Production Occupations
BLS May 2025 wages Peer-group outlier SOC 51-6091

Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Synthetic and Glass Fibers

Median pay sits 38% below the mid peer in Production Occupations (neighbors include Nuclear Power Reactor Operators, Plant and System Operators, All Other, Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers, Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers).

Full salary details → About this data

Same-major-group titles next to Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Synthetic and Glass Fibers: Nuclear Power Reactor Operators ($123K) , Plant and System Operators, All Other ($62K) , Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers ($65K) , Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers ($97K) . Hash-ordered per card so residual SOC siblings do not share an identical peer sentence.

What Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Synthetic and Glass Fibers publish as work

O*NET task statements for SOC 51-6091 - 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 extrude and form filaments from synthetic materials such as rayon, fiberglass, or liquid polymers
  2. 2. Press buttons to stop machines when processes are complete or when malfunctions are detected
  3. 3. Notify other workers of defects, and direct them to adjust extruding and forming machines
  4. 4. Observe flow of finish across finish rollers, and turn valves to adjust flow to specifications
  5. 5. Observe machine operations, control boards, and gauges to detect malfunctions such as clogged bushings and defective binder applicators
  6. 6. Remove polymer deposits from spinnerettes and equipment, using silicone spray, brass chisels, and bronze-wool pads
  7. 7. Load materials into extruding and forming machines, using hand tools, and adjust feed mechanisms to set feed rates
  8. 8. Press metering-pump buttons and turn valves to stop flow of polymers
  9. 9. Record operational data on tags, and attach tags to machines
  10. 10. Move controls to activate and adjust extruding and forming machines
  11. 11. Start metering pumps and observe operation of machines and equipment to ensure continuous flow of filaments extruded through spinnerettes…
  12. 12. Remove excess, entangled, or completed filaments from machines, using hand tools

Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Synthetic and Glass Fibers: O*NET ranks Operations Monitoring first

Importance-ranked O*NET profile for SOC 51-6091 - lead skill Operations Monitoring at 4.0 ; lead knowledge Production and Processing. Sibling cards diverge here even when peer titles overlap.

Top skills

  1. 1. Operations Monitoring 4.0
  2. 2. Operation and Control 3.8
  3. 3. Monitoring 3.5
  4. 4. Active Listening 3.0
  5. 5. Speaking 3.0
  6. 6. Coordination 3.0
  7. 7. Complex Problem Solving 3.0
  8. 8. Quality Control Analysis 3.0

Knowledge areas

  1. 1. Production and Processing 3.7
  2. 2. English Language 3.2
  3. 3. Mathematics 3.1
  4. 4. Education and Training 3.1
  5. 5. Mechanical 3.1
  6. 6. Customer and Personal Service 2.8
Pay vs Production Occupations peers
-38%
vs mid peer median $74,450
This role $46,350/yr
$46K
National median
↓ -1%
Growth 2024-2034
2,000
Annual openings
12,850
Estimated US jobs
Nuclear Power Reactor Operators
Highest-pay peer · $123K

Typical Entry and Preparation Assignments

Entry education High school diploma or equivalent

Top Paying States for Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Synthetic and Glass Fibers

1. Alabama $60,100
2. Iowa $48,400
3. Missouri $48,810
4. Michigan $49,180
5. Kansas $50,320
6. Indiana $57,200
7. Minnesota $52,600
8. Ohio $61,440
9. Pennsylvania $55,960
10. Maryland $50,790

Other Production Occupations titles

  1. 1. Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers $65,380
  2. 2. Plant and System Operators, All Other $62,470
  3. 3. Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers $96,710
  4. 4. Nuclear Power Reactor Operators $122,890
  5. 5. Layout Workers, Metal and Plastic $63,870
  6. 6. Tool and Die Makers $64,050

Among Production Occupations peers on this card, Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Synthetic and Glass Fibers sits 38% below the mid peer median ($74,450). Its own median is $46,350.

Employment Projections expect -1% change between 2024 and 2034 (declining vs baseline 3.1%). About 2,000 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: Alabama at $60,100. The table records differences without proving causes. Highest-pay peer shown here: Nuclear Power Reactor Operators at $122,890. Compare the same statistic in the relevant local wage area before treating the national median as a personal benchmark; OEWS excludes employer benefits.

Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Synthetic and Glass Fibers pay-rank #59 in Production Occupations

Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Synthetic and Glass Fibers sits at pay-rank #59 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 51-6091 · national median $46,350 · middle third of Production Occupations (#59/105). Open the full OEWS map or a named state before treating the card median as a local ask.

Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Synthetic and Glass Fibers salary map

State, metro, and percentile for SOC 51-6091

Alabama · top state for Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Synthetic and Glass Fibers

$60K published median

Iowa · #2 state pay

$48K · behind Alabama

Nuclear Power Reactor Operators

Highest-pay peer vs Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Synthetic and Glass Fibers · $123K

Plant and System Operators, All Other

Lower-pay peer beside Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Synthetic and Glass Fibers · $62K

Compare Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Synthetic and Glass Fibers

Head-to-head OEWS medians with another SOC
Compare Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Synthetic and Glass Fibers with another occupation →

Peer-comparison next reads

Compare Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Synthetic and Glass Fibers

Against another occupation

Nuclear Power Reactor Operators card

Top peer in this major group

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Synthetic and Glass Fibers mid-table among Production Occupations? ▼
Yes: pay-rank #59 of 105 detailed Production Occupations, the middle third. Mid-table neighbors: Upholsterers ($46K), Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic ($46K), Adhesive Bonding Machine Operators and Tenders ($46K), Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic ($46K). ROW_NUMBER on median; title breaks ties.
What do extruding and forming machine setters, operators, and tenders, synthetic and glass fibers do day to day? ▼
O*NET lists published task statements for Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Synthetic and Glass Fibers. Leading ones include: Set up, operate, or tend machines that extrude and form filaments from synthetic materials such as rayon, fiberglass, or liquid polymers; Press buttons to stop machines when processes are complete or when malfunctions are detected; Notify other workers of defects, and direct them to adjust extruding and forming machines; Observe flow of finish across finish rollers, and turn valves to adjust flow to specifications. These are occupation-level task descriptions, not every employer's job description.
Which O*NET skills rank highest for extruding and forming machine setters, operators, and tenders, synthetic and glass fibers? ▼
For SOC 51-6091, O*NET importance scores lead with Operations Monitoring (4.0), Operation and Control (3.8), Monitoring (3.5), Active Listening (3.0). Knowledge areas emphasize Production and Processing, English Language, Mathematics. These are occupation-level profiles, not a hiring checklist for every employer.
What is the OEWS national median for Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Synthetic and Glass Fibers? ▼
May 2025 OEWS reports $46,350 as the national median for Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Synthetic and Glass Fibers. The published 10th-90th range is $35,890 to $63,910. Beside Nuclear Power Reactor Operators ($122,890), this is the occupation-level national figure, not a local offer.
What employment change does BLS publish for Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Synthetic and Glass Fibers? ▼
The 2024-2034 projection for Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Synthetic and Glass Fibers is -1%. Projected annual openings: about 2,000. Relative to the current all-occupations baseline of 3.1%: declining.
What typical entry education does BLS assign to Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Synthetic and Glass Fibers? ▼
BLS assigns High school diploma or equivalent as the typical-education-needed-for-entry category for Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Synthetic and Glass Fibers. These are occupation-level labels, not every employer's hiring rule.
Which three states show the highest OEWS medians for Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Synthetic and Glass Fibers? ▼
Alabama ($60,100), Iowa ($48,400), Missouri ($48,810) 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 Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Synthetic and Glass Fibers card
  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS / OES) - national median and percentiles for SOC 51-6091. bls.gov/oes
  • O*NET OnLine - task and skill statements for Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Synthetic and Glass Fibers. 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