Production Occupations
BLS May 2025 wages Peer-group outlier SOC 51-4081

Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

Median pay sits 37% below the mid peer in Production Occupations (neighbors include Power Distributors and Dispatchers, Tool and Die Makers, Power Plant Operators, Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators).

Full salary details → About this data

Same-major-group titles next to Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic: Power Distributors and Dispatchers ($107K) , Tool and Die Makers ($64K) , Power Plant Operators ($102K) , Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators ($79K) . Hash-ordered per card so residual SOC siblings do not share an identical peer sentence.

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

O*NET task statements for SOC 51-4081 - occupation-level descriptions, not every employer's posting. Sibling cards diverge here because the task set is entity-keyed.

  1. 1. Inspect workpieces for defects, and measure workpieces to determine accuracy of machine operation, using rules, templates, or other measu…
  2. 2. Position, adjust, and secure stock material or workpieces against stops, on arbors, or in chucks, fixtures, or automatic feeding mechanis…
  3. 3. Read blueprints or job orders to determine product specifications and tooling instructions and to plan operational sequences
  4. 4. Select, install, and adjust alignment of drills, cutters, dies, guides, and holding devices, using templates, measuring instruments, and…
  5. 5. Observe machine operation to detect workpiece defects or machine malfunctions, adjusting machines as necessary
  6. 6. Set up and operate machines, such as lathes, cutters, shears, borers, millers, grinders, presses, drills, or auxiliary machines, to make…
  7. 7. Measure and mark reference points and cutting lines on workpieces, using traced templates, compasses, and rules
  8. 8. Change worn machine accessories, such as cutting tools or brushes, using hand tools
  9. 9. Set machine stops or guides to specified lengths as indicated by scales, rules, or templates
  10. 10. Select the proper coolants and lubricants and start their flow
  11. 11. Remove burrs, sharp edges, rust, or scale from workpieces, using files, hand grinders, wire brushes, or power tools
  12. 12. Perform minor machine maintenance, such as oiling or cleaning machines, dies, or workpieces, or adding coolant to machine reservoirs

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

Importance-ranked O*NET profile for SOC 51-4081 - 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. Quality Control Analysis 3.4
  3. 3. Monitoring 3.1
  4. 4. Operation and Control 3.1
  5. 5. Equipment Maintenance 3.1
  6. 6. Judgment and Decision Making 3.1
  7. 7. Reading Comprehension 3.0
  8. 8. Active Listening 3.0

Knowledge areas

  1. 1. Production and Processing 4.1
  2. 2. Mechanical 3.9
  3. 3. Mathematics 3.6
  4. 4. English Language 3.3
  5. 5. Design 3.1
  6. 6. Education and Training 2.9
Pay vs Production Occupations peers
-37%
vs mid peer median $74,450
This role $47,180/yr
$47K
National median
↓ -1%
Growth 2024-2034
12,800
Annual openings
124,590
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 Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

1. New York $49,890
2. Idaho $50,410
3. Maryland $51,780
4. Nebraska $50,960
5. Missouri $53,160
6. Kentucky $54,960
7. West Virginia $76,080
8. Vermont $50,450
9. Virginia $50,600
10. Washington $50,540

Other Production Occupations titles

  1. 1. Power Distributors and Dispatchers $106,730
  2. 2. Power Plant Operators $102,040
  3. 3. Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators $78,620
  4. 4. First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers $74,450
  5. 5. Tool and Die Makers $64,050
  6. 6. Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers $65,380

Among Production Occupations peers on this card, Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic sits 37% below the mid peer median ($74,450). Its own median is $47,180.

Employment Projections expect -1% change between 2024 and 2034 (declining vs baseline 3.1%). About 12,800 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: New York at $49,890. 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.

Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic pay-rank #53 in Production Occupations

Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic sits at pay-rank #53 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 51-4081 · national median $47,180 · middle third of Production Occupations (#53/105). Open the full OEWS map or a named state before treating the card median as a local ask.

Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic salary map

State, metro, and percentile for SOC 51-4081

New York · top state for Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

$50K published median

Idaho · #2 state pay

$50K · behind New York

Power Distributors and Dispatchers

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

Tool and Die Makers

Lower-pay peer beside Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic · $64K

Compare Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

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

Peer-comparison next reads

Compare Multiple 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

Is Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic mid-table among Production Occupations? ▼
Yes: pay-rank #53 of 105 detailed Production Occupations, the middle third. Mid-table neighbors: Fiberglass Laminators and Fabricators ($47K), Cabinetmakers and Bench Carpenters ($47K), Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic ($48K), Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders ($47K). ROW_NUMBER on median; title breaks ties.
What do multiple machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic do day to day? ▼
O*NET lists published task statements for Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic. Leading ones include: Inspect workpieces for defects, and measure workpieces to determine accuracy of machine operation, using rules, templates, or other measu…; Position, adjust, and secure stock material or workpieces against stops, on arbors, or in chucks, fixtures, or automatic feeding mechanis…; Read blueprints or job orders to determine product specifications and tooling instructions and to plan operational sequences; Select, install, and adjust alignment of drills, cutters, dies, guides, and holding devices, using templates, measuring instruments, and…. These are occupation-level task descriptions, not every employer's job description.
Which O*NET skills rank highest for multiple machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic? ▼
For SOC 51-4081, O*NET importance scores lead with Operations Monitoring (4.0), Quality Control Analysis (3.4), Monitoring (3.1), Operation and Control (3.1). Knowledge areas emphasize Production and Processing, Mechanical, Mathematics. These are occupation-level profiles, not a hiring checklist for every employer.
What is the OEWS national median for Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic? ▼
May 2025 OEWS reports $47,180 as the national median for Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic. The published 10th-90th range is $35,780 to $74,450. 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 Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic? ▼
The 2024-2034 projection for Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic is -1%. Projected annual openings: about 12,800. Relative to the current all-occupations baseline of 3.1%: declining.
What typical entry education does BLS assign to Multiple 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 Multiple 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 Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic? ▼
New York ($49,890), Idaho ($50,410), Maryland ($51,780) 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 Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic card
  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS / OES) - national median and percentiles for SOC 51-4081. bls.gov/oes
  • O*NET OnLine - task and skill statements for Multiple 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