Forging machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $36,800 | $17.69 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $49,030 | $23.57 |
| Mean (average) | $51,680 | $24.85 |
| 90th percentile | $68,720 | $33.04 |
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
Forging machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 32 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $46,970 | $36,940 | $78,620 | 70 | 0.58 |
| Arizona | $48,730 | $47,510 | $62,350 | 30 | 0.18 |
| Arkansas | $38,120 | $35,060 | $54,800 | 140 | 1.85 |
| California | $59,250 | $43,390 | $81,730 | 750 | 0.71 |
| Colorado | $57,970 | $39,900 | $67,310 | 140 | 0.86 |
| Connecticut | $45,120 | $38,210 | $54,090 | 110 | 1.1 |
| Florida | $40,480 | $27,040 | $92,490 | 80 | 0.15 |
| Georgia | $46,490 | $37,730 | $61,980 | 380 | 1.36 |
| Illinois | $49,750 | $40,580 | $61,690 | 230 | 0.65 |
| Indiana | $53,550 | $39,330 | $60,910 | 450 | 2.46 |
| Iowa | $47,010 | $45,770 | $58,180 | ||
| Kansas | $51,120 | $43,590 | $58,810 | 130 | 1.61 |
| Kentucky | $36,110 | $32,460 | $59,590 | ||
| Maryland | $49,920 | $49,920 | $53,750 | 30 | 0.22 |
| Massachusetts | $51,770 | $39,180 | $89,400 | 310 | 1.49 |
| Michigan | $61,620 | $41,820 | $69,100 | 620 | 2.46 |
| Mississippi | $39,550 | $37,490 | $44,500 | 70 | 0.99 |
| Missouri | $55,210 | $35,070 | $66,160 | 60 | 0.33 |
| Nebraska | $60,460 | $59,800 | $64,980 | 200 | 3.37 |
| Nevada | $45,040 | $37,980 | $61,240 | 40 | 0.49 |
| New Jersey | $35,630 | $34,840 | $72,760 | ||
| New York | $56,350 | $38,620 | $71,320 | 260 | 0.46 |
| Ohio | $56,870 | $40,800 | $68,730 | 500 | 1.58 |
| Oklahoma | $61,720 | $45,170 | $62,170 | ||
| Oregon | $69,210 | $52,180 | $89,420 | 30 | 0.31 |
| Pennsylvania | $50,280 | $42,800 | $71,490 | 550 | 1.57 |
| South Carolina | $49,610 | $46,420 | $63,770 | 80 | 0.59 |
| Tennessee | $43,810 | $37,140 | $59,200 | 1,140 | 6.08 |
| Texas | $37,390 | $24,440 | $56,210 | 720 | 0.89 |
| Virginia | $54,230 | $47,740 | $59,930 | 560 | 2.36 |
| West Virginia | $37,390 | $33,320 | $63,200 | ||
| Wisconsin | $60,310 | $48,460 | $63,360 | 80 | 0.47 |
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 forging machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 600. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
- 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 forging 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
- Start machines to produce sample workpieces, and observe operations to detect machine malfunctions and to verify that machine setups conform to specifications.
- Read work orders or blueprints to determine specified tolerances and sequences of operations for machine setup.
- Confer with other workers about machine setups and operational specifications.
- Measure and inspect machined parts to ensure conformance to product specifications.
- Turn handles or knobs to set pressures and depths of ram strokes and to synchronize machine operations.
- Set up, operate, or tend presses and forging machines to perform hot or cold forging by flattening, straightening, bending, cutting, piercing, or other operations to taper, shape, or form metal.
- Trim and compress finished forgings to specified tolerances.
Technology skills
- Email software
- Inventory tracking software
- Machine control software
Transferable skills for career changers: Operations Monitoring, Operation and Control, Equipment Maintenance, Quality Control Analysis, Coordination, Troubleshooting.
Common job titles: Blacksmith, Forge Operator, Forge Press Operator, Forger, Hammer Operator, Header Operator, Hot Press Forger, Machine Operator, Process Technician (Process Tech), Set Up 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 forging machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic make?
The national median annual wage for forging machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic was $49,030 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $36,800 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $68,720. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do forging 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 forging machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic a growing career?
BLS projects employment of forging machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic to change -17.2% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 600 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay forging machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were Oregon ($69,210), Oklahoma ($61,720), Michigan ($61,620). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.