Production Occupations
BLS May 2025 wages O*NET task lead SOC 51-4192

Layout Workers, Metal and Plastic

O*NET task statements lead this Layout Workers, Metal and Plastic card before OEWS pay; neighboring titles include Power Distributors and Dispatchers, Plant and System Operators, All Other, Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators, Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers.

Full salary details → About this data

Same-major-group titles next to Layout Workers, Metal and Plastic: Power Distributors and Dispatchers ($107K) , Plant and System Operators, All Other ($62K) , Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators ($79K) , 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 Layout Workers, Metal and Plastic publish as work

O*NET task statements for SOC 51-4192 - occupation-level descriptions, not every employer's posting. Sibling cards diverge here because the task set is entity-keyed.

  1. 1. Mark curves, lines, holes, dimensions, and welding symbols onto workpieces, using scribes, soapstones, punches, and hand drills
  2. 2. Plan locations and sequences of cutting, drilling, bending, rolling, punching, and welding operations, using compasses, protractors, divi…
  3. 3. Fit and align fabricated parts to be welded or assembled
  4. 4. Locate center lines and verify template positions, using measuring instruments such as gauge blocks, height gauges, and dial indicators
  5. 5. Plan and develop layouts from blueprints and templates, applying knowledge of trigonometry, design, effects of heat, and properties of me…
  6. 6. Lay out and fabricate metal structural parts such as plates, bulkheads, and frames
  7. 7. Install doors, hatches, brackets, and clips
  8. 8. Compute layout dimensions, and determine and mark reference points on metal stock or workpieces for further processing, such as welding a…
  9. 9. Brace parts in position within hulls or ships for riveting or welding
  10. 10. Lift and position workpieces in relation to surface plates, manually or with hoists, and using parallel blocks and angle plates
  11. 11. Inspect machined parts to verify conformance to specifications
  12. 12. Add dimensional details to blueprints or drawings made by other workers

O*NET skills and knowledge for Layout Workers, Metal and Plastic

Importance-ranked O*NET profile for SOC 51-4192 - entity-keyed; sibling cards diverge here even when peer titles overlap.

Top skills

  1. 1. Mathematics 3.1
  2. 2. Reading Comprehension 3.0
  3. 3. Critical Thinking 3.0
  4. 4. Monitoring 3.0
  5. 5. Complex Problem Solving 3.0
  6. 6. Operations Monitoring 3.0
  7. 7. Quality Control Analysis 3.0
  8. 8. Judgment and Decision Making 3.0

Knowledge areas

  1. 1. Mathematics 4.1
  2. 2. Design 3.8
  3. 3. Mechanical 3.5
  4. 4. Production and Processing 3.4
  5. 5. Engineering and Technology 3.3
  6. 6. English Language 3.3
National median after O*NET task lead
$63,870
/year · 12 published task lines above
Lead task: Mark curves, lines, holes, dimensions, and welding symbols onto workpieces, using scribes, soapstones, punches, and hand drills
$64K
National median
↓ -5%
Growth 2024-2034
500
Annual openings
5,970
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 Layout Workers, Metal and Plastic

1. Massachusetts $63,880
2. Washington $85,300
3. Virginia $70,260
4. Maine $74,530
5. Hawaii $87,570
6. Kansas $79,240
7. Michigan $61,550
8. Oregon $75,020
9. California $74,490
10. New York $62,700

Other Production Occupations titles

  1. 1. Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators $78,620
  2. 2. Power Distributors and Dispatchers $106,730
  3. 3. Plant and System Operators, All Other $62,470
  4. 4. Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers $96,710
  5. 5. Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers $65,380
  6. 6. Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Programmers $68,120

O*NET publishes 12 leading task statements for Layout Workers, Metal and Plastic (SOC 51-4192). The national OEWS median is $63,870 inside Production Occupations. Same-group neighbors: Power Distributors and Dispatchers, Plant and System Operators, All Other, Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators, Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers. Lead published task: Mark curves, lines, holes, dimensions, and welding symbols onto workpieces, using scribes, soapstones, punches, and hand drills.

Employment Projections expect -5% change between 2024 and 2034 (declining vs baseline 3.1%). About 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: Massachusetts at $63,880. 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.

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

Dive into Layout Workers, Metal and Plastic in more depth or explore nearby career data.

Full Salary Details

State, metro, and percentile breakdown

Jobs in Massachusetts

Top-paying state for this role

Jobs in Washington

Second-highest state pay

Power Distributors and Dispatchers

Highest-pay peer · $107K

Plant and System Operators, All Other

Lower-pay peer · $62K

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Frequently Asked Questions

What do layout workers, metal and plastic do day to day? ▼
O*NET lists published task statements for Layout Workers, Metal and Plastic. Leading ones include: Mark curves, lines, holes, dimensions, and welding symbols onto workpieces, using scribes, soapstones, punches, and hand drills; Plan locations and sequences of cutting, drilling, bending, rolling, punching, and welding operations, using compasses, protractors, divi…; Fit and align fabricated parts to be welded or assembled; Locate center lines and verify template positions, using measuring instruments such as gauge blocks, height gauges, and dial indicators. These are occupation-level task descriptions, not every employer's job description.
Which O*NET skills rank highest for layout workers, metal and plastic? ▼
For SOC 51-4192, O*NET importance scores lead with Mathematics (3.1), Reading Comprehension (3.0), Critical Thinking (3.0), Monitoring (3.0). Knowledge areas emphasize Mathematics, Design, Mechanical. These are occupation-level profiles, not a hiring checklist for every employer.
How does Layout Workers, Metal and Plastic sit next to other Production Occupations titles? ▼
On this card, neighboring same-major-group titles include Power Distributors and Dispatchers, Plant and System Operators, All Other, Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators, Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers. Among those peers, Power Distributors and Dispatchers holds the highest published national median ($106,730). Plant and System Operators, All Other sits lower at $62,470. Peer titles are hash-ordered per card so adjacent SOC pages do not share an identical ladder.
What is the median salary for Layout Workers, Metal and Plastic? ▼
The median salary for Layout Workers, Metal and Plastic is $63,870 per year according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025 OEWS data). This means half of workers in this occupation earn more and half earn less. The full range is $39,980 (10th percentile) to $93,860 (90th percentile). For context beside Power Distributors and Dispatchers ($106,730), this role's median is the OEWS national figure above.
Is Layout Workers, Metal and Plastic a growing occupation? ▼
The BLS projects -5% employment change for Layout Workers, Metal and Plastic from 2024 to 2034. There are approximately 500 projected annual openings. This is declining relative to the current all-occupations baseline of 3.1%.
What education do you need to become a layout workers, metal and plastic? ▼
BLS assigns Layout Workers, Metal and Plastic to High school diploma or equivalent for typical education needed for entry. These occupation-level categories are not requirements for every employer or worker.
Which states pay layout workers, metal and plastic the most? ▼
The highest published state medians in this ranking for Layout Workers, Metal and Plastic are Massachusetts ($63,880), Washington ($85,300), Virginia ($70,260). The table does not identify why 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

All federal data sources used on this page
  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS / OES) - wage estimates by area + occupation. bls.gov/oes
  • O*NET OnLine - occupation task statements (importance-ranked). onetcenter.org
  • BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW) - quarterly employment and wage totals by industry. bls.gov/cew
  • U.S. Census Bureau ACS - demographic and labor-force context for metro/state aggregates. census.gov/programs-surveys/acs
  • BLS Current Employment Statistics (CES) - monthly nonfarm payroll baselines. bls.gov/ces
  • IRS Statistics of Income (SOI) - payroll-tax aggregate context. irs.gov/statistics
  • BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS) - unemployment context for labor-market comparisons. bls.gov/lau