Production Occupations
BLS May 2025 wages Peer-group outlier SOC 51-9041

Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders

Median pay sits 39% below the mid peer in Production Occupations (neighbors include Power Distributors and Dispatchers, Model Makers, Metal and Plastic, Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers, First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers).

Full salary details → About this data

Same-major-group titles next to Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders: Power Distributors and Dispatchers ($107K) , Model Makers, Metal and Plastic ($63K) , Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers ($97K) , First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers ($74K) . Hash-ordered per card so residual SOC siblings do not share an identical peer sentence.

What Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders publish as work

O*NET task statements for SOC 51-9041 - occupation-level descriptions, not every employer's posting. Sibling cards diverge here because the task set is entity-keyed.

  1. 1. Adjust machine components to regulate speeds, pressures, and temperatures, and amounts, dimensions, and flow of materials or ingredients
  2. 2. Press control buttons to activate machinery and equipment
  3. 3. Examine, measure, and weigh materials or products to verify conformance to standards, using measuring devices such as templates, micromet…
  4. 4. Activate machines to shape or form products, such as candy bars, light bulbs, balloons, or insulation panels
  5. 5. Monitor machine operations and observe lights and gauges to detect malfunctions
  6. 6. Clear jams, and remove defective or substandard materials or products
  7. 7. Notify supervisors when extruded filaments fail to meet standards
  8. 8. Record and maintain production data, such as meter readings, and quantities, types, and dimensions of materials produced
  9. 9. Select and install machine components, such as dies, molds, and cutters, according to specifications, using hand tools and measuring devices
  10. 10. Review work orders, specifications, or instructions to determine materials, ingredients, procedures, components, settings, and adjustment…
  11. 11. Turn controls to adjust machine functions, such as regulating air pressure, creating vacuums, and adjusting coolant flow
  12. 12. Clean dies, arbors, compression chambers, and molds, using swabs, sponges, or air hoses

Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders: O*NET ranks Operations Monitoring first

Importance-ranked O*NET profile for SOC 51-9041 - 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 3.8
  3. 3. Monitoring 3.4
  4. 4. Speaking 3.1
  5. 5. Reading Comprehension 3.0
  6. 6. Active Listening 3.0
  7. 7. Critical Thinking 3.0
  8. 8. Troubleshooting 3.0

Knowledge areas

  1. 1. Production and Processing 3.7
  2. 2. Mechanical 3.5
  3. 3. Computers and Electronics 3.1
  4. 4. Mathematics 2.9
  5. 5. Engineering and Technology 2.9
  6. 6. Food Production 2.8
Pay vs Production Occupations peers
-39%
vs mid peer median $74,450
This role $45,760/yr
$46K
National median
↑ +2%
Growth 2024-2034
5,200
Annual openings
58,770
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 Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders

1. Iowa $49,340
2. Vermont $52,340
3. Minnesota $52,070
4. West Virginia $50,690
5. South Carolina $51,620
6. Maine $57,990
7. Colorado $49,100
8. Virginia $49,390
9. Nevada $50,050
10. Pennsylvania $53,580

Other Production Occupations titles

  1. 1. Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers $96,710
  2. 2. First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers $74,450
  3. 3. Model Makers, Metal and Plastic $63,340
  4. 4. Tool and Die Makers $64,050
  5. 5. Power Distributors and Dispatchers $106,730
  6. 6. Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators $78,620

Among Production Occupations peers on this card, Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders sits 39% below the mid peer median ($74,450). Its own median is $45,760.

Employment Projections expect +2% change between 2024 and 2034 (about as fast as average vs baseline 3.1%). About 5,200 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: Iowa at $49,340. 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.

Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders pay-rank #66 in Production Occupations

Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders sits at pay-rank #66 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 51-9041 · national median $45,760 · middle third of Production Occupations (#66/105). Open the full OEWS map or a named state before treating the card median as a local ask.

Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders salary map

State, metro, and percentile for SOC 51-9041

Iowa · top state for Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders

$49K published median

Vermont · #2 state pay

$52K · behind Iowa

Power Distributors and Dispatchers

Highest-pay peer vs Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders · $107K

Model Makers, Metal and Plastic

Lower-pay peer beside Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders · $63K

Compare Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders

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

Peer-comparison next reads

Compare Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders

Against another occupation

Power Distributors and Dispatchers card

Top peer in this major group

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders mid-table among Production Occupations? ▼
Yes: pay-rank #66 of 105 detailed Production Occupations, the middle third. Mid-table neighbors: Printing Press Operators ($46K), Electrical, Electronic, and Electromechanical Assemblers, Except Coil Winders, Tapers, and Finishers ($46K), Metal Workers and Plastic Workers, All Other ($46K), Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic ($46K). ROW_NUMBER on median; title breaks ties.
What do extruding, forming, pressing, and compacting machine setters, operators, and tenders do day to day? ▼
O*NET lists published task statements for Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders. Leading ones include: Adjust machine components to regulate speeds, pressures, and temperatures, and amounts, dimensions, and flow of materials or ingredients; Press control buttons to activate machinery and equipment; Examine, measure, and weigh materials or products to verify conformance to standards, using measuring devices such as templates, micromet…; Activate machines to shape or form products, such as candy bars, light bulbs, balloons, or insulation panels. These are occupation-level task descriptions, not every employer's job description.
Which O*NET skills rank highest for extruding, forming, pressing, and compacting machine setters, operators, and tenders? ▼
For SOC 51-9041, O*NET importance scores lead with Operations Monitoring (3.8), Operation and Control (3.8), Monitoring (3.4), Speaking (3.1). Knowledge areas emphasize Production and Processing, Mechanical, Computers and Electronics. These are occupation-level profiles, not a hiring checklist for every employer.
What is the OEWS national median for Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders? ▼
May 2025 OEWS reports $45,760 as the national median for Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders. The published 10th-90th range is $34,630 to $63,450. 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 Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders? ▼
The 2024-2034 projection for Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders is +2%. Projected annual openings: about 5,200. Relative to the current all-occupations baseline of 3.1%: about as fast as average.
What typical entry education does BLS assign to Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders? ▼
BLS assigns High school diploma or equivalent as the typical-education-needed-for-entry category for Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting 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 Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders? ▼
Iowa ($49,340), Vermont ($52,340), Minnesota ($52,070) 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, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders card
  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS / OES) - national median and percentiles for SOC 51-9041. bls.gov/oes
  • O*NET OnLine - task and skill statements for Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting 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