51 Series · SOC 51-4193
Plating 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).
- $43,960
- Median / year
- $60,370
- Top 10% earn
- -13.6%
- Growth '23–'33
- 32,410
- US workers
Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic earn a median of $43,960 per year.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $43,960, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $33,790 (10th percentile) to $60,370 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 32,410 US workers. Iowa pays the most ($70,910), since pay varies by state and metro area.
The pay verdict
Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic earn a median of $43,960, putting them among the lower-paid US occupations and higher than 18% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Production, it ranks #72 of 105 by median pay. Employment is projected to fall 13.6% by 2033.
- $43,960
- Median annual wage
- Top 82%
- of 825 US occupations with published wages
- #72 of 105
- in Production
- 1.8×
- 90th-to-10th pay spread
Highest-paying state: Iowa at $70,910. Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent.
Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic (SOC 51-4193) pays a national median of $43,960 per year according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey released in May 2025. Full-range compensation stretches from $33,790 at the 10th percentile to $60,370 at the 90th, with a mean of $45,100 indicating a right-skew where top earners pull the average above the midpoint. An estimated 32,410 Americans work in this occupation across 40 reporting states and 129 metro areas.
BLS Employment Projections forecast a -13.6% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which the agency classifies as declining relative to the 5% all-occupations baseline. About 2,500 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. Iowa pays the highest state median at $70,910, which is +61% above the national figure. The top metro is Ogden, UT at $70,490 - 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.
Median Salary
$43,960
per year
Median Hourly
$21.14/hr
per hour
Mean Salary
$45,100
average
Employment
32,410
jobs nationwide
How does this pay compare nationally?
Where Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic pay sits nationally
Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median
$43,960 Bottom 18% higher than 18% of 825 US occupations
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 Plating 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, Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic sits on the slower-growing side at -13.6% growth and $43,960 median pay.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).
Job Outlook (2024–2034)
Projected Growth
-13.6%
Declining
Annual Openings
2,500
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 →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 Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.
Top Skills
Knowledge Areas
Key Tasks
- ▸ Immerse workpieces in coating solutions or liquid metal or plastic for specified times.
- ▸ Adjust dials to regulate flow of current and voltage supplied to terminals to control plating processes.
- ▸ Inspect coated or plated areas for defects, such as air bubbles or uneven coverage.
- ▸ Set up, operate, or tend plating or coating machines to coat metal or plastic products with chromium, zinc, copper, cadmium, nickel, or other metal to protect or decorate surfaces.
- ▸ Observe gauges to ensure that machines are operating properly, making adjustments or stopping machines when problems occur.
- ▸ Remove objects from solutions at periodic intervals and observe objects to verify conformance to specifications.
- ▸ Maintain production records.
- ▸ Remove excess materials or impurities from objects, using air hoses or grinding machines.
- ▸ Determine sizes and compositions of objects to be plated, and amounts of electrical current and time required.
- ▸ Test machinery to ensure that it is operating properly.
Source: O*NET Online, National Center for O*NET Development. Data represents typical importance ratings for this occupation.
Salary Range
Annual Salary Distribution
Hourly Rate Distribution
10th Percentile
$33,790
25th Percentile
$37,260
Median
$43,960
75th Percentile
$49,600
90th Percentile
$60,370
Salary by State
Highest Paying States
View all 40 states →
| # | State | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Iowa | $70,910 | +61% above national |
| 2 | Washington | $58,000 | +32% above national |
| 3 | Mississippi | $52,090 | +18% above national |
| 4 | Arkansas | $51,140 | +16% above national |
| 5 | Oklahoma | $49,330 | +12% above national |
| 6 | Oregon | $48,050 | +9% above national |
| 7 | Nebraska | $48,010 | +9% above national |
| 8 | Colorado | $47,930 | +9% above national |
| 9 | Arizona | $47,110 | +7% above national |
| 10 | Utah | $46,940 | +7% above national |
| 11 | Ohio | $46,790 | +6% above national |
| 12 | California | $46,760 | +6% above national |
| 13 | Minnesota | $46,730 | +6% above national |
| 14 | Florida | $46,460 | +6% above national |
| 15 | New Hampshire | $46,300 | +5% above national |
| 16 | Massachusetts | $46,150 | +5% above national |
| 17 | Maine | $45,720 | +4% above national |
| 18 | Pennsylvania | $45,590 | +4% above national |
| 19 | New York | $45,510 | +4% above national |
| 20 | South Carolina | $44,560 | +1% above national |
| 21 | Idaho | $44,470 | +1% above national |
| 22 | Wisconsin | $44,350 | +1% above national |
| 23 | Missouri | $44,080 | same as national |
| 24 | North Carolina | $43,540 | 1% below national |
| 25 | Virginia | $43,380 | 1% below national |
| 26 | Maryland | $42,030 | 4% below national |
| 27 | New Jersey | $40,800 | 7% below national |
| 28 | Tennessee | $39,510 | 10% below national |
| 29 | Georgia | $39,160 | 11% below national |
| 30 | Texas | $39,060 | 11% below national |
| 31 | Kansas | $38,770 | 12% below national |
| 32 | Indiana | $38,680 | 12% below national |
| 33 | Illinois | $38,620 | 12% below national |
| 34 | Rhode Island | $38,580 | 12% below national |
| 35 | Michigan | $37,600 | 14% below national |
| 36 | Nevada | $37,460 | 15% below national |
| 37 | Connecticut | $37,220 | 15% below national |
| 38 | Kentucky | $34,680 | 21% below national |
| 39 | Louisiana | $34,040 | 23% below national |
| 40 | Alabama | $33,730 | 23% below national |
Salary by Metro Area
Highest Paying Metros
View all 129 metro areas →
| # | Metro Area | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ogden, UT | $70,490 | +60% above national |
| 2 | West Kentucky nonmetropolitan area | $68,300 | +55% above national |
| 3 | Oklahoma City, OK | $65,040 | +48% above national |
| 4 | Omaha, NE-IA | $61,880 | +41% above national |
| 5 | Oshkosh-Neenah, WI | $59,720 | +36% above national |
| 6 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $58,400 | +33% above national |
| 7 | Jacksonville, FL | $56,350 | +28% above national |
| 8 | Reading, PA | $55,230 | +26% above national |
| 9 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $53,680 | +22% above national |
| 10 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $50,870 | +16% above national |
| 11 | Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $50,520 | +15% above national |
| 12 | Lancaster, PA | $50,080 | +14% above national |
| 13 | New Haven, CT | $49,100 | +12% above national |
| 14 | South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI | $48,810 | +11% above national |
| 15 | Central Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area | $48,760 | +11% above national |
| 16 | Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $48,690 | +11% above national |
| 17 | Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ | $48,610 | +11% above national |
| 18 | Columbus, OH | $48,610 | +11% above national |
| 19 | Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA | $48,360 | +10% above national |
| 20 | Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $48,250 | +10% above national |
| 21 | Lincoln, NE | $48,040 | +9% above national |
| 22 | Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $47,930 | +9% above national |
| 23 | South Nebraska nonmetropolitan area | $47,910 | +9% above national |
| 24 | Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $47,740 | +9% above national |
| 25 | Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | $47,630 | +8% above national |
| 26 | Cleveland, OH | $47,440 | +8% above national |
| 27 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $47,410 | +8% above national |
| 28 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $47,310 | +8% above national |
| 29 | Spartanburg, SC | $47,310 | +8% above national |
| 30 | Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $47,200 | +7% above national |
| 31 | Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH | $46,790 | +6% above national |
| 32 | Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $46,760 | +6% above national |
| 33 | Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | $46,630 | +6% above national |
| 34 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $46,420 | +6% above national |
| 35 | Southeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area | $46,390 | +6% above national |
| 36 | Northeast Nebraska nonmetropolitan area | $46,280 | +5% above national |
| 37 | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $46,130 | +5% above national |
| 38 | Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $46,120 | +5% above national |
| 39 | Stockton-Lodi, CA | $46,120 | +5% above national |
| 40 | Kansas nonmetropolitan area | $45,960 | +5% above national |
| 41 | North Northeastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area (noncontiguous) | $45,770 | +4% above national |
| 42 | Eastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area | $45,760 | +4% above national |
| 43 | Portland-South Portland, ME | $45,720 | +4% above national |
| 44 | Utica-Rome, NY | $45,650 | +4% above national |
| 45 | Kansas City, MO-KS | $45,540 | +4% above national |
| 46 | Charleston-North Charleston, SC | $45,520 | +4% above national |
| 47 | Youngstown-Warren, OH | $45,480 | +3% above national |
| 48 | Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $45,300 | +3% above national |
| 49 | Northwest Minnesota nonmetropolitan area | $45,280 | +3% above national |
| 50 | Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $45,050 | +2% above national |
| 51 | Springfield, MA | $45,000 | +2% above national |
| 52 | Tulsa, OK | $44,970 | +2% above national |
| 53 | West Northwestern Ohio nonmetropolitan area | $44,950 | +2% above national |
| 54 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $44,880 | +2% above national |
| 55 | Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $44,840 | +2% above national |
| 56 | Akron, OH | $44,630 | +2% above national |
| 57 | Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC | $44,600 | +1% above national |
| 58 | Pittsburgh, PA | $44,590 | +1% above national |
| 59 | Rochester, NY | $44,540 | +1% above national |
| 60 | Southern Indiana nonmetropolitan area | $43,970 | same as national |
| 61 | Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $43,840 | same as national |
| 62 | Northwestern Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area | $43,360 | 1% below national |
| 63 | Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | $43,250 | 2% below national |
| 64 | Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | $43,110 | 2% below national |
| 65 | Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA | $43,020 | 2% below national |
| 66 | Memphis, TN-MS-AR | $42,990 | 2% below national |
| 67 | Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | $42,900 | 2% below national |
| 68 | Appleton, WI | $42,340 | 4% below national |
| 69 | York-Hanover, PA | $42,290 | 4% below national |
| 70 | Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $42,280 | 4% below national |
| 71 | Monroe, MI | $42,240 | 4% below national |
| 72 | Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT | $41,870 | 5% below national |
| 73 | Southern Michigan nonmetropolitan area | $41,850 | 5% below national |
| 74 | Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $41,610 | 5% below national |
| 75 | Southeast Minnesota nonmetropolitan area | $41,450 | 6% below national |
| 76 | Jackson, MI | $41,190 | 6% below national |
| 77 | San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | $41,010 | 7% below national |
| 78 | Western North Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $40,890 | 7% below national |
| 79 | Greensboro-High Point, NC | $40,040 | 9% below national |
| 80 | Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | $40,040 | 9% below national |
| 81 | Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | $39,820 | 9% below national |
| 82 | Tucson, AZ | $39,520 | 10% below national |
| 83 | Huntsville, AL | $39,480 | 10% below national |
| 84 | Knoxville, TN | $39,440 | 10% below national |
| 85 | Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $39,420 | 10% below national |
| 86 | Elkhart-Goshen, IN | $39,230 | 11% below national |
| 87 | Fort Wayne, IN | $39,210 | 11% below national |
| 88 | East Tennessee nonmetropolitan area | $39,210 | 11% below national |
| 89 | Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $39,190 | 11% below national |
| 90 | West Central Illinois nonmetropolitan area | $39,110 | 11% below national |
| 91 | Battle Creek, MI | $39,070 | 11% below national |
| 92 | Green Bay, WI | $39,010 | 11% below national |
| 93 | Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $38,880 | 12% below national |
| 94 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $38,830 | 12% below national |
| 95 | Wichita, KS | $38,770 | 12% below national |
| 96 | Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | $38,740 | 12% below national |
| 97 | Fresno, CA | $38,380 | 13% below national |
| 98 | Columbus, IN | $38,280 | 13% below national |
| 99 | Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $38,240 | 13% below national |
| 100 | Jackson, TN | $38,220 | 13% below national |
| 101 | Northern Indiana nonmetropolitan area | $38,150 | 13% below national |
| 102 | Northwest Illinois nonmetropolitan area | $37,950 | 14% below national |
| 103 | Rockford, IL | $37,840 | 14% below national |
| 104 | Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | $37,820 | 14% below national |
| 105 | Reno, NV | $37,460 | 15% below national |
| 106 | Ann Arbor, MI | $37,450 | 15% below national |
| 107 | West Tennessee nonmetropolitan area | $37,410 | 15% below national |
| 108 | Northwestern Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area | $37,220 | 15% below national |
| 109 | Waterbury-Shelton, CT | $37,160 | 15% below national |
| 110 | Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA | $37,090 | 16% below national |
| 111 | Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI | $36,960 | 16% below national |
| 112 | Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | $36,900 | 16% below national |
| 113 | Erie, PA | $36,870 | 16% below national |
| 114 | Syracuse, NY | $36,720 | 16% below national |
| 115 | Central Kentucky nonmetropolitan area | $36,670 | 17% below national |
| 116 | St. Louis, MO-IL | $36,380 | 17% below national |
| 117 | Lansing-East Lansing, MI | $36,330 | 17% below national |
| 118 | North Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | $36,100 | 18% below national |
| 119 | Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | $35,770 | 19% below national |
| 120 | Muskegon-Norton Shores, MI | $35,620 | 19% below national |
| 121 | Southwest New York nonmetropolitan area | $35,470 | 19% below national |
| 122 | Niles, MI | $35,290 | 20% below national |
| 123 | Kalamazoo-Portage, MI | $35,110 | 20% below national |
| 124 | Middle Georgia nonmetropolitan area | $35,000 | 20% below national |
| 125 | Birmingham, AL | $33,430 | 24% below national |
| 126 | Kenosha, WI | $28,990 | 34% below national |
| 127 | Lexington-Fayette, KY | $28,380 | 35% below national |
| 128 | Chattanooga, TN-GA | $27,520 | 37% below national |
| 129 | Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH | $25,990 | 41% below national |
Similar Occupations in the Same Category
Other roles in SOC major group 51 (production) with comparable pay and career paths.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic make? ▼
What state pays Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic the most? ▼
What education do you need to become a Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic? ▼
How dangerous is being a Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic? ▼
Is Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic a good career? ▼
How does Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic pay vary by state? ▼
Which metro areas pay the most for Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic? ▼
What to do with this data
How to use Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic pay figures in a real decision
- For an experienced offer, anchor on the 75th percentile (about $49,600/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: Iowa leads at $70,910/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.
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.