Plating machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $33,790 | $16.25 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $43,960 | $21.14 |
| Mean (average) | $45,100 | $21.69 |
| 90th percentile | $60,370 | $29.02 |
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
Plating machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 40 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $33,730 | $26,550 | $44,020 | 400 | 0.9 |
| Arizona | $47,110 | $36,830 | $51,060 | 640 | 0.95 |
| Arkansas | $51,140 | $29,640 | $73,190 | 230 | 0.84 |
| California | $46,760 | $36,730 | $59,610 | 5,600 | 1.48 |
| Colorado | $47,930 | $37,710 | $61,620 | 190 | 0.31 |
| Connecticut | $37,220 | $34,850 | $58,590 | 620 | 1.75 |
| Florida | $46,460 | $30,570 | $59,270 | 530 | 0.25 |
| Georgia | $39,160 | $33,670 | $106,010 | 660 | 0.64 |
| Idaho | $44,470 | $36,540 | $51,740 | 60 | 0.35 |
| Illinois | $38,620 | $34,540 | $51,260 | 2,380 | 1.87 |
| Indiana | $38,680 | $35,420 | $58,350 | 1,250 | 1.88 |
| Iowa | $70,910 | $37,690 | $70,910 | 440 | 1.36 |
| Kansas | $38,770 | $33,330 | $57,980 | 360 | 1.21 |
| Kentucky | $34,680 | $26,110 | $68,300 | 630 | 1.51 |
| Louisiana | $34,040 | $28,410 | $52,500 | 100 | 0.25 |
| Maine | $45,720 | $39,550 | $55,550 | 170 | 1.26 |
| Maryland | $42,030 | $34,790 | $63,440 | 60 | 0.1 |
| Massachusetts | $46,150 | $35,440 | $57,250 | 860 | 1.13 |
| Michigan | $37,600 | $32,400 | $51,850 | 3,330 | 3.63 |
| Minnesota | $46,730 | $36,400 | $61,410 | 560 | 0.91 |
| Mississippi | $52,090 | $43,670 | $57,200 | 60 | 0.25 |
| Missouri | $44,080 | $31,100 | $53,910 | 150 | 0.25 |
| Nebraska | $48,010 | $37,000 | $63,950 | 400 | 1.86 |
| Nevada | $37,460 | $36,470 | $45,690 | 60 | 0.18 |
| New Hampshire | $46,300 | $43,170 | $58,640 | 60 | 0.43 |
| New Jersey | $40,800 | $32,220 | $51,490 | 380 | 0.42 |
| New York | $45,510 | $35,180 | $65,220 | 830 | 0.41 |
| North Carolina | $43,540 | $30,260 | $57,770 | 710 | 0.69 |
| Ohio | $46,790 | $38,240 | $62,090 | 1,810 | 1.57 |
| Oklahoma | $49,330 | $35,580 | $71,120 | 180 | 0.51 |
| Oregon | $48,050 | $39,850 | $61,000 | 310 | 0.77 |
| Pennsylvania | $45,590 | $36,150 | $60,490 | 1,740 | 1.38 |
| Rhode Island | $38,580 | $37,770 | $61,370 | 450 | 4.32 |
| South Carolina | $44,560 | $37,960 | $58,380 | 470 | 0.99 |
| Tennessee | $39,510 | $29,700 | $51,840 | 1,660 | 2.43 |
| Texas | $39,060 | $26,750 | $55,390 | 2,090 | 0.71 |
| Utah | $46,940 | $35,200 | $73,090 | 180 | 0.49 |
| Virginia | $43,380 | $33,230 | $56,780 | 270 | 0.32 |
| Washington | $58,000 | $46,480 | $79,260 | 410 | 0.55 |
| Wisconsin | $44,350 | $29,430 | $63,220 | 940 | 1.54 |
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 plating machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 2,500. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
- Share of workers who are self-employed (2025): 2.6%.
- 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 plating 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
- NO MATCH CIP 99.9999
Skills, knowledge, and daily work
Most important skills
Most important knowledge areas
Typical tasks
- Immerse workpieces in coating solutions or liquid metal or plastic for specified times.
- Adjust dials to regulate flow of current and voltage supplied to terminals to control plating processes.
- Inspect coated or plated areas for defects, such as air bubbles or uneven coverage.
- Set up, operate, or tend plating or coating machines to coat metal or plastic products with chromium, zinc, copper, cadmium, nickel, or other metal to protect or decorate surfaces.
- Observe gauges to ensure that machines are operating properly, making adjustments or stopping machines when problems occur.
- Remove objects from solutions at periodic intervals and observe objects to verify conformance to specifications.
- Maintain production records.
- Remove excess materials or impurities from objects, using air hoses or grinding machines.
Technology skills
- Autodesk AutoCAD (hot technology)
- Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- Hazardous materials management HMS software
- Oracle Advanced Procurement
Transferable skills for career changers: Operations Monitoring, Operation and Control, Coordination, Quality Control Analysis, Time Management, Judgment and Decision Making.
Common job titles: Anodizer, Anodizing Line Operator, Chrome Plater, Coater Associate, Coater Operator, Electro Plater, Galvanizer, Line Operator, Machine Operator, Plater.
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 plating machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic make?
The national median annual wage for plating machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic was $43,960 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $33,790 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $60,370. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do plating 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 plating machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic a growing career?
BLS projects employment of plating machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic to change -9.7% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 2,500 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay plating machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were Iowa ($70,910), Washington ($58,000), Mississippi ($52,090). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.