Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic Salary
Production Occupations · 171K employed in the U.S.
Median annual
$46,330
Median hourly
$22
Average annual
$48,430
Typical range
$35,760–$65,510
Pay distribution
10th to 90th percentile, with the median marked.
What this role pays
The median annual salary for Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic is $46,330 as of May 2025, based on the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey. That works out to about $22 an hour at a full-time schedule.
Set up, operate, or tend machines to saw, cut, shear, slit, punch, crimp, notch, bend, or straighten metal or plastic material..
Most earn between $35,760 and $65,510 a year. There are roughly 171K people employed as cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic in the United States. Use the state and metro pages below to see how pay changes by location, and the calculator to convert any hourly or annual figure.
Salary calculator
Convert your pay and see where it lands for Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic.
- Hourly
- $22.27
- Daily
- $178
- Weekly
- $891
- Bi-weekly
- $1,782
- Monthly
- $3,861
- Annual
- $46,330
$46,330 a year is around the 50th percentile for Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastics. The median is $46,330.
Highest-paying states
Median annual wage by state.
- 1Oregon$53,680
- 2Maine$51,820
- 3Washington$51,160
- 4Colorado$50,790
- 5Minnesota$49,770
- 6Wisconsin$49,270
- 7Alaska$49,010
- 8Illinois$48,990
- 9Nebraska$48,690
- 10Montana$48,490
- 11California$48,450
- 12North Dakota$48,400
Top-paying metro areas
Median annual wage by metro area.
- 1Flint, MI$78,600
- 2Rome, GA$63,740
- 3Oshkosh-Neenah, WI$62,250
- 4Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN$60,230
- 5Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ$60,080
- 6Bellingham, WA$59,380
- 7Lewiston-Auburn, ME$59,300
- 8San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$58,580
- 9Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO$58,240
- 10Mankato, MN$57,850
- 11Lincoln, NE$57,780
- 12Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA$57,290
Related job titles
Employers advertise Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic roles under these titles.
- Angle Shear Operator
- Angle Shear Set Up Operator
- Arbor Press Operator
- Automatic Punch-Press Operator
- Automatic Screwmaker
- Automobile Bumper Straightener
- Banding Machine Operator
- Bench Shear Operator
- Bender Machine Operator
- Bending Machine Set Up Operator
- Bending Roll Hand
- Bending Roll Operator
- Beveler
- Billet Cutter
- Billet Shearer
- Blanker
Related occupations
- Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$46,570
- Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing$43,380
- Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$50,620
- Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$47,180
- Tool and Die Makers$64,050
- Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$46,550
- Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$52,800
- Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$50,140
What a Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic does
- Clean and lubricate machines.
- Clean work area.
- Examine completed workpieces for defects, such as chipped edges or marred surfaces and sort defective pieces according to types of flaws.
- Set stops on machine beds, change dies, and adjust components, such as rams or power presses, when making multiple or successive passes.
- Read work orders or production schedules to determine specifications, such as materials to be used, locations of cutting lines, or dimensions and tolerances.
- Mark identifying data on workpieces.
- Plan sequences of operations, applying knowledge of physical properties of workpiece materials.
- Set up, operate, or tend machines to saw, cut, shear, slit, punch, crimp, notch, bend, or straighten metal or plastic material.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic make?
- The median annual wage for Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic is $46,330 ($22 per hour). Pay ranges from about $35,760 at the 10th percentile to $65,510 at the 90th percentile.
- What is the average salary for a Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic?
- The average (mean) annual salary is $48,430, which is higher than the median because a small number of high earners pull the average up.
- Which state pays Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastics the most?
- Oregon has the highest median annual wage for this occupation at $53,680.
- Is Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic a growing occupation?
- BLS employment data for May 2025 counts about 171K people in this occupation. Projected growth is published separately in the BLS Employment Projections program.
- What does a Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic do?
- Clean and lubricate machines.; Clean work area.; Examine completed workpieces for defects, such as chipped edges or marred surfaces and sort defective pieces according to types of flaws..