Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic Salary
Production Occupations · 125K employed in the U.S.
Median annual
$47,180
Median hourly
$23
Average annual
$50,030
Typical range
$35,780–$74,450
Pay distribution
10th to 90th percentile, with the median marked.
What this role pays
The median annual salary for Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic is $47,180 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 $23 an hour at a full-time schedule.
Set up, operate, or tend more than one type of cutting or forming machine tool or robot..
Most earn between $35,780 and $74,450 a year. There are roughly 125K people employed as multiple 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 Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic.
- Hourly
- $22.68
- Daily
- $181
- Weekly
- $907
- Bi-weekly
- $1,815
- Monthly
- $3,932
- Annual
- $47,180
$47,180 a year is around the 50th percentile for Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastics. The median is $47,180.
Highest-paying states
Median annual wage by state.
- 1West Virginia$76,080
- 2Kentucky$54,960
- 3Missouri$53,160
- 4Maryland$51,780
- 5Nebraska$50,960
- 6Virginia$50,600
- 7Washington$50,540
- 8Vermont$50,450
- 9Idaho$50,410
- 10New York$49,890
- 11North Dakota$49,190
- 12Texas$49,050
Top-paying metro areas
Median annual wage by metro area.
- 1Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX$80,110
- 2Charleston, WV$71,470
- 3Saginaw, MI$65,610
- 4Oshkosh-Neenah, WI$63,060
- 5Athens-Clarke County, GA$62,600
- 6St. Louis, MO-IL$62,090
- 7Ann Arbor, MI$61,320
- 8Rochester, NY$55,700
- 9Roanoke, VA$55,300
- 10Sioux City, IA-NE-SD$54,980
- 11Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR$54,390
- 12Terre Haute, IN$54,050
Related job titles
Employers advertise Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic roles under these titles.
- Automatic Wheel-Line Operator
- Ballistics Laboratory Gunsmith
- Cell Technician
- Centrifugal Control Switch Machine Operator
- Clock Machine Setter
- Combination Machine Tool Operator
- Combination Machine Tool Setter
- Electrode Turner and Finisher
- Fabrication Set-Up Person
- Gear Cutting Machine Set-Up Operator
- Gear Cutting Machine Setup Operator
- Gear Hobber Set-Up Operator
- Gear Hobber Setup Operator
- Gear Milling Machine Set-Up Operator
- Gear Shaper Set-Up Operator
- Gear Shaver Set-Up Operator
Related occupations
- Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$50,620
- Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$52,800
- Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$46,550
- Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$46,330
- Tool Grinders, Filers, and Sharpeners$50,060
- Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing$43,380
- Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$46,570
- Industrial Machinery Mechanics$64,520
What a Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic does
- Inspect workpieces for defects, and measure workpieces to determine accuracy of machine operation, using rules, templates, or other measuring instruments.
- Position, adjust, and secure stock material or workpieces against stops, on arbors, or in chucks, fixtures, or automatic feeding mechanisms, manually or using hoists.
- Read blueprints or job orders to determine product specifications and tooling instructions and to plan operational sequences.
- Select, install, and adjust alignment of drills, cutters, dies, guides, and holding devices, using templates, measuring instruments, and hand tools.
- Observe machine operation to detect workpiece defects or machine malfunctions, adjusting machines as necessary.
- Set up and operate machines, such as lathes, cutters, shears, borers, millers, grinders, presses, drills, or auxiliary machines, to make metallic and plastic workpieces.
- Change worn machine accessories, such as cutting tools or brushes, using hand tools.
- Set machine stops or guides to specified lengths as indicated by scales, rules, or templates.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic make?
- The median annual wage for Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic is $47,180 ($23 per hour). Pay ranges from about $35,780 at the 10th percentile to $74,450 at the 90th percentile.
- What is the average salary for a Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic?
- The average (mean) annual salary is $50,030, which is higher than the median because a small number of high earners pull the average up.
- Which state pays Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastics the most?
- West Virginia has the highest median annual wage for this occupation at $76,080.
- Is Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic a growing occupation?
- BLS employment data for May 2025 counts about 125K people in this occupation. Projected growth is published separately in the BLS Employment Projections program.
- What does a Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic do?
- Inspect workpieces for defects, and measure workpieces to determine accuracy of machine operation, using rules, templates, or other measuring instruments.; Position, adjust, and secure stock material or workpieces against stops, on arbors, or in chucks, fixtures, or automatic feeding mechanisms, manually or using hoists.; Read blueprints or job orders to determine product specifications and tooling instructions and to plan operational sequences..