Production Occupations
BLS May 2025 wages Peer-group outlier SOC 51-4022

Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

Median pay sits 34% below the mid peer in Production Occupations (neighbors include Power Plant Operators, Plant and System Operators, All Other, Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators, Model Makers, Metal and Plastic).

Full salary details → About this data

Same-major-group titles next to Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic: Power Plant Operators ($102K) , Plant and System Operators, All Other ($62K) , Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators ($79K) , Model Makers, Metal and Plastic ($63K) . Hash-ordered per card so residual SOC siblings do not share an identical peer sentence.

What Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic publish as work

O*NET task statements for SOC 51-4022 - occupation-level descriptions, not every employer's posting. Sibling cards diverge here because the task set is entity-keyed.

  1. 1. Read work orders or blueprints to determine specified tolerances and sequences of operations for machine setup
  2. 2. Position and move metal wires or workpieces through a series of dies that compress and shape stock to form die impressions
  3. 3. Measure and inspect machined parts to ensure conformance to product specifications
  4. 4. Set up, operate, or tend presses and forging machines to perform hot or cold forging by flattening, straightening, bending, cutting, pier…
  5. 5. Turn handles or knobs to set pressures and depths of ram strokes and to synchronize machine operations
  6. 6. Install, adjust, and remove dies, synchronizing cams, forging hammers, and stop guides, using overhead cranes or other hoisting devices…
  7. 7. Start machines to produce sample workpieces, and observe operations to detect machine malfunctions and to verify that machine setups conf…
  8. 8. Confer with other workers about machine setups and operational specifications
  9. 9. Trim and compress finished forgings to specified tolerances
  10. 10. Remove dies from machines when production runs are finished
  11. 11. Repair, maintain, and replace parts on dies
  12. 12. Select, align, and bolt positioning fixtures, stops, and specified dies to rams and anvils, forging rolls, or presses and hammers

Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic: O*NET ranks Operations Monitoring first

Importance-ranked O*NET profile for SOC 51-4022 - lead skill Operations Monitoring at 3.3 ; lead knowledge Production and Processing. Sibling cards diverge here even when peer titles overlap.

Top skills

  1. 1. Operations Monitoring 3.3
  2. 2. Reading Comprehension 3.1
  3. 3. Active Listening 3.1
  4. 4. Monitoring 3.1
  5. 5. Operation and Control 3.1
  6. 6. Time Management 3.0
  7. 7. Speaking 2.9
  8. 8. Critical Thinking 2.9

Knowledge areas

  1. 1. Production and Processing 4.2
  2. 2. Mathematics 3.6
  3. 3. Education and Training 3.6
  4. 4. Mechanical 3.5
  5. 5. Engineering and Technology 3.2
  6. 6. Design 3.0
Pay vs Production Occupations peers
-34%
vs mid peer median $74,450
This role $49,030/yr
$49K
National median
↓ -19%
Growth 2024-2034
600
Annual openings
8,930
Estimated US jobs
Power Plant Operators
Highest-pay peer · $102K

Typical Entry and Preparation Assignments

Entry education High school diploma or equivalent

Top Paying States for Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

1. Ohio $56,870
2. Oregon $69,210
3. Missouri $55,210
4. Oklahoma $61,720
5. Nebraska $60,460
6. California $59,250
7. Colorado $57,970
8. New York $56,350
9. Wisconsin $60,310
10. Michigan $61,620

Other Production Occupations titles

  1. 1. Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators $78,620
  2. 2. Plant and System Operators, All Other $62,470
  3. 3. Model Makers, Metal and Plastic $63,340
  4. 4. Power Plant Operators $102,040
  5. 5. Layout Workers, Metal and Plastic $63,870
  6. 6. Gas Plant Operators $87,820

Among Production Occupations peers on this card, Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic sits 34% below the mid peer median ($74,450). Its own median is $49,030.

Employment Projections expect -19% change between 2024 and 2034 (declining vs baseline 3.1%). About 600 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: Ohio at $56,870. The table records differences without proving causes. Highest-pay peer shown here: Power Plant Operators at $102,040. Compare the same statistic in the relevant local wage area before treating the national median as a personal benchmark; OEWS excludes employer benefits.

Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic pay-rank #40 in Production Occupations

Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic sits at pay-rank #40 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.

Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic pays 34% below its major-group peer median. See the state map and the peers closest to (and furthest from) this line.

Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic salary map

State, metro, and percentile for SOC 51-4022

Ohio · top state for Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

$57K published median

Oregon · #2 state pay

$69K · behind Ohio

Power Plant Operators

Highest-pay peer vs Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic · $102K

Plant and System Operators, All Other

Lower-pay peer beside Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic · $62K

Compare Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

Head-to-head OEWS medians with another SOC
Compare Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic with another occupation →

Peer-comparison next reads

Compare Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

Against another occupation

Power Plant Operators card

Top peer in this major group

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic mid-table among Production Occupations? ▼
Yes: pay-rank #40 of 105 detailed Production Occupations, the middle third. Mid-table neighbors: Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders ($49K), Drilling and Boring Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic ($49K), Heat Treating Equipment Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic ($49K), Prepress Technicians and Workers ($49K). ROW_NUMBER on median; title breaks ties.
What do forging machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic do day to day? ▼
O*NET lists published task statements for Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic. Leading ones include: Read work orders or blueprints to determine specified tolerances and sequences of operations for machine setup; Position and move metal wires or workpieces through a series of dies that compress and shape stock to form die impressions; Measure and inspect machined parts to ensure conformance to product specifications; Set up, operate, or tend presses and forging machines to perform hot or cold forging by flattening, straightening, bending, cutting, pier…. These are occupation-level task descriptions, not every employer's job description.
Which O*NET skills rank highest for forging machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic? ▼
For SOC 51-4022, O*NET importance scores lead with Operations Monitoring (3.3), Reading Comprehension (3.1), Active Listening (3.1), Monitoring (3.1). Knowledge areas emphasize Production and Processing, Mathematics, Education and Training. These are occupation-level profiles, not a hiring checklist for every employer.
What is the OEWS national median for Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic? ▼
May 2025 OEWS reports $49,030 as the national median for Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic. The published 10th-90th range is $36,800 to $68,720. Beside Power Plant Operators ($102,040), this is the occupation-level national figure, not a local offer.
What employment change does BLS publish for Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic? ▼
The 2024-2034 projection for Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic is -19%. Projected annual openings: about 600. Relative to the current all-occupations baseline of 3.1%: declining.
What typical entry education does BLS assign to Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic? ▼
BLS assigns High school diploma or equivalent as the typical-education-needed-for-entry category for Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic. These are occupation-level labels, not every employer's hiring rule.
Which three states show the highest OEWS medians for Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic? ▼
Ohio ($56,870), Oregon ($69,210), Missouri ($55,210) 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 Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic card
  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS / OES) - national median and percentiles for SOC 51-4022. bls.gov/oes
  • O*NET OnLine - task and skill statements for Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic. 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