51 Series · SOC 51-4021

Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic Salary

National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).

$47,720
Median / year
+1.6%
2024→2025
$63,710
Top 10% earn
+1.2%
Growth '24–'34
60,840
Estimated US jobs

Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic earn a median of $47,720 per year.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $47,720, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $36,700 (10th percentile) to $63,710 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 60,840 estimated jobs in covered establishments. The highest published state median in this ranking is Rhode Island ($61,350).

51 Series · Source: BLS OEWS Compare with another job →
Share: Post LinkedIn

The pay verdict

Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic earn a median of $47,720, putting them below the typical US occupation and higher than 27% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Production, it ranks #52 of 105 by median pay. Employment is projected to grow 1.2% by 2034.

$47,720
Median annual wage
Top 73%
of 825 US occupations with published wages
#52 of 105
in Production
1.7×
90th-to-10th pay spread

Highest-paying state: Rhode Island at $61,350. Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent.

Observed pay change

What changed, BLS OEWS 2019–2025

May 2019 → May 2025
  • The published national median for Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic moved from $36,320 in May 2019 to $47,720 in May 2025 (+31.4%).
  • Across the 749 occupations priced in both releases under SOC-2018, the median occupation changed +24.5%.
  • Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic sits +6.9 pp ahead of that median, nominal dollars, no price deflator applied.

Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic (SOC 51-4021) has a national median of $47,720 per year in the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025 release. The published 10th-to-90th-percentile boundaries run from $36,700 to $63,710, and the published mean is $49,480. Those summary statistics describe the estimated distribution; their difference alone does not identify its cause. OEWS estimates 60,840 jobs in covered establishments nationally. WageDex has published rows for 47 state or territory areas and 192 metropolitan or nonmetropolitan wage areas. The published national median moved from $46,980 in the May 2024 OEWS release to $47,720 in May 2025, a rise of $740 (+1.6%). This is a change between two BLS survey estimates, not an inflation-adjusted same-worker pay raise.

BLS Employment Projections forecast a +1.2% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which we classify as about as fast as average relative to the all-occupations baseline of 3.1%. About 6,500 openings are projected per year from growth, occupational transfers, and labor-force exits. BLS assigns High school diploma or equivalent as typical education needed for entry, and BLS classifies its typical on-the-job preparation as moderate-term on-the-job training. BLS does not publish a separate occupation-specific fatality and injury rate for this role in the current release. The safety panel below shows its broad Production Occupations SOC-group context and is not an occupation-level measurement or ranking.

Geographic variation matters as much as the headline median. Rhode Island pays the highest state median at $61,350, which is +29% above the national figure. The highest published metropolitan-area median in this ranking is Burlington-South Burlington, VT at $64,760. The observed difference does not identify its cause. Pair the national median with the state and metropolitan-area rows below while keeping the geography and statistic consistent. OEWS includes tips, commissions, incentive pay, and production bonuses, but not employer benefits, overtime premiums, stock compensation, or nonproduction bonuses. See our methodology for the sourcing and calculation details.

BLS OEWS May 2025 60,840 jobs Median $47,720/yr

Median Salary

$47,720

per year

Median Hourly

$22.94/hr

per hour

Mean Salary

$49,480

average

Employment

60,840

jobs nationwide

How does this pay compare nationally?

Where Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic pay sits nationally

Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median

$47,720 Bottom 27% higher than 27% of 825 US occupations

$0–$20,000: 0 US occupations (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 98 US occupations (12%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 298 US occupations (36%). This entry sits in this band. $60,000–$80,000: 209 US occupations (25%). Above this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 82 US occupations (10%). Above this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 58 US occupations (7%). Above this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 32 US occupations (4%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 14 US occupations (2%). Above this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 9 US occupations (1%). Above this entry. $180,000 and above: 25 US occupations (3%). Above this entry. This job $0 $180,000+ every BLS occupation, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Read the chart as text · as of May 2025
Band Count Share
$0–$20,000 0 US occupations 0%
$20,000–$40,000 98 US occupations 12%
$40,000–$60,000 (this entry) 298 US occupations 36%
$60,000–$80,000 209 US occupations 25%
$80,000–$100,000 82 US occupations 10%
$100,000–$120,000 58 US occupations 7%
$120,000–$140,000 32 US occupations 4%
$140,000–$160,000 14 US occupations 2%
$160,000–$180,000 9 US occupations 1%
$180,000 and above 25 US occupations 3%

$47,720 · 27th percentile of 825 US occupations

Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025

Does this job pay well and grow?

Each dot is a 51-series occupation, placed by projected 2024–2034 growth and median pay. The highlighted dot is Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).

Among 23 51-series occupations with growth data, Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic sits on the slower-growing side at +1.2% growth and $47,720 median pay. Scatter plot of 23 data points. $30000$40000$50000$60000$70000$80000 -15%-10%-5%0%5%10% Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) Median annual wage Miscellaneous Assemb… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -0.1% · Median annual wage: $44650First-Line Superviso… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 1.2% · Median annual wage: $74450Welders, Cutters, So… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 2.2% · Median annual wage: $53750Packaging and Fillin… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 4.5% · Median annual wage: $43220Production Workers, … - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 0.5% · Median annual wage: $40110Electrical, Electron… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 4.6% · Median annual wage: $45850Bakers - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 5.6% · Median annual wage: $37160Laundry and Dry-Clea… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 5.4% · Median annual wage: $34890Food Batchmakers - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 6.9% · Median annual wage: $42290Cutting, Punching, a… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -12.1% · Median annual wage: $46330Computer Numerically… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -10.7% · Median annual wage: $50690Helpers--Production … - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -8.9% · Median annual wage: $39070Coating, Painting, a… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 0.7% · Median annual wage: $48250Molding, Coremaking,… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -3.8% · Median annual wage: $44350Meat, Poultry, and F… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 5.5% · Median annual wage: $38300Printing Press Opera… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -8.1% · Median annual wage: $45780Chemical Equipment O… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 3.3% · Median annual wage: $58040Butchers and Meat Cu… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 1% · Median annual wage: $40140Water and Wastewater… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -6.5% · Median annual wage: $60020Multiple Machine Too… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -0.5% · Median annual wage: $47180Sewing Machine Opera… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -10.8% · Median annual wage: $36670Paper Goods Machine … - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -6.3% · Median annual wage: $50270Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 1.2% · Median annual wage: $47720
Among 23 51-series occupations with growth data, Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic sits on the slower-growing side at +1.2% growth and $47,720 median pay.
Read the chart as text
  • Miscellaneous Assemb…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -0.1%, Median annual wage $44650
  • First-Line Superviso…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 1.2%, Median annual wage $74450
  • Welders, Cutters, So…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 2.2%, Median annual wage $53750
  • Packaging and Fillin…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.5%, Median annual wage $43220
  • Production Workers, …: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 0.5%, Median annual wage $40110
  • Electrical, Electron…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.6%, Median annual wage $45850
  • Bakers: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 5.6%, Median annual wage $37160
  • Laundry and Dry-Clea…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 5.4%, Median annual wage $34890
  • Food Batchmakers: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 6.9%, Median annual wage $42290
  • Cutting, Punching, a…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -12.1%, Median annual wage $46330
  • Computer Numerically…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -10.7%, Median annual wage $50690
  • Helpers--Production …: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -8.9%, Median annual wage $39070
  • Coating, Painting, a…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 0.7%, Median annual wage $48250
  • Molding, Coremaking,…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -3.8%, Median annual wage $44350
  • Meat, Poultry, and F…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 5.5%, Median annual wage $38300
  • Printing Press Opera…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -8.1%, Median annual wage $45780
  • Chemical Equipment O…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3.3%, Median annual wage $58040
  • Butchers and Meat Cu…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 1%, Median annual wage $40140
  • Water and Wastewater…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -6.5%, Median annual wage $60020
  • Multiple Machine Too…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -0.5%, Median annual wage $47180
  • Sewing Machine Opera…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -10.8%, Median annual wage $36670
  • Paper Goods Machine …: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -6.3%, Median annual wage $50270
  • Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 1.2%, Median annual wage $47720

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).

Job Outlook (2024–2034)

Projected Growth

+1.2%

About as fast as average

Annual Openings

6,500

per year (projected)

Employment Change

+800

66,000 (2024) → 66,800 (2034)

Typical Education

High school diploma or equivalent

On-the-Job Training

Moderate-term on-the-job training

Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034

Workplace Safety

All safety ratings →
Group

Production Occupations context

Broad SOC context, not an occupation grade

Fatality Rate

3.5/100K

Injury Rate

3.2/100

Danger Index

14.6/100

Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) & Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII), 2023

Career Intelligence

Skills, knowledge, and tasks most important for Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.

Top Skills

Operations Monitoring 3.5
Operation and Control 3.4
Critical Thinking 3.1
Monitoring 3.1
Quality Control Analysis 3.1
Judgment and Decision Making 3.1
Speaking 3.0
Coordination 3.0
Complex Problem Solving 3.0
Troubleshooting 3.0

Knowledge Areas

Production and Processing 4.0
Mathematics 3.5
English Language 3.5
Administration and Management 2.8
Computers and Electronics 2.5
Mechanical 2.5
Public Safety and Security 2.3
Customer and Personal Service 2.3
Education and Training 2.2
Engineering and Technology 2.2

Key Tasks

  • Measure and examine extruded products to locate defects and to check for conformance to specifications, adjusting controls as necessary to alter products.
  • Determine setup procedures and select machine dies and parts, according to specifications.
  • Start machines and set controls to regulate vacuum, air pressure, sizing rings, and temperature, and to synchronize speed of extrusion.
  • Reel extruded products into rolls of specified lengths and weights.
  • Install dies, machine screws, and sizing rings on machines that extrude thermoplastic or metal materials.
  • Change dies on extruding machines, according to production line changes.
  • Clean work areas.
  • Weigh and mix pelletized, granular, or powdered thermoplastic materials and coloring pigments.
  • Test physical properties of products with testing devices such as acid-bath testers, burst testers, and impact testers.
  • Load machine hoppers with mixed materials, using augers, or stuff rolls of plastic dough into machine cylinders.

Source: O*NET Online, National Center for O*NET Development. Data represents typical importance ratings for this occupation.

Salary Range

Annual Salary Distribution

10th$36,700
25th$40,450
Median$47,720
75th$56,840
90th$63,710

Hourly Rate Distribution

10th$17.65
25th$19.45
Median$22.94
75th$27.33
90th$30.63

Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic pay history, 2015–2025

Published national median across 11 BLS OEWS releases. Nominal dollars, not inflation-adjusted.

$30,000$35,000$40,000$45,000$50,000 20152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 National median - 2015: $33,120National median - 2016: $33,870National median - 2017: $34,600National median - 2018: $35,150National median - 2019: $36,320National median - 2020: $37,530National median - 2021: $37,750National median - 2022: $39,970National median - 2023: $44,390National median - 2024: $46,980National median - 2025: $47,720$47,720
National median annual wage for Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic, May 2015 to May 2025 OEWS releases
Read the chart as text
Period National median
2015 $33,120
2016 $33,870
2017 $34,600
2018 $35,150
2019 $36,320
2020 $37,530
2021 $37,750
2022 $39,970
2023 $44,390
2024 $46,980
2025 $47,720

2015 median

$33,120

2025 median

$47,720

2019–2025 change (same SOC)

+$11,400 (+31.4%)

Avg/year (same SOC)

+4.7%

Published national median annual wage and estimated employment for Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic by OEWS release year
Release Median Change Estimated jobs
May 2015 $33,120 First banked release 72,390
May 2016 $33,870 +2.3% 71,960
May 2017 $34,600 +2.2% 73,530
May 2018 $35,150 +1.6% 75,610
May 2019 $36,320 Classification break 76,940
May 2020 $37,530 +3.3% 69,300
May 2021 $37,750 +0.6% 59,490
May 2022 $39,970 +5.9% 63,490
May 2023 $44,390 +11.1% 63,370
May 2024 $46,980 +5.8% 65,700
May 2025 $47,720 +1.6% 60,840

Across the 11 releases WageDex holds for this occupation, the published national median went from $33,120 in May 2015 to $47,720 in May 2025. Within the SOC-2018 classification (2019–2025), the like-for-like change averages +4.7% per year in nominal terms. Within the same SOC classification, estimated employment went from 76,940 in May 2019 to 60,840 in May 2025.

Each figure is a separate BLS survey estimate, so a change between releases reflects the estimated occupation-wide median in each year. It is not the raise any individual worker received, and it is not adjusted for inflation. Years where BLS did not publish an annual median for this occupation are omitted rather than filled in. This span also crosses a classification change: releases before May 2019 use the 2010 Standard Occupational Classification and later releases use the 2018 SOC, so figures either side of that boundary are not strictly like-for-like. Headline change rates on this page use only the same-classification subset.

Salary by State

View all 47 states →
# State Median Salary vs National
1 Rhode Island $61,350 +29% above national
2 Vermont $59,220 +24% above national
3 North Carolina $53,330 +12% above national
4 Nebraska $52,360 +10% above national
5 Minnesota $51,830 +9% above national
6 New Jersey $51,180 +7% above national
7 Pennsylvania $51,150 +7% above national
8 Colorado $51,110 +7% above national
9 Massachusetts $50,370 +6% above national
10 Connecticut $50,230 +5% above national
11 Wisconsin $50,230 +5% above national
12 New Hampshire $50,210 +5% above national
13 Arkansas $50,150 +5% above national
14 Kentucky $50,000 +5% above national
15 Oregon $49,650 +4% above national
16 South Dakota $49,620 +4% above national
17 Indiana $49,420 +4% above national
18 South Carolina $49,040 +3% above national
19 Utah $49,000 +3% above national
20 New York $48,930 +3% above national
21 Illinois $48,520 +2% above national
22 Georgia $48,410 +1% above national
23 Louisiana $47,930 same as national
24 Alabama $47,690 same as national
25 Tennessee $47,550 same as national
26 Iowa $47,240 1% below national
27 Washington $47,230 1% below national
28 Maryland $46,730 2% below national
29 Maine $46,550 2% below national
30 Ohio $46,340 3% below national
31 Kansas $46,270 3% below national
32 Delaware $46,140 3% below national
33 Missouri $46,050 3% below national
34 Wyoming $45,950 4% below national
35 Texas $45,890 4% below national
36 California $45,880 4% below national
37 New Mexico $45,670 4% below national
38 Virginia $45,220 5% below national
39 Michigan $45,140 5% below national
40 Arizona $45,000 6% below national
41 West Virginia $44,510 7% below national
42 Mississippi $44,220 7% below national
43 Nevada $44,210 7% below national
44 Florida $39,730 17% below national
45 Oklahoma $38,820 19% below national
46 Idaho $34,700 27% below national
47 Puerto Rico $26,030 45% below national

Salary by Metro Area

View all 130 metro areas →
# Metro Area Median Salary vs National
1 Burlington-South Burlington, VT $64,760 +36% above national
2 Oshkosh-Neenah, WI $64,760 +36% above national
3 Cedar Rapids, IA $64,520 +35% above national
4 Appleton, WI $61,960 +30% above national
5 Lincoln, NE $61,570 +29% above national
6 Duluth, MN-WI $61,530 +29% above national
7 Pittsburgh, PA $60,820 +27% above national
8 Greensboro-High Point, NC $60,390 +27% above national
9 Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ $57,370 +20% above national
10 Fort Wayne, IN $56,970 +19% above national
11 Manchester-Nashua, NH $56,820 +19% above national
12 Columbia, SC $56,430 +18% above national
13 Providence-Warwick, RI-MA $56,020 +17% above national
14 New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ $55,960 +17% above national
15 Staunton-Stuarts Draft, VA $55,790 +17% above national
16 Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN $55,420 +16% above national
17 Fort Smith, AR-OK $55,380 +16% above national
18 St. Louis, MO-IL $54,610 +14% above national
19 Reading, PA $54,490 +14% above national
20 Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT $54,170 +14% above national
21 Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC $53,800 +13% above national
22 San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $53,670 +12% above national
23 Baton Rouge, LA $53,240 +12% above national
24 Terre Haute, IN $52,510 +10% above national
25 Birmingham, AL $51,810 +9% above national
26 Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI $51,510 +8% above national
27 Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT $51,410 +8% above national
28 Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA $51,230 +7% above national
29 Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH $51,220 +7% above national
30 Bloomington, IN $51,200 +7% above national
31 Janesville-Beloit, WI $51,200 +7% above national
32 Knoxville, TN $51,170 +7% above national
33 Asheville, NC $50,880 +7% above national
34 Worcester, MA $50,660 +6% above national
35 Evansville, IN $49,970 +5% above national
36 Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA $49,840 +4% above national
37 Green Bay, WI $49,660 +4% above national
38 New Haven, CT $49,590 +4% above national
39 Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC $49,450 +4% above national
40 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV $49,420 +4% above national
41 Kankakee, IL $49,280 +3% above national
42 Salt Lake City-Murray, UT $49,010 +3% above national
43 Waterbury-Shelton, CT $48,980 +3% above national
44 Rochester, NY $48,940 +3% above national
45 Midland, MI $48,750 +2% above national
46 Kansas City, MO-KS $48,680 +2% above national
47 Wausau, WI $48,660 +2% above national
48 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN $48,630 +2% above national
49 Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX $48,590 +2% above national
50 Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA $48,570 +2% above national
51 Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC $48,550 +2% above national
52 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA $48,520 +2% above national
53 Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR $48,510 +2% above national
54 Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD $48,370 +1% above national
55 Syracuse, NY $48,260 +1% above national
56 Jackson, TN $48,250 +1% above national
57 Chattanooga, TN-GA $48,160 +1% above national
58 Sheboygan, WI $48,080 +1% above national
59 Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN $47,990 +1% above national
60 Charleston-North Charleston, SC $47,970 +1% above national
61 Ogden, UT $47,960 +1% above national
62 Dalton, GA $47,940 same as national
63 Eau Claire, WI $47,850 same as national
64 Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA $47,630 same as national
65 Morristown, TN $47,240 1% below national
66 York-Hanover, PA $47,220 1% below national
67 Toledo, OH $47,210 1% below national
68 San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA $47,200 1% below national
69 Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY $47,180 1% below national
70 Akron, OH $47,110 1% below national
71 Columbus, OH $47,090 1% below national
72 Gainesville, GA $46,930 2% below national
73 Elkhart-Goshen, IN $46,890 2% below national
74 Winston-Salem, NC $46,860 2% below national
75 Canton-Massillon, OH $46,800 2% below national
76 Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY $46,750 2% below national
77 Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD $46,730 2% below national
78 Richmond, VA $46,670 2% below national
79 Utica-Rome, NY $46,660 2% below national
80 Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI $46,520 3% below national
81 Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN $46,420 3% below national
82 Lancaster, PA $46,400 3% below national
83 Stockton-Lodi, CA $46,390 3% below national
84 Reno, NV $46,250 3% below national
85 Madison, WI $46,150 3% below national
86 Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA $46,010 4% below national
87 Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ $45,960 4% below national
88 Memphis, TN-MS-AR $45,950 4% below national
89 Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO $45,790 4% below national
90 Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC $45,760 4% below national
91 Cleveland, OH $45,410 5% below national
92 Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI $45,250 5% below national
93 St. Cloud, MN $45,220 5% below national
94 Clarksville, TN-KY $45,180 5% below national
95 Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA $45,170 5% below national
96 Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA $45,160 5% below national
97 Athens-Clarke County, GA $45,140 5% below national
98 Tulsa, OK $45,100 5% below national
99 Lynchburg, VA $44,840 6% below national
100 Alexandria, LA $44,800 6% below national
101 Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN $44,790 6% below national
102 Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH $44,730 6% below national
103 Springfield, MA $44,450 7% below national
104 Visalia, CA $44,420 7% below national
105 Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL $44,280 7% below national
106 Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL $44,210 7% below national
107 El Paso, TX $43,890 8% below national
108 Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX $42,650 11% below national
109 Johnson City, TN $42,140 12% below national
110 Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI $41,970 12% below national
111 Modesto, CA $41,850 12% below national
112 Fresno, CA $41,810 12% below national
113 Erie, PA $41,430 13% below national
114 Oklahoma City, OK $41,120 14% below national
115 Jackson, MS $41,080 14% below national
116 Jackson, MI $40,840 14% below national
117 San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX $40,790 15% below national
118 Roanoke, VA $40,530 15% below national
119 Youngstown-Warren, OH $40,460 15% below national
120 Raleigh-Cary, NC $40,160 16% below national
121 Wichita, KS $39,790 17% below national
122 Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV $39,650 17% below national
123 Kenosha, WI $39,050 18% below national
124 Jacksonville, FL $37,190 22% below national
125 Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL $36,890 23% below national
126 Springfield, MO $36,370 24% below national
127 Logan, UT-ID $35,940 25% below national
128 St. Joseph, MO-KS $35,630 25% below national
129 Flint, MI $35,600 25% below national
130 San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR $21,980 54% below national

Same SOC major group

Other detailed occupations in SOC major group 51 (Production Occupations) - category peers, not a pay match.

Showing 5 of 104 detailed occupations BLS assigns to this SOC major group.

Nationwide occupations with similar pay or employment scale

Two OEWS peer sets outside this SOC major group (Production Occupations). Same-category cards above stay inside the group; these neighborhoods are cross-group nearest neighbors on national median pay ($47,720 here) and reported employment (60,840 jobs here).

Peers are nearest-neighbor matches on BLS OEWS national median annual wage and reported employment. Employment peers exclude occupations already listed in the pay column so the two link sets stay distinct.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic make?
The median annual salary for Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic is $47,720 ($22.94/hour). The salary range spans from $36,700 at the 10th percentile to $63,710 at the 90th percentile.
Where does Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic pay rank nationally?
At a published national median of $47,720, Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic pay is higher than 27% of the 825 detailed occupations with a published BLS annual median in the May 2025 OEWS release. This compares occupation-level medians, not individual workers, job offers, or this occupation's own worker pay-percentile range.
What state pays Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic the most?
Rhode Island pays the highest median salary for Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic at $61,350/year, which is +29% above the national median.
What education do Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic need?
BLS assigns Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic to High school diploma or equivalent for typical education needed for entry. Typical on-the-job training assignment: Moderate-term on-the-job training.
Does BLS publish a safety rate for Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic?
BLS does not publish a separate occupation-specific fatality and injury rate for Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic in this release. WageDex shows the Production Occupations SOC-group rate only as broad context and does not rank it as this occupation's measured rate.
Is Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic a good career?
Employment for Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic is projected to grow 1.2% from 2024 to 2034, which is about as fast as average. About 6,500 openings are projected each year.
How does Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic pay vary by state?
Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic salaries vary significantly by state. The highest-paying state is Rhode Island at $61,350/year, while Puerto Rico pays the least at $26,030/year. BLS data covers 47 states and territories.
Which metro areas pay the most for Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic?
The highest published metropolitan-area median in this ranking is Burlington-South Burlington, VT at $64,760/year. BLS reports a median for 130 metropolitan areas for this occupation. The ranking does not establish why values differ.

What to do with this data

How to use Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic pay figures in a real decision

  • The 75th-percentile wage is about $56,840/year. Treat it as the upper-quartile market boundary, not an automatic target for experience alone; role scope, location, industry, credentials, performance, and employer context still need separate evidence. Salary calculator
  • Location moves pay significantly: Rhode Island leads at $61,350/year for this role. Weigh state pay against local cost of living before relocating or negotiating remote. Pay by state
  • Compare this occupation against similar roles before you decide, so you are reading the pay band in context rather than in isolation. Compare jobs

These are BLS survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. Your pay depends on experience, employer, exact role, and location.

Data as of May 2025. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 annual release. Employment projections from BLS Employment Projections program, 2024–2034. Data reflects cross-industry estimates for all ownership types.

These are survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. See how to use them.

Source data and WageDex calculations are identified in context on this page. Occupation wages use BLS OEWS May 2025; outlook uses BLS Employment Projections for 2024–2034; safety, skills, knowledge, and task panels identify their BLS or O*NET sources in context. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.

This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or career advice. Actual pay for a specific role, employer, or offer may differ from these national/state figures, consult a qualified career counselor, recruiter, or financial advisor before making decisions based on this data.