Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic Salary
Production Occupations · 25K employed in the U.S.
Median annual
$50,140
Median hourly
$24
Average annual
$53,220
Typical range
$37,690–$70,310
Pay distribution
10th to 90th percentile, with the median marked.
What this role pays
The median annual salary for Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic is $50,140 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 machines to roll steel or plastic forming bends, beads, knurls, rolls, or plate, or to flatten, temper, or reduce gauge of material..
Most earn between $37,690 and $70,310 a year. There are roughly 25K people employed as rolling 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 Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic.
- Hourly
- $24.11
- Daily
- $193
- Weekly
- $964
- Bi-weekly
- $1,928
- Monthly
- $4,178
- Annual
- $50,140
$50,140 a year is around the 50th percentile for Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastics. The median is $50,140.
Highest-paying states
Median annual wage by state.
- 1Iowa$72,670
- 2Pennsylvania$66,970
- 3Vermont$66,240
- 4Washington$63,560
- 5Maryland$61,470
- 6New York$60,890
- 7Minnesota$60,620
- 8Connecticut$60,610
- 9New Hampshire$60,570
- 10Colorado$57,500
- 11Illinois$54,180
- 12Alabama$53,380
Top-paying metro areas
Median annual wage by metro area.
- 1Decatur, AL$114,470
- 2Reading, PA$70,310
- 3Pittsburgh, PA$69,150
- 4Jackson, TN$63,900
- 5New Haven, CT$63,210
- 6Jacksonville, FL$62,620
- 7Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD$61,090
- 8Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY$59,970
- 9Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI$59,660
- 10Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD$59,310
- 11Knoxville, TN$58,680
- 12Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO$57,500
Related job titles
Employers advertise Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic roles under these titles.
Related occupations
- Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$46,570
- Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$46,330
- Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$50,620
- 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
- Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing$43,380
- Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$47,180
- Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand$42,660
What a Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic does
- Monitor machine cycles and mill operation to detect jamming and to ensure that products conform to specifications.
- Adjust and correct machine set-ups to reduce thicknesses, reshape products, and eliminate product defects.
- Start operation of rolling and milling machines to flatten, temper, form, and reduce sheet metal sections and to produce steel strips.
- Examine, inspect, and measure raw materials and finished products to verify conformance to specifications.
- Read rolling orders, blueprints, and mill schedules to determine setup specifications, work sequences, product dimensions, and installation procedures.
- Manipulate controls and observe dial indicators to monitor, adjust, and regulate speeds of machine mechanisms.
- Set distance points between rolls, guides, meters, and stops, according to specifications.
- Position, align, and secure arbors, spindles, coils, mandrels, dies, and slitting knives.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic make?
- The median annual wage for Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic is $50,140 ($24 per hour). Pay ranges from about $37,690 at the 10th percentile to $70,310 at the 90th percentile.
- What is the average salary for a Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic?
- The average (mean) annual salary is $53,220, which is higher than the median because a small number of high earners pull the average up.
- Which state pays Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastics the most?
- Iowa has the highest median annual wage for this occupation at $72,670.
- Is Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic a growing occupation?
- BLS employment data for May 2025 counts about 25K people in this occupation. Projected growth is published separately in the BLS Employment Projections program.
- What does a Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic do?
- Monitor machine cycles and mill operation to detect jamming and to ensure that products conform to specifications.; Adjust and correct machine set-ups to reduce thicknesses, reshape products, and eliminate product defects.; Start operation of rolling and milling machines to flatten, temper, form, and reduce sheet metal sections and to produce steel strips..