Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for milling and planing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic in the U.S. is $52,800 ($25.39 per hour), according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, May 2025 estimates.
- Median annual wage
- $52,800
- Mean annual wage
- $56,740
- Median hourly wage
- $25.39
- Employment
- 12,460
12,460 employed
Wage percentiles
| Percentile | Annual wage | Hourly wage |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $37,840 | $18.19 |
| 25th percentile | $45,210 | $21.74 |
| Median (50th) | $52,800 | $25.39 |
| 75th percentile | $64,900 | $31.20 |
| 90th percentile | $81,030 | $38.96 |
Highest-paying states for milling and planing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic
| State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Washington | $86,460 | 240 |
| Connecticut | $79,300 | 150 |
| Kentucky | $66,440 | 540 |
| Illinois | $63,360 | 570 |
| Massachusetts | $62,380 | — |
| Nebraska | $59,630 | 70 |
| California | $59,050 | 1,960 |
| Wisconsin | $58,770 | 280 |
| Indiana | $57,720 | 590 |
| New York | $56,560 | 550 |
Lowest-paying states
- Alabama: $35,760 median annual wage
- Georgia: $38,340 median annual wage
- Mississippi: $39,100 median annual wage
- Oklahoma: $40,250 median annual wage
- Tennessee: $43,710 median annual wage
About this occupation
Set up, operate, or tend milling or planing machines to mill, plane, shape, groove, or profile metal or plastic work pieces.
Typical tasks
- Select and install cutting tools and other accessories according to specifications, using hand tools or power tools.
- Replace worn tools, using hand tools, and sharpen dull tools, using bench grinders.
- Compute dimensions, tolerances, and angles of workpieces or machines according to specifications and knowledge of metal properties and shop mathematics.
- Select cutting speeds, feed rates, and depths of cuts, applying knowledge of metal properties and shop mathematics.
- Record production output.
- Turn valves or pull levers to start and regulate the flow of coolant or lubricant to work areas.
Education of the current workforce — typical entry: High school diploma or equivalent
| Education level | Share of workers |
|---|---|
| Less than high school diploma | 18.5% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 46.1% |
| Some college, no degree | 22.9% |
| Associate's degree | 7.1% |
| Bachelor's degree | 5.5% |
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.