Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic Salary
Production Occupations · 17K employed in the U.S.
Median annual
$50,620
Median hourly
$24
Average annual
$52,490
Typical range
$36,670–$69,700
Pay distribution
10th to 90th percentile, with the median marked.
What this role pays
The median annual salary for Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic is $50,620 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 lathe and turning machines to turn, bore, thread, form, or face metal or plastic materials, such as wire, rod, or bar stock..
Most earn between $36,670 and $69,700 a year. There are roughly 17K people employed as lathe and turning 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 Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic.
- Hourly
- $24.34
- Daily
- $195
- Weekly
- $973
- Bi-weekly
- $1,947
- Monthly
- $4,218
- Annual
- $50,620
$50,620 a year is around the 50th percentile for Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastics. The median is $50,620.
Highest-paying states
Median annual wage by state.
- 1Colorado$71,670
- 2Maine$64,800
- 3Minnesota$61,000
- 4Massachusetts$60,870
- 5California$60,180
- 6Alabama$58,490
- 7Nevada$58,240
- 8Pennsylvania$57,020
- 9Arizona$55,840
- 10Illinois$54,930
- 11Maryland$54,860
- 12North Carolina$53,840
Top-paying metro areas
Median annual wage by metro area.
- 1San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$74,420
- 2Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT$66,980
- 3Pittsburgh, PA$66,500
- 4Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI$64,950
- 5Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO$64,790
- 6Spartanburg, SC$61,940
- 7Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH$61,890
- 8San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA$61,050
- 9Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA$60,190
- 10Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA$60,110
- 11Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT$59,740
- 12Springfield, MA$59,030
Related job titles
Employers advertise Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic roles under these titles.
Related occupations
- Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$52,800
- Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$47,180
- Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing$43,380
- Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$46,550
- Tool Grinders, Filers, and Sharpeners$50,060
- Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$46,330
- Drilling and Boring Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$49,080
- Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$46,570
What a Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic does
- Adjust machine controls and change tool settings to keep dimensions within specified tolerances.
- Move controls to set cutting speeds and depths and feed rates, and to position tools in relation to workpieces.
- Study blueprints, layouts or charts, and job orders for information on specifications and tooling instructions, and to determine material requirements and operational sequences.
- Inspect sample workpieces to verify conformance with specifications, using instruments such as gauges, micrometers, and dial indicators.
- Move toolholders manually or by turning handwheels, or engage automatic feeding mechanisms to feed tools to and along workpieces.
- Compute unspecified dimensions and machine settings, using knowledge of metal properties and shop mathematics.
- Crank machines through cycles, stopping to adjust tool positions and machine controls to ensure specified timing, clearances, and tolerances.
- Position, secure, and align cutting tools in toolholders on machines, using hand tools, and verify their positions with measuring instruments.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic make?
- The median annual wage for Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic is $50,620 ($24 per hour). Pay ranges from about $36,670 at the 10th percentile to $69,700 at the 90th percentile.
- What is the average salary for a Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic?
- The average (mean) annual salary is $52,490, which is higher than the median because a small number of high earners pull the average up.
- Which state pays Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastics the most?
- Colorado has the highest median annual wage for this occupation at $71,670.
- Is Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic a growing occupation?
- BLS employment data for May 2025 counts about 17K people in this occupation. Projected growth is published separately in the BLS Employment Projections program.
- What does a Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic do?
- Adjust machine controls and change tool settings to keep dimensions within specified tolerances.; Move controls to set cutting speeds and depths and feed rates, and to position tools in relation to workpieces.; Study blueprints, layouts or charts, and job orders for information on specifications and tooling instructions, and to determine material requirements and operational sequences..