SalariesWhat the occupation covers
Set up, operate, or tend machines to saw, cut, shear, slit, punch, crimp, notch, bend, or straighten metal or plastic material.
Official definition from the Standard Occupational Classification, code 51-4031.
The pay range
Pay differs a lot inside one occupation, with experience, employer and place. The table shows where the lines fall.
| Share of workers | A year | A month* | A week* | An hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lowest 10% earn less than | $35,760 | $2,980 | $688 | $17.19 |
| Lowest 25% earn less than | $38,870 | $3,239 | $748 | $18.69 |
| Median (half earn less, half more) | $46,330 | $3,861 | $891 | $22.27 |
| Top 25% earn more than | $55,410 | $4,618 | $1,066 | $26.64 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $65,510 | $5,459 | $1,260 | $31.50 |
* Month and week are the yearly figure divided by 12 and by 52, worked out here for convenience. BLS publishes the yearly and hourly figures.
How it compares
The median for all occupations in the United States was $50,980 a year. The median for Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic is $46,330, which is 9% lower. Among the 105 occupations of the field Production, it ranks number 61 by median pay. With 171,200 jobs, it makes up about 11 of every 10,000 jobs in the country.
Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic pay by state
The highest median pay was in Oregon ($53,680), Maine ($51,820) and Washington ($51,160). The lowest was in Puerto Rico ($24,090), New Mexico ($39,430) and Florida ($39,440). The most jobs were in Michigan (22,060), Ohio (13,350) and Texas (13,290). The occupation is most concentrated in Michigan, where its share of all jobs is 4.5 times the national share.
No state matches.
| State | Jobs | Median a year | Average a year | Median an hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oregon | 1,180 | $53,680 | $55,390 | $25.81 |
| Maine | 180 | $51,820 | $52,050 | $24.92 |
| Washington | 1,750 | $51,160 | $55,150 | $24.60 |
| Colorado | 1,400 | $50,790 | $55,080 | $24.42 |
| Minnesota | 6,130 | $49,770 | $50,850 | $23.93 |
| Wisconsin | 7,960 | $49,270 | $50,500 | $23.69 |
| Alaska | 80 | $49,010 | $51,270 | $23.56 |
| Illinois | 8,060 | $48,990 | $51,740 | $23.55 |
| Nebraska | 1,320 | $48,690 | $49,090 | $23.41 |
| Montana | 130 | $48,490 | $49,330 | $23.31 |
| California | 7,710 | $48,450 | $51,620 | $23.29 |
| North Dakota | 230 | $48,400 | $51,620 | $23.27 |
| Missouri | 3,240 | $48,310 | $50,680 | $23.23 |
| Iowa | 2,030 | $48,240 | $47,960 | $23.19 |
| Rhode Island | 470 | $48,170 | $50,870 | $23.16 |
| New Hampshire | 600 | $48,110 | $48,150 | $23.13 |
| Pennsylvania | 8,890 | $47,860 | $49,670 | $23.01 |
| Nevada | 580 | $47,690 | $46,710 | $22.93 |
| Maryland | 270 | $47,320 | $47,280 | $22.75 |
| Virginia | 1,790 | $47,300 | $48,270 | $22.74 |
| Indiana | 9,680 | $46,980 | $49,900 | $22.59 |
| New York | 3,340 | $46,930 | $50,330 | $22.56 |
| Wyoming | 60 | $46,890 | $48,060 | $22.54 |
| Kansas | 1,900 | $46,840 | $48,770 | $22.52 |
| Utah | 1,050 | $46,670 | $48,760 | $22.44 |
| Arizona | 1,100 | $46,610 | $47,680 | $22.41 |
| Connecticut | 2,030 | $46,280 | $48,190 | $22.25 |
| Michigan | 22,060 | $46,120 | $51,880 | $22.17 |
| South Dakota | 490 | $46,060 | $47,740 | $22.15 |
| Kentucky | 7,290 | $45,760 | $48,770 | $22.00 |
| Massachusetts | 2,590 | $45,760 | $49,360 | $22.00 |
| New Jersey | 1,950 | $45,680 | $47,670 | $21.96 |
| Arkansas | 3,020 | $45,580 | $44,480 | $21.91 |
| Ohio | 13,350 | $45,230 | $46,370 | $21.75 |
| Georgia | 5,260 | $45,080 | $47,040 | $21.67 |
| Tennessee | 5,380 | $44,780 | $43,980 | $21.53 |
| South Carolina | 4,100 | $44,420 | $45,540 | $21.35 |
| Alabama | 6,000 | $43,830 | $43,760 | $21.07 |
| Vermont | 70 | $43,560 | $46,870 | $20.94 |
| North Carolina | 3,940 | $43,400 | $45,980 | $20.86 |
| West Virginia | 290 | $43,070 | $45,130 | $20.71 |
| Texas | 13,290 | $42,720 | $43,580 | $20.54 |
| Delaware | 240 | $41,640 | $44,700 | $20.02 |
| Oklahoma | 2,480 | $40,930 | $44,240 | $19.68 |
| Louisiana | 760 | $40,870 | $44,990 | $19.65 |
| Mississippi | 1,700 | $40,650 | $44,140 | $19.55 |
| Idaho | 720 | $39,580 | $42,920 | $19.03 |
| Florida | 2,740 | $39,440 | $41,940 | $18.96 |
| New Mexico | 220 | $39,430 | $40,630 | $18.96 |
| Puerto Rico | 240 | $24,090 | $26,770 | $11.58 |
Sorted by median pay, highest first. "Not published" means BLS did not release that figure for the state, usually because too few employers were surveyed. "$239,200 or more" is the highest value BLS reports in the state tables.
Similar occupations by pay
- Adhesive Bonding Machine Operators and Tenders$46,460 a year
- Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Synthetic and Glass Fibers$46,350 a year
- Upholsterers$46,340 a year
- Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic$46,170 a year
- Metal Workers and Plastic Workers, All Other$45,950 a year
- Electrical, Electronic, and Electromechanical Assemblers, Except Coil Winders, Tapers, and Finishers$45,850 a year
Common questions
How much do Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic earn in the United States?
The median pay was $46,330 a year in May 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $35,760 and the highest-paid 10% more than $65,510.
How many people work as Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic?
About 171,200 jobs in the United States in May 2025, not counting the self-employed.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Checked in November 2026. Figures are for employees, before tax, and leave out overtime pay and benefits. They are official statistics, not advice or a pay offer; see bls.gov/oes for the original tables.