Production Occupations
BLS May 2025 wages Peer-group outlier SOC 51-4034

Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

Median pay sits 32% below the mid peer in Production Occupations (neighbors include Power Distributors and Dispatchers, Model Makers, Metal and Plastic, Chemical Plant and System Operators, Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers).

Full salary details → About this data

Same-major-group titles next to Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic: Power Distributors and Dispatchers ($107K) , Model Makers, Metal and Plastic ($63K) , Chemical Plant and System Operators ($78K) , Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers ($65K) . Hash-ordered per card so residual SOC siblings do not share an identical peer sentence.

What Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic publish as work

O*NET task statements for SOC 51-4034 - occupation-level descriptions, not every employer's posting. Sibling cards diverge here because the task set is entity-keyed.

  1. 1. Adjust machine controls and change tool settings to keep dimensions within specified tolerances
  2. 2. Move controls to set cutting speeds and depths and feed rates, and to position tools in relation to workpieces
  3. 3. Study blueprints, layouts or charts, and job orders for information on specifications and tooling instructions, and to determine material…
  4. 4. Inspect sample workpieces to verify conformance with specifications, using instruments such as gauges, micrometers, and dial indicators
  5. 5. Replace worn tools, and sharpen dull cutting tools and dies, using bench grinders or cutter-grinding machines
  6. 6. Move toolholders manually or by turning handwheels, or engage automatic feeding mechanisms to feed tools to and along workpieces
  7. 7. Compute unspecified dimensions and machine settings, using knowledge of metal properties and shop mathematics
  8. 8. Crank machines through cycles, stopping to adjust tool positions and machine controls to ensure specified timing, clearances, and tolerances
  9. 9. Position, secure, and align cutting tools in toolholders on machines, using hand tools, and verify their positions with measuring instrum…
  10. 10. Start lathe or turning machines and observe operations to ensure that specifications are met
  11. 11. Program computer numerical control machines
  12. 12. Refill, change, and monitor the level of fluids, such as oil and coolant, in machines

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

Importance-ranked O*NET profile for SOC 51-4034 - lead skill Operations Monitoring at 3.5 ; lead knowledge Production and Processing. Sibling cards diverge here even when peer titles overlap.

Top skills

  1. 1. Operations Monitoring 3.5
  2. 2. Operation and Control 3.4
  3. 3. Reading Comprehension 3.0
  4. 4. Active Listening 3.0
  5. 5. Monitoring 3.0
  6. 6. Equipment Maintenance 3.0
  7. 7. Quality Control Analysis 3.0
  8. 8. Judgment and Decision Making 2.9

Knowledge areas

  1. 1. Production and Processing 4.0
  2. 2. Mechanical 3.6
  3. 3. Engineering and Technology 3.6
  4. 4. Education and Training 3.3
  5. 5. Administration and Management 3.3
  6. 6. Customer and Personal Service 3.3
Pay vs Production Occupations peers
-32%
vs mid peer median $74,450
This role $50,620/yr
$51K
National median
↓ -14%
Growth 2024-2034
1,500
Annual openings
16,710
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 Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

1. Illinois $54,930
2. Colorado $71,670
3. Minnesota $61,000
4. Maine $64,800
5. California $60,180
6. Arizona $55,840
7. Pennsylvania $57,020
8. Alabama $58,490
9. Massachusetts $60,870
10. Nevada $58,240

Other Production Occupations titles

  1. 1. Chemical Plant and System Operators $78,120
  2. 2. Model Makers, Metal and Plastic $63,340
  3. 3. Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers $65,380
  4. 4. Gas Plant Operators $87,820
  5. 5. First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers $74,450
  6. 6. Power Distributors and Dispatchers $106,730

Among Production Occupations peers on this card, Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic sits 32% below the mid peer median ($74,450). Its own median is $50,620.

Employment Projections expect -14% change between 2024 and 2034 (declining vs baseline 3.1%). About 1,500 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: Illinois at $54,930. 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.

Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic pay-rank #33 in Production Occupations

Among 105 detailed Production Occupations with a published OEWS median, Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic is pay-rank #33, the upper third of that major group. The order is ROW_NUMBER on national median (title as tiebreak), not a worker-level percentile.

Other upper-third 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.

Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic pays 32% below its major-group peer median. See the state map and the peers closest to (and furthest from) this line.

Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic salary map

State, metro, and percentile for SOC 51-4034

Illinois · top state for Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

$55K published median

Colorado · #2 state pay

$72K · behind Illinois

Power Distributors and Dispatchers

Highest-pay peer vs Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic · $107K

Model Makers, Metal and Plastic

Lower-pay peer beside Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic · $63K

Compare Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

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

Peer-comparison next reads

Compare Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

Against another occupation

Power Distributors and Dispatchers card

Top peer in this major group

Frequently Asked Questions

Which Production Occupations titles sit near Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic at the top of the pay table? ▼
Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic is pay-rank #33 of 105 detailed Production Occupations with an OEWS median, upper third. Nearest upper-third titles: Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators ($51K), Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders ($50K), Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic ($50K), Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters ($51K). Rank is ROW_NUMBER on national median.
What do lathe and turning machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic do day to day? ▼
O*NET lists published task statements for Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic. Leading ones include: Adjust machine controls and change tool settings to keep dimensions within specified tolerances; Move controls to set cutting speeds and depths and feed rates, and to position tools in relation to workpieces; Study blueprints, layouts or charts, and job orders for information on specifications and tooling instructions, and to determine material…; Inspect sample workpieces to verify conformance with specifications, using instruments such as gauges, micrometers, and dial indicators. These are occupation-level task descriptions, not every employer's job description.
Which O*NET skills rank highest for lathe and turning machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic? ▼
For SOC 51-4034, O*NET importance scores lead with Operations Monitoring (3.5), Operation and Control (3.4), Reading Comprehension (3.0), Active Listening (3.0). Knowledge areas emphasize Production and Processing, Mechanical, Engineering and Technology. These are occupation-level profiles, not a hiring checklist for every employer.
What is the OEWS national median for Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic? ▼
May 2025 OEWS reports $50,620 as the national median for Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic. The published 10th-90th range is $36,670 to $69,700. 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 Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic? ▼
The 2024-2034 projection for Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic is -14%. Projected annual openings: about 1,500. Relative to the current all-occupations baseline of 3.1%: declining.
What typical entry education does BLS assign to Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic? ▼
BLS assigns High school diploma or equivalent as the typical-education-needed-for-entry category for Lathe and Turning Machine Tool 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 Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic? ▼
Illinois ($54,930), Colorado ($71,670), Minnesota ($61,000) 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 Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic card
  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS / OES) - national median and percentiles for SOC 51-4034. bls.gov/oes
  • O*NET OnLine - task and skill statements for Lathe and Turning Machine Tool 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