Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic in the U.S. is $46,330 ($22.27 per hour), according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, May 2025 estimates.
- Median annual wage
- $46,330
- Mean annual wage
- $48,430
- Median hourly wage
- $22.27
- Employment
- 171,200
171,200 employed
Wage percentiles
| Percentile | Annual wage | Hourly wage |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $35,760 | $17.19 |
| 25th percentile | $38,870 | $18.69 |
| Median (50th) | $46,330 | $22.27 |
| 75th percentile | $55,410 | $26.64 |
| 90th percentile | $65,510 | $31.50 |
Highest-paying states for cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic
| State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Oregon | $53,680 | 1,180 |
| Maine | $51,820 | 180 |
| Washington | $51,160 | 1,750 |
| Colorado | $50,790 | 1,400 |
| Minnesota | $49,770 | 6,130 |
| Wisconsin | $49,270 | 7,960 |
| Alaska | $49,010 | 80 |
| Illinois | $48,990 | 8,060 |
| Nebraska | $48,690 | 1,320 |
| Montana | $48,490 | 130 |
Lowest-paying states
- New Mexico: $39,430 median annual wage
- Florida: $39,440 median annual wage
- Idaho: $39,580 median annual wage
- Mississippi: $40,650 median annual wage
- Louisiana: $40,870 median annual wage
About this occupation
Set up, operate, or tend machines to saw, cut, shear, slit, punch, crimp, notch, bend, or straighten metal or plastic material.
Typical tasks
- Position, align, and secure workpieces against fixtures or stops on machine beds or on dies.
- Install, align, and lock specified punches, dies, cutting blades, or other fixtures in rams or beds of machines, using gauges, templates, feelers, shims, and hand tools.
- Measure completed workpieces to verify conformance to specifications, using micrometers, gauges, calipers, templates, or rulers.
- Set stops on machine beds, change dies, and adjust components, such as rams or power presses, when making multiple or successive passes.
- Position guides, stops, holding blocks, or other fixtures to secure and direct workpieces, using hand tools and measuring devices.
- Start machines, monitor their operations, and record operational data.
Education of the current workforce — typical entry: High school diploma or equivalent
| Education level | Share of workers |
|---|---|
| Less than high school diploma | 16.8% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 54.0% |
| Some college, no degree | 19.1% |
| Associate's degree | 6.8% |
| Bachelor's degree | 2.9% |
| Master's degree | 0.4% |
Occupation profile data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor.
Related occupations
- Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators$44,650
- First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers$74,450
- Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers$48,570
- Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers$53,750
- Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders$43,220
- Machinists$58,750
- Production Workers, All Other$40,110
- Electrical, Electronic, and Electromechanical Assemblers, Except Coil Winders, Tapers, and Finishers$45,850
About this data
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — data period May 2025, retrieved August 13, 2026.
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — data period May 2025, retrieved August 13, 2026.
- CareerOneStop Occupation Profiles — data period 2026-08, retrieved August 14, 2026.
Figures are shown exactly as published by the source or derived by the documented formulas on our methodology page. Where a source suppresses an estimate, we show “—” rather than a substitute value.