Production Occupations
BLS May 2025 wages Peer-group outlier SOC 51-9032

Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders

Median pay sits 37% below the mid peer in Production Occupations (neighbors include Power Distributors and Dispatchers, Plant and System Operators, All Other, Power Plant Operators, Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Programmers).

Full salary details → About this data

Same-major-group titles next to Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders: Power Distributors and Dispatchers ($107K) , Plant and System Operators, All Other ($62K) , Power Plant Operators ($102K) , Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Programmers ($68K) . Hash-ordered per card so residual SOC siblings do not share an identical peer sentence.

What Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders publish as work

O*NET task statements for SOC 51-9032 - occupation-level descriptions, not every employer's posting. Sibling cards diverge here because the task set is entity-keyed.

  1. 1. Set up, operate, or tend machines that cut or slice materials, such as glass, stone, cork, rubber, tobacco, food, paper, or insulating ma…
  2. 2. Review work orders, blueprints, specifications, or job samples to determine components, settings, and adjustments for cutting and slicing…
  3. 3. Examine, measure, and weigh materials or products to verify conformance to specifications, using measuring devices, such as rulers, micro…
  4. 4. Press buttons, pull levers, or depress pedals to start and operate cutting and slicing machines
  5. 5. Start machines to verify setups, and make any necessary adjustments
  6. 6. Feed stock into cutting machines, onto conveyors, or under cutting blades, by threading, guiding, pushing, or turning handwheels
  7. 7. Mark cutting lines or identifying information on stock, using marking pencils, rulers, or scribes
  8. 8. Monitor operation of cutting or slicing machines to detect malfunctions or to determine whether supplies need replenishment
  9. 9. Stack and sort cut material for packaging, further processing, or shipping, according to types and sizes of material
  10. 10. Adjust machine controls to alter position, alignment, speed, or pressure
  11. 11. Remove completed materials or products from cutting or slicing machines, and stack or store them for additional processing
  12. 12. Maintain production records, such as quantities, types, and dimensions of materials produced

Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders: O*NET ranks Operations Monitoring first

Importance-ranked O*NET profile for SOC 51-9032 - lead skill Operations Monitoring at 3.8 ; lead knowledge Production and Processing. Sibling cards diverge here even when peer titles overlap.

Top skills

  1. 1. Operations Monitoring 3.8
  2. 2. Operation and Control 3.6
  3. 3. Quality Control Analysis 3.5
  4. 4. Monitoring 3.3
  5. 5. Reading Comprehension 3.1
  6. 6. Critical Thinking 3.0
  7. 7. Coordination 3.0
  8. 8. Equipment Maintenance 3.0

Knowledge areas

  1. 1. Production and Processing 3.5
  2. 2. Mathematics 3.2
  3. 3. Mechanical 3.1
  4. 4. English Language 2.7
  5. 5. Administration and Management 2.7
  6. 6. Education and Training 2.6
Pay vs Production Occupations peers
-37%
vs mid peer median $74,450
This role $46,570/yr
$47K
National median
↓ -2%
Growth 2024-2034
5,300
Annual openings
44,980
Estimated US jobs
Power Distributors and Dispatchers
Highest-pay peer · $107K

Typical Entry and Preparation Assignments

Entry education High school diploma or equivalent

Top Paying States for Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders

1. Minnesota $58,260
2. Illinois $49,740
3. Washington $50,430
4. Colorado $51,750
5. Oregon $51,180
6. New York $49,680
7. Vermont $52,220
8. New Hampshire $50,290
9. Montana $51,540
10. Missouri $50,930

Other Production Occupations titles

  1. 1. Power Plant Operators $102,040
  2. 2. Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Programmers $68,120
  3. 3. Plant and System Operators, All Other $62,470
  4. 4. Model Makers, Metal and Plastic $63,340
  5. 5. Timing Device Assemblers and Adjusters $62,620
  6. 6. Power Distributors and Dispatchers $106,730

Among Production Occupations peers on this card, Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders sits 37% below the mid peer median ($74,450). Its own median is $46,570.

Employment Projections expect -2% change between 2024 and 2034 (declining vs baseline 3.1%). About 5,300 annual openings are projected. BLS assigns High school diploma or equivalent as typical education needed for entry. These are occupation-level assignments, not universal requirements. BLS does not publish a separate occupation-specific safety rate for this role; its broad SOC-group rate is excluded from this career card's grade.

Highest published state median in this ranking: Minnesota at $58,260. The table records differences without proving causes. Highest-pay peer shown here: Power Distributors and Dispatchers at $106,730. Compare the same statistic in the relevant local wage area before treating the national median as a personal benchmark; OEWS excludes employer benefits.

Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders pay-rank #56 in Production Occupations

Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders sits at pay-rank #56 of 105 detailed Production Occupations, the middle third of the major-group median table. ROW_NUMBER on median; title breaks ties.

Other mid-table titles · closest medians

Full Salary Details Compare this role

Data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025. Projections from BLS Employment Projections program, 2024-2034.

SOC 51-9032 · national median $46,570 · middle third of Production Occupations (#56/105). Open the full OEWS map or a named state before treating the card median as a local ask.

Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders salary map

State, metro, and percentile for SOC 51-9032

Minnesota · top state for Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders

$58K published median

Illinois · #2 state pay

$50K · behind Minnesota

Power Distributors and Dispatchers

Highest-pay peer vs Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders · $107K

Plant and System Operators, All Other

Lower-pay peer beside Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders · $62K

Compare Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders

Head-to-head OEWS medians with another SOC
Compare Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders with another occupation →

Peer-comparison next reads

Compare Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders

Against another occupation

Power Distributors and Dispatchers card

Top peer in this major group

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders mid-table among Production Occupations? ▼
Yes: pay-rank #56 of 105 detailed Production Occupations, the middle third. Mid-table neighbors: Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic ($47K), Adhesive Bonding Machine Operators and Tenders ($46K), Cabinetmakers and Bench Carpenters ($47K), Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Synthetic and Glass Fibers ($46K). ROW_NUMBER on median; title breaks ties.
What do cutting and slicing machine setters, operators, and tenders do day to day? ▼
O*NET lists published task statements for Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders. Leading ones include: Set up, operate, or tend machines that cut or slice materials, such as glass, stone, cork, rubber, tobacco, food, paper, or insulating ma…; Review work orders, blueprints, specifications, or job samples to determine components, settings, and adjustments for cutting and slicing…; Examine, measure, and weigh materials or products to verify conformance to specifications, using measuring devices, such as rulers, micro…; Press buttons, pull levers, or depress pedals to start and operate cutting and slicing machines. These are occupation-level task descriptions, not every employer's job description.
Which O*NET skills rank highest for cutting and slicing machine setters, operators, and tenders? ▼
For SOC 51-9032, O*NET importance scores lead with Operations Monitoring (3.8), Operation and Control (3.6), Quality Control Analysis (3.5), Monitoring (3.3). Knowledge areas emphasize Production and Processing, Mathematics, Mechanical. These are occupation-level profiles, not a hiring checklist for every employer.
What is the OEWS national median for Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders? ▼
May 2025 OEWS reports $46,570 as the national median for Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders. The published 10th-90th range is $35,930 to $61,120. Beside Power Distributors and Dispatchers ($106,730), this is the occupation-level national figure, not a local offer.
What employment change does BLS publish for Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders? ▼
The 2024-2034 projection for Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders is -2%. Projected annual openings: about 5,300. Relative to the current all-occupations baseline of 3.1%: declining.
What typical entry education does BLS assign to Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders? ▼
BLS assigns High school diploma or equivalent as the typical-education-needed-for-entry category for Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders. These are occupation-level labels, not every employer's hiring rule.
Which three states show the highest OEWS medians for Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders? ▼
Minnesota ($58,260), Illinois ($49,740), Washington ($50,430) lead this ranking. The table does not identify why those state estimates differ.

Source data and WageDex calculations are identified in context on this page. Wage and state figures use BLS OEWS May 2025; growth and education use BLS Employment Projections for 2024-2034; safety fields cite BLS CFOI/SOII; task statements cite O*NET where shown. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.

Disclaimer: Wage and outlook figures on this page are provided for informational purposes only and do not constitute career, financial, or salary-negotiation advice. Actual pay varies by employer, experience, and local conditions; consult a career counselor or the hiring employer for guidance specific to your situation.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OES Occupational wage estimates by area and industry · 2025

Federal sources on this Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders card
  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS / OES) - national median and percentiles for SOC 51-9032. bls.gov/oes
  • O*NET OnLine - task and skill statements for Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders. onetcenter.org
  • BLS Employment Projections - 2024-2034 change and openings for this occupation. bls.gov/emp
  • U.S. Census Bureau ACS - demographic and labor-force context for state and metro geography. census.gov/programs-surveys/acs
  • IRS Statistics of Income (SOI) - payroll-tax aggregate context for wage comparisons. irs.gov/statistics