| Missouri | $48,310 | $36,310 | $69,500 | 3,240 | 1 |
| Montana | $48,490 | $37,270 | $59,860 | 130 | 0.23 |
| Nebraska | $48,690 | $36,160 | $60,850 | 1,320 | 1.17 |
| Nevada | $47,690 | $33,790 | $55,430 | 580 | 0.34 |
| New Hampshire | $48,110 | $37,580 | $61,450 | 600 | 0.8 |
| New Jersey | $45,680 | $36,700 | $60,950 | 1,950 | 0.41 |
| New Mexico | $39,430 | $33,430 | $46,720 | 220 | 0.23 |
| New York | $46,930 | $36,510 | $71,770 | 3,340 | 0.31 |
| North Carolina | $43,400 | $35,180 | $62,120 | 3,940 | 0.72 |
| North Dakota | $48,400 | $43,680 | $65,980 | 230 | 0.49 |
| Ohio | $45,230 | $35,560 | $60,770 | 13,350 | 2.18 |
| Oklahoma | $40,930 | $31,230 | $64,750 | 2,480 | 1.32 |
| Oregon | $53,680 | $44,490 | $66,210 | 1,180 | 0.55 |
| Pennsylvania | $47,860 | $35,380 | $62,590 | 8,890 | 1.33 |
| Puerto Rico | $24,090 | $21,840 | $31,180 | 240 | 0.23 |
| Rhode Island | $48,170 | $37,850 | $62,280 | 470 | 0.85 |
| South Carolina | $44,420 | $34,000 | $62,410 | 4,100 | 1.62 |
| South Dakota | $46,060 | $36,840 | $59,950 | 490 | 0.97 |
| Tennessee | $44,780 | $35,620 | $53,300 | 5,380 | 1.49 |
| Texas | $42,720 | $34,340 | $57,370 | 13,290 | 0.86 |
| Utah | $46,670 | $37,420 | $62,430 | 1,050 | 0.55 |
| Vermont | $43,560 | $38,110 | $56,160 | 70 | 0.21 |
| Virginia | $47,300 | $36,550 | $60,680 | 1,790 | 0.39 |
| Washington | $51,160 | $41,440 | $71,550 | 1,750 | 0.45 |
| West Virginia | $43,070 | $30,700 | $57,570 | 290 | 0.38 |
| Wisconsin | $49,270 | $38,290 | $62,580 | 7,960 | 2.46 |
| Wyoming | $46,890 | $40,160 | $57,370 | 60 | 0.19 |
A location quotient above 1 means the occupation is more concentrated in that state than in the nation overall.
Metro areas with the most jobs
Highest paying metro areas
Job outlook for cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 13,200. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
- Share of workers who are self-employed (2025): 0.4%.
- Read the official BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile.
These are official BLS projections. ConnectPrep does not alter them or present its own forecasts as official statistics.
Education and training for cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic
- Typical entry education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Related work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- Moderate-term on-the-job training
- O*NET Job Zone
- Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed
Highest education of people working in this occupation
O*NET describes this preparation level as: Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
Degrees and programs that lead to this career
Programs officially mapped to this occupation in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. A mapping means the program commonly prepares students for the occupation, not that every graduate works in it. Official crosswalk
- Machine Tool Technology/Machinist CIP 48.0501
- Sheet Metal Technology/Sheetworking CIP 48.0506
Skills, knowledge, and daily work
Most important skills
Most important knowledge areas
Typical tasks
- Measure completed workpieces to verify conformance to specifications, using micrometers, gauges, calipers, templates, or rulers.
- Examine completed workpieces for defects, such as chipped edges or marred surfaces and sort defective pieces according to types of flaws.
- Read work orders or production schedules to determine specifications, such as materials to be used, locations of cutting lines, or dimensions and tolerances.
- Start machines, monitor their operations, and record operational data.
- Set up, operate, or tend machines to saw, cut, shear, slit, punch, crimp, notch, bend, or straighten metal or plastic material.
- Test and adjust machine speeds or actions, according to product specifications, using gauges and hand tools.
- Load workpieces, plastic material, or chemical solutions into machines.
- Turn controls to set cutting speeds, feed rates, or table angles for specified operations.
Technology skills
- Autodesk AutoCAD (hot technology)
- Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- SAP software (hot technology)
- Automated inventory software
- Computerized numerical control CNC software
- Operational databases
- Striker Systems SS-Punch
Transferable skills for career changers: Operations Monitoring, Operation and Control, Troubleshooting, Quality Control Analysis, Judgment and Decision Making, Coordination.
Common job titles: Die Setter, Fabrication Operator, Machine Operator, Machine Setter, Press Brake Operator, Press Operator, Punch Press Operator, Saw Operator, Setup Operator, Slitter Operator.
Is it worth it? Model the cost of getting there
Use the ROI calculator to compare the cost of the education this career usually requires against staying on your current path. It starts from the official wage distribution above, and you can change every assumption.
Frequently asked questions
How much do cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic make?
The national median annual wage for cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic was $46,330 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $35,760 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $65,510. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic need?
BLS lists high school diploma or equivalent as the typical education needed to enter this occupation, with none of related work experience and moderate-term on-the-job training on-the-job training typically needed to become competent.
Is cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic a growing career?
BLS projects employment of cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic to change -10.5% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 13,200 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were Oregon ($53,680), Maine ($51,820), Washington ($51,160). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.