Extruding and drawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $36,700 | $17.65 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $47,720 | $22.94 |
| Mean (average) | $49,480 | $23.79 |
| 90th percentile | $63,710 | $30.63 |
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
Extruding and drawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 47 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $47,690 | $31,540 | $66,680 | 1,200 | 1.45 |
| Arizona | $45,000 | $35,540 | $52,800 | 910 | 0.72 |
| Arkansas | $50,150 | $39,110 | $61,760 | 1,270 | 2.48 |
| California | $45,880 | $37,230 | $60,770 | 3,870 | 0.54 |
| Colorado | $51,110 | $41,020 | $60,720 | 240 | 0.22 |
| Connecticut | $50,230 | $38,470 | $61,300 | 1,000 | 1.51 |
| Delaware | $46,140 | $36,930 | $59,480 | 470 | 2.48 |
| Florida | $39,730 | $31,130 | $55,160 | 1,190 | 0.31 |
| Georgia | $48,410 | $37,550 | $67,970 | 2,560 | 1.34 |
| Idaho | $34,700 | $32,950 | $49,100 | ||
| Illinois | $48,520 | $33,800 | $70,470 | 2,750 | 1.15 |
| Indiana | $49,420 | $37,890 | $60,620 | 3,740 | 2.99 |
| Iowa | $47,240 | $36,240 | $64,520 | 450 | 0.74 |
| Kansas | $46,270 | $34,870 | $61,750 | 1,140 | 2.02 |
| Kentucky | $50,000 | $37,290 | $61,070 | 1,400 | 1.79 |
| Louisiana | $47,930 | $33,660 | $108,530 | 580 | 0.76 |
| Maine | $46,550 | $36,910 | $65,490 | 90 | 0.36 |
| Maryland | $46,730 | $33,910 | $60,360 | 270 | 0.25 |
| Massachusetts | $50,370 | $39,850 | $65,470 | 1,490 | 1.05 |
| Michigan | $45,140 | $35,510 | $59,150 | 1,800 | 1.04 |
| Minnesota | $51,830 | $38,830 | $62,530 | 900 | 0.78 |
| Mississippi | $44,220 | $36,570 | $53,850 | 550 | 1.21 |
| Missouri | $46,050 | $35,630 | $61,870 | 1,040 | 0.91 |
| Nebraska | $52,360 | $39,620 | $61,480 | 510 | 1.28 |
| Nevada | $44,210 | $36,300 | $57,190 | 260 | 0.43 |
| New Hampshire | $50,210 | $45,520 | $75,980 | 580 | 2.18 |
| New Jersey | $51,180 | $38,080 | $63,430 | 750 | 0.45 |
| New Mexico | $45,670 | $40,160 | $56,710 | 50 | 0.15 |
| New York | $48,930 | $37,380 | $59,500 | 1,400 | 0.37 |
| North Carolina | $53,330 | $38,080 | $60,390 | 2,950 | 1.52 |
| Ohio | $46,340 | $35,850 | $59,640 | 5,020 | 2.31 |
| Oklahoma | $38,820 | $35,500 | $53,680 | 490 | 0.74 |
| Oregon | $49,650 | $39,010 | $78,720 | 440 | 0.57 |
| Pennsylvania | $51,150 | $39,120 | $73,080 | 2,960 | 1.25 |
| Puerto Rico | $26,030 | $21,840 | $36,710 | 480 | 1.32 |
| Rhode Island | $61,350 | $47,740 | $74,270 | 430 | 2.19 |
| South Carolina | $49,040 | $35,900 | $66,490 | 2,000 | 2.22 |
| South Dakota | $49,620 | $39,740 | $61,200 | 50 | 0.26 |
| Tennessee | $47,550 | $35,000 | $63,710 | 2,980 | 2.32 |
| Texas | $45,890 | $36,770 | $62,830 | 4,070 | 0.74 |
| Utah | $49,000 | $35,940 | $71,850 | 410 | 0.61 |
| Vermont | $59,220 | $42,350 | $78,510 | 60 | 0.54 |
| Virginia | $45,220 | $38,320 | $58,930 | 1,490 | 0.92 |
| Washington | $47,230 | $39,670 | $61,690 | 1,080 | 0.78 |
| West Virginia | $44,510 | $36,270 | $56,790 | 540 | 1.96 |
| Wisconsin | $50,230 | $34,200 | $71,950 | 3,190 | 2.77 |
| Wyoming | $45,950 | $37,820 | $57,520 | 80 | 0.76 |
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 extruding and drawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 5,400. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
- Share of workers who are self-employed (2025): 0.1%.
- 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 extruding and drawing 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
Skills, knowledge, and daily work
Most important skills
Most important knowledge areas
Typical tasks
- Measure and examine extruded products to locate defects and to check for conformance to specifications, adjusting controls as necessary to alter products.
- Start machines and set controls to regulate vacuum, air pressure, sizing rings, and temperature, and to synchronize speed of extrusion.
- Determine setup procedures and select machine dies and parts, according to specifications.
- Troubleshoot, maintain, and make minor repairs to equipment.
- Change dies on extruding machines, according to production line changes.
- Load machine hoppers with mixed materials, using augers, or stuff rolls of plastic dough into machine cylinders.
- Install dies, machine screws, and sizing rings on machines that extrude thermoplastic or metal materials.
- Operate shearing mechanisms to cut rods to specified lengths.
Technology skills
- Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- SAP software (hot technology)
- Enterprise application integration EAI software
- Operational databases
Transferable skills for career changers: Operations Monitoring, Operation and Control, Quality Control Analysis, Coordination, Equipment Maintenance, Troubleshooting.
Common job titles: Equipment Technician (Equipment Tech), Extruder Operator, Extrusion Line Operator, Extrusion Operator, Extrusion Press Operator, Machine Operator, Metal Inspector, Setup Operator, Wire Mill Operator, Wire Mill Rover.
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 extruding and drawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic make?
The national median annual wage for extruding and drawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic was $47,720 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $36,700 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $63,710. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do extruding and drawing 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 extruding and drawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic a growing career?
BLS projects employment of extruding and drawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic to change +0.7% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 5,400 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay extruding and drawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were Rhode Island ($61,350), Vermont ($59,220), North Carolina ($53,330). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.