51 Series · SOC 51-4035

Milling and Planing 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).

$52,800
Median / year
$81,030
Top 10% earn
-14.4%
Growth '23–'33
12,460
US workers

Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic earn a median of $52,800 per year.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $52,800, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $37,840 (10th percentile) to $81,030 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 12,460 US workers. Washington pays the most ($86,460), since pay varies by state and metro area.

51 Series · Source: BLS OEWS Compare with another job →
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The pay verdict

Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic earn a median of $52,800, putting them below the typical US occupation and higher than 39% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Production, it ranks #26 of 105 by median pay. Employment is projected to fall 14.4% by 2033.

$52,800
Median annual wage
Top 61%
of 825 US occupations with published wages
#26 of 105
in Production
2.1×
90th-to-10th pay spread

Highest-paying state: Washington at $86,460. Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent.

Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic (SOC 51-4035) pays a national median of $52,800 per year according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey released in May 2025. Full-range compensation stretches from $37,840 at the 10th percentile to $81,030 at the 90th, with a mean of $56,740 indicating a right-skew where top earners pull the average above the midpoint. An estimated 12,460 Americans work in this occupation across 36 reporting states and 64 metro areas.

BLS Employment Projections forecast a -14.4% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which the agency classifies as declining relative to the 5% all-occupations baseline. About 1,100 openings are projected per year, combining new positions with replacement needs from retirements and occupation-switchers. Typical entry-level preparation is High school diploma or equivalent and moderate-term on-the-job training of on-the-job training. The BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) and Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII) produce a workplace-safety grade of B for this role, with a fatality rate of 3.5 per 100,000 and injury rate of 3.2 per 100.

Geographic variation matters as much as the headline median. Washington pays the highest state median at $86,460, which is +64% above the national figure. The top metro is Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA at $105,430 - metro premiums typically reflect higher cost of living, industry concentration, or specialized employer demand. When using this page for negotiation or career planning, pair the national median with the state and metro rows below, remember that BLS wages exclude benefits, bonuses, and overtime, and revisit after each May OEWS release since percentiles shift with cost-of-living cycles and industry demand. See our methodology for exactly how these figures are sourced, computed, and verified.

BLS OEWS May 2025 12,460 jobs Median $52,800/yr

Median Salary

$52,800

per year

Median Hourly

$25.39/hr

per hour

Mean Salary

$56,740

average

Employment

12,460

jobs nationwide

How does this pay compare nationally?

Where Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic pay sits nationally

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

$52,800 Bottom 39% higher than 39% 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–$200,000: 25 US occupations (3%). Above this entry. This job $0 $200,000 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.

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 Milling and Planing 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, Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic sits on the slower-growing side at -14.4% growth and $52,800 median pay.

Among 23 51-series occupations with growth data, Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic sits on the slower-growing side at -14.4% growth and $52,800 median pay. Scatter plot of 23 data points. $30000$40000$50000$60000$70000$80000 -20%-15%-10%-5%0%5%10% Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) Median annual wage
Among 23 51-series occupations with growth data, Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic sits on the slower-growing side at -14.4% growth and $52,800 median pay.

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

Job Outlook (2024–2034)

Projected Growth

-14.4%

Declining

Annual Openings

1,100

per year (projected)

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 →
B

Safe

Safety Grade (BLS 2023)

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 Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.

Top Skills

Operations Monitoring 3.9
Operation and Control 3.4
Critical Thinking 3.1
Monitoring 3.1
Active Listening 3.0
Reading Comprehension 2.9
Speaking 2.9
Quality Control Analysis 2.9
Coordination 2.8
Complex Problem Solving 2.8

Knowledge Areas

Mechanical 3.7
Production and Processing 3.6
Mathematics 3.5
English Language 3.5
Computers and Electronics 3.2
Education and Training 3.0
Design 3.0
Engineering and Technology 2.9
Administration and Management 2.8
Public Safety and Security 2.7

Key Tasks

  • ▸ Remove workpieces from machines, and check to ensure that they conform to specifications, using measuring instruments such as microscopes, gauges, calipers, and micrometers.
  • ▸ Verify alignment of workpieces on machines, using measuring instruments such as rules, gauges, or calipers.
  • ▸ Move controls to set cutting specifications, to position cutting tools and workpieces in relation to each other, and to start machines.
  • ▸ Observe milling or planing machine operation, and adjust controls to ensure conformance with specified tolerances.
  • ▸ Select and install cutting tools and other accessories according to specifications, using hand tools or power tools.
  • ▸ Position and secure workpieces on machines, using holding devices, measuring instruments, hand tools, and hoists.
  • ▸ Replace worn tools, using hand tools, and sharpen dull tools, using bench grinders.
  • ▸ Study blueprints, layouts, sketches, or work orders to assess workpiece specifications and to determine tooling instructions, tools and materials needed, and sequences of operations.
  • ▸ Compute dimensions, tolerances, and angles of workpieces or machines according to specifications and knowledge of metal properties and shop mathematics.
  • ▸ Move cutters or material manually or by turning handwheels, or engage automatic feeding mechanisms to mill workpieces to specifications.

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

Salary Range

Annual Salary Distribution

$37,840$45,210$52,800$64,900$81,030
10th pct25thMedian75th90th pct

Hourly Rate Distribution

$18.19$21.74$25.39$31.20$38.96
10th pct25thMedian75th90th pct

10th Percentile

$37,840

25th Percentile

$45,210

Median

$52,800

75th Percentile

$64,900

90th Percentile

$81,030

Salary by State

Highest Paying States

1. Washington $86,460 2. Connecticut $79,300 3. Kentucky $66,440 4. Illinois $63,360 5. Massachusetts $62,380

Lowest Paying States

32. Alabama $35,760 33. Georgia $38,340 34. Mississippi $39,100 35. Oklahoma $40,250 36. Tennessee $43,710
View all 36 states →
# State Median Salary vs National
1 Washington $86,460 +64% above national
2 Connecticut $79,300 +50% above national
3 Kentucky $66,440 +26% above national
4 Illinois $63,360 +20% above national
5 Massachusetts $62,380 +18% above national
6 Nebraska $59,630 +13% above national
7 California $59,050 +12% above national
8 Wisconsin $58,770 +11% above national
9 Indiana $57,720 +9% above national
10 New York $56,560 +7% above national
11 Virginia $56,410 +7% above national
12 Maryland $56,080 +6% above national
13 Minnesota $55,210 +5% above national
14 Texas $53,840 +2% above national
15 Colorado $53,780 +2% above national
16 Nevada $52,800 same as national
17 Iowa $51,600 2% below national
18 Ohio $51,310 3% below national
19 New Jersey $50,530 4% below national
20 New Hampshire $49,230 7% below national
21 North Carolina $49,210 7% below national
22 Arizona $48,760 8% below national
23 Michigan $48,400 8% below national
24 South Carolina $48,340 8% below national
25 Pennsylvania $47,690 10% below national
26 Missouri $47,680 10% below national
27 Florida $47,220 11% below national
28 Utah $46,580 12% below national
29 West Virginia $45,440 14% below national
30 Maine $45,210 14% below national
31 Arkansas $44,440 16% below national
32 Tennessee $43,710 17% below national
33 Oklahoma $40,250 24% below national
34 Mississippi $39,100 26% below national
35 Georgia $38,340 27% below national
36 Alabama $35,760 32% below national

Salary by Metro Area

Highest Paying Metros

1. Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA $105,430 2. Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN $66,440 3. Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH $65,540 4. West Tennessee nonmetropolitan area $65,360 5. Southwest Maine nonmetropolitan area $64,290

Lowest Paying Metros

60. North Central Tennessee nonmetropolitan area $29,570 61. Central Kentucky nonmetropolitan area $36,170 62. Birmingham, AL $36,340 63. Decatur, AL $36,500 64. Columbia, SC $39,010
View all 64 metro areas →
# Metro Area Median Salary vs National
1 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA $105,430 +100% above national
2 Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN $66,440 +26% above national
3 Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH $65,540 +24% above national
4 West Tennessee nonmetropolitan area $65,360 +24% above national
5 Southwest Maine nonmetropolitan area $64,290 +22% above national
6 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN $63,360 +20% above national
7 Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI $62,530 +18% above national
8 Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD $62,220 +18% above national
9 Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX $61,340 +16% above national
10 Youngstown-Warren, OH $60,380 +14% above national
11 Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI $60,140 +14% above national
12 Springfield, MA $59,260 +12% above national
13 San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA $59,050 +12% above national
14 Elkhart-Goshen, IN $59,040 +12% above national
15 South Central Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area $58,770 +11% above national
16 Canton-Massillon, OH $58,590 +11% above national
17 San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $58,360 +11% above national
18 Omaha, NE-IA $58,290 +10% above national
19 Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI $56,970 +8% above national
20 Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX $56,870 +8% above national
21 Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN $56,700 +7% above national
22 Northern Indiana nonmetropolitan area $56,200 +6% above national
23 Fort Wayne, IN $55,860 +6% above national
24 Cleveland, OH $55,500 +5% above national
25 Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN $55,340 +5% above national
26 St. Louis, MO-IL $55,240 +5% above national
27 Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA $54,120 +3% above national
28 Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA $54,090 +2% above national
29 Kansas City, MO-KS $53,990 +2% above national
30 Southeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area $53,680 +2% above national
31 Southern Michigan nonmetropolitan area $53,300 +1% above national
32 Reno, NV $52,800 same as national
33 New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ $51,900 2% below national
34 North Northeastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area (noncontiguous) $51,310 3% below national
35 Columbus, OH $50,860 4% below national
36 Worcester, MA $49,740 6% below national
37 Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD $49,630 6% below national
38 Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA $49,580 6% below national
39 Northwestern Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area $49,390 6% below national
40 Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH $49,320 7% below national
41 Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC $49,210 7% below national
42 Pittsburgh, PA $48,960 7% below national
43 West Northwestern Ohio nonmetropolitan area $48,890 7% below national
44 Central East New York nonmetropolitan area $48,300 9% below national
45 Eastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area $48,060 9% below national
46 Akron, OH $47,780 10% below national
47 Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA $47,710 10% below national
48 Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI $47,510 10% below national
49 Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY $47,330 10% below national
50 Tulsa, OK $47,270 10% below national
51 Knoxville, TN $46,610 12% below national
52 Northern Michigan nonmetropolitan area $46,500 12% below national
53 Southeast Minnesota nonmetropolitan area $45,830 13% below national
54 East Arkansas nonmetropolitan area $44,950 15% below national
55 Rochester, NY $43,560 17% below national
56 Memphis, TN-MS-AR $42,850 19% below national
57 Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN $41,210 22% below national
58 Oklahoma City, OK $39,740 25% below national
59 Upper East Mississippi nonmetropolitan area $39,100 26% below national
60 Columbia, SC $39,010 26% below national
61 Decatur, AL $36,500 31% below national
62 Birmingham, AL $36,340 31% below national
63 Central Kentucky nonmetropolitan area $36,170 31% below national
64 North Central Tennessee nonmetropolitan area $29,570 44% below national

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Compare Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic side-by-side with another occupation →

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does a Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic make? ▼
The median annual salary for Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic is $52,800 ($25.39/hour). The salary range spans from $37,840 at the 10th percentile to $81,030 at the 90th percentile.
What state pays Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic the most? ▼
Washington pays the highest median salary for Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic at $86,460/year, which is +64% above the national median.
What education do you need to become a Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic? ▼
The typical entry-level education for Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic is High school diploma or equivalent. On-the-job training: Moderate-term on-the-job training.
How dangerous is being a Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic? ▼
Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic has a safety grade of B (Safe) based on BLS data. The fatality rate is 3.5 per 100,000 workers and the injury rate is 3.2 per 100 workers.
Is Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic a good career? ▼
Employment for Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic is projected to decline 14.4% from 2024 to 2034, which is declining. About 1,100 openings are projected each year.
How does Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic pay vary by state? ▼
Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic salaries vary significantly by state. The highest-paying state is Washington at $86,460/year, while Tennessee pays the least at $43,710/year. BLS data covers 36 states and territories.
Which metro areas pay the most for Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic? ▼
The highest-paying metro area for Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic is Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA at $105,430/year. BLS reports wage data for 64 metro areas for this occupation, with pay varying based on local demand and cost of living.

What to do with this data

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

  • For an experienced offer, anchor on the 75th percentile (about $64,900/year), not the median. The median marks the middle worker; the upper quartile is the realistic target with strong experience. Salary calculator
  • Location moves pay significantly: Washington leads at $86,460/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.

Every figure on WageDex is rendered directly from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, no number is typed in by an editor. This occupation's figures are computed directly from the BLS OEWS and Employment Projections datasets, nothing is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of May 2025.

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.