Drilling and Boring Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic Salary
Production Occupations · 4.7K employed in the U.S.
Median annual
$49,080
Median hourly
$24
Average annual
$51,810
Typical range
$36,300–$68,410
Pay distribution
10th to 90th percentile, with the median marked.
What this role pays
The median annual salary for Drilling and Boring Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic is $49,080 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 $24 an hour at a full-time schedule.
Set up, operate, or tend drilling machines to drill, bore, ream, mill, or countersink metal or plastic work pieces..
Most earn between $36,300 and $68,410 a year. There are roughly 4.7K people employed as drilling and boring machine tool 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 Drilling and Boring Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic.
- Hourly
- $23.60
- Daily
- $189
- Weekly
- $944
- Bi-weekly
- $1,888
- Monthly
- $4,090
- Annual
- $49,080
$49,080 a year is around the 50th percentile for Drilling and Boring Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastics. The median is $49,080.
Highest-paying states
Median annual wage by state.
- 1Virginia$90,390
- 2Massachusetts$77,780
- 3Idaho$69,590
- 4Florida$66,340
- 5Michigan$60,410
- 6New Hampshire$59,800
- 7Illinois$56,720
- 8New York$55,310
- 9Oklahoma$55,230
- 10Alabama$53,110
- 11South Carolina$52,040
- 12Kentucky$51,740
Top-paying metro areas
Median annual wage by metro area.
- 1Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH$79,120
- 2Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI$63,320
- 3Tulsa, OK$58,210
- 4Peoria, IL$56,840
- 5Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN$52,260
- 6Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN$51,740
- 7Cleveland, OH$51,670
- 8San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$50,920
- 9New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ$50,810
- 10Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA$49,080
- 11Elkhart-Goshen, IN$48,480
- 12Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ$48,140
Related job titles
Employers advertise Drilling and Boring Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic roles under these titles.
- Automatic Driller and Reamer
- Automatic Drilling Machine Operator
- Barrel Driller
- Billet Driller
- Bore Mill Operator
- Borematic Machine Operator
- Borematic Operator
- Boring Machine Setup Operator
- Boring Mill Setup Operator
- Chamfering Machine Operator
- Choke Reamer
- Collet Driller
- Countersinker
- Dice Maker
- Directional Bore Operator
- Drill Press Operator
Related occupations
- Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$52,800
- Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$50,620
- Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing$43,380
- Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$46,330
- Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$46,550
- Tool Grinders, Filers, and Sharpeners$50,060
- Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$47,180
- Tool and Die Makers$64,050
What a Drilling and Boring Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic does
- Verify conformance of machined work to specifications, using measuring instruments, such as calipers, micrometers, or fixed or telescoping gauges.
- Study machining instructions, job orders, or blueprints to determine dimensional or finish specifications, sequences of operations, setups, or tooling requirements.
- Move machine controls to lower tools to workpieces and to engage automatic feeds.
- Verify that workpiece reference lines are parallel to the axis of table rotation, using dial indicators mounted in spindles.
- Establish zero reference points on workpieces, such as at the intersections of two edges or over hole locations.
- Change worn cutting tools, using wrenches.
- Select and set cutting speeds, feed rates, depths of cuts, and cutting tools, according to machining instructions or knowledge of metal properties.
- Lift workpieces onto work tables either manually or with hoists or direct crane operators to lift and position workpieces.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a Drilling and Boring Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic make?
- The median annual wage for Drilling and Boring Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic is $49,080 ($24 per hour). Pay ranges from about $36,300 at the 10th percentile to $68,410 at the 90th percentile.
- What is the average salary for a Drilling and Boring Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic?
- The average (mean) annual salary is $51,810, which is higher than the median because a small number of high earners pull the average up.
- Which state pays Drilling and Boring Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastics the most?
- Virginia has the highest median annual wage for this occupation at $90,390.
- Is Drilling and Boring Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic a growing occupation?
- BLS employment data for May 2025 counts about 4.7K people in this occupation. Projected growth is published separately in the BLS Employment Projections program.
- What does a Drilling and Boring Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic do?
- Verify conformance of machined work to specifications, using measuring instruments, such as calipers, micrometers, or fixed or telescoping gauges.; Study machining instructions, job orders, or blueprints to determine dimensional or finish specifications, sequences of operations, setups, or tooling requirements.; Move machine controls to lower tools to workpieces and to engage automatic feeds..