Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic salary in the U.S.
Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic in the U.S. earn a median of $47,180 a year ($22.68 an hour), based on BLS data for 124,590 workers.
Pay ranges from $35,780 for the lowest-paid 10% to $74,450 for the top 10%. The average (mean) salary is $50,030, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for multiple machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic in the U.S.
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $35,780 | $17.20 |
| 25th percentile | $39,420 | $18.95 |
| Median | $47,180 | $22.68 |
| 75th percentile | $57,800 | $27.79 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $74,450 | $35.79 |
| Average (mean) | $50,030 | $24.05 |
Half of multiple machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic earn more than the median and half earn less. Percentiles show the spread: 10% earn less than the 10th percentile, and 10% earn more than the 90th.
Median paycheck, before taxes
| Pay period | Amount |
|---|---|
| Monthly | $3,931.67 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $1,965.83 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $1,814.62 |
| Weekly | $907.31 |
| Hourly | $22.68 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic salary by state
| State | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| West Virginia | $76,080 | 1,920 |
| Kentucky | $54,960 | 5,510 |
| Missouri | $53,160 | 7,220 |
| Maryland | $51,780 | 400 |
| Nebraska | $50,960 | 1,250 |
| Virginia | $50,600 | 1,030 |
| Washington | $50,540 | 830 |
| Vermont | $50,450 | 110 |
| Idaho | $50,410 | 480 |
| New York | $49,890 | 3,660 |
| North Dakota | $49,190 | 490 |
| Texas | $49,050 | 10,540 |
| Minnesota | $48,980 | 2,540 |
| Iowa | $48,910 | 4,460 |
| Kansas | $48,450 | 290 |
| Massachusetts | $48,230 | 1,390 |
| Pennsylvania | $48,070 | 7,960 |
| Wisconsin | $47,700 | 3,570 |
| Oregon | $47,470 | 1,120 |
| North Carolina | $47,320 | 3,200 |
| California | $46,810 | 3,190 |
| Maine | $46,710 | 300 |
| Oklahoma | $46,470 | 2,180 |
| Ohio | $46,420 | 11,170 |
| Louisiana | $46,210 | 900 |
| Colorado | $46,160 | 220 |
| Michigan | $45,920 | 9,350 |
| South Carolina | $45,740 | 4,520 |
| New Hampshire | $45,710 | 600 |
| Indiana | $45,100 | 7,480 |
| South Dakota | $44,700 | 120 |
| Illinois | $44,350 | 6,090 |
| Arkansas | $44,080 | 1,570 |
| Alabama | $43,800 | 1,680 |
| Tennessee | $43,630 | 930 |
| Utah | $43,550 | 1,340 |
| Arizona | $43,090 | 1,760 |
| Connecticut | $42,580 | 2,150 |
| New Jersey | $41,390 | 3,090 |
| Florida | $41,220 | 2,530 |
| Nevada | $40,310 | n/a |
| Wyoming | $40,000 | 110 |
| Georgia | $38,810 | 2,980 |
| Rhode Island | $38,720 | 680 |
| Mississippi | $36,330 | 1,070 |
| Puerto Rico | $28,770 | 670 |
Best-paying metro areas for multiple machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $80,110 | 5,440 |
| Charleston, WV | $71,470 | 90 |
| Saginaw, MI | $65,610 | 130 |
| Oshkosh-Neenah, WI | $63,060 | 110 |
| Athens-Clarke County, GA | $62,600 | 170 |
| St. Louis, MO-IL | $62,090 | 4,480 |
| Ann Arbor, MI | $61,320 | 380 |
| Rochester, NY | $55,700 | 550 |
| Roanoke, VA | $55,300 | 50 |
| Sioux City, IA-NE-SD | $54,980 | 80 |
| Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR | $54,390 | 220 |
| Terre Haute, IN | $54,050 | 260 |
| Cedar Rapids, IA | $53,940 | 530 |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $53,860 | 160 |
| St. George, UT | $52,810 | 40 |
Metro areas with the most multiple machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic
| Metro area | Workers | Median salary |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 5,460 | $45,030 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 5,440 | $80,110 |
| St. Louis, MO-IL | 4,480 | $62,090 |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | 4,310 | $51,210 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 2,720 | $45,350 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | 2,320 | $42,050 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | 2,080 | $49,260 |
| Cleveland, OH | 2,000 | $49,070 |
| Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC | 1,990 | $45,160 |
| Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI | 1,960 | $37,640 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 1,960 | $48,180 |
| Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | 1,680 | $49,640 |
| Toledo, OH | 1,640 | $39,780 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | 1,500 | $45,770 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | 1,470 | $43,900 |
Related jobs in the U.S.
More: Production Occupations
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 51-4081. Wages include base pay, tips, commissions and shift pay, but not overtime, bonuses or benefits, and exclude the self-employed.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a multiple machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic make in the U.S.?
The median salary for multiple machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic in the U.S. is $47,180 a year, or $22.68 an hour. Pay ranges from $35,780 for the lowest-paid 10% to $74,450 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid multiple machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic make in the U.S.?
The top 10% of multiple machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic in the U.S. earn at least $74,450 a year. The top 25% earn $57,800 or more.
What is the starting pay for multiple machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic in the U.S.?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $35,780 a year, and a quarter of multiple machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic earn $39,420 or less.
How many multiple machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic work in the U.S.?
About 124,590 multiple machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic are employed in the U.S., not counting the self-employed.