SalariesWhat the occupation covers
Set up, operate, or tend forging machines to taper, shape, or form metal or plastic parts.
Official definition from the Standard Occupational Classification, code 51-4022.
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 | $36,800 | $3,067 | $708 | $17.69 |
| Lowest 25% earn less than | $42,440 | $3,537 | $816 | $20.40 |
| Median (half earn less, half more) | $49,030 | $4,086 | $943 | $23.57 |
| Top 25% earn more than | $60,130 | $5,011 | $1,156 | $28.91 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $68,720 | $5,727 | $1,322 | $33.04 |
* 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 Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic is $49,030, which is 4% lower. Among the 105 occupations of the field Production, it ranks number 40 by median pay. With 8,930 jobs, it makes up about 0.6 of every 10,000 jobs in the country.
Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic pay by state
The highest median pay was in Oregon ($69,210), Oklahoma ($61,720) and Michigan ($61,620). The lowest was in New Jersey ($35,630), Kentucky ($36,110) and West Virginia ($37,390). The most jobs were in Tennessee (1,140), California (750) and Texas (720). The occupation is most concentrated in Tennessee, where its share of all jobs is 6.1 times the national share.
No state matches.
| State | Jobs | Median a year | Average a year | Median an hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oregon | 30 | $69,210 | $71,820 | $33.27 |
| Oklahoma | not published | $61,720 | $56,820 | $29.68 |
| Michigan | 620 | $61,620 | $57,080 | $29.63 |
| Nebraska | 200 | $60,460 | $61,420 | $29.07 |
| Wisconsin | 80 | $60,310 | $56,810 | $29.00 |
| California | 750 | $59,250 | $61,470 | $28.49 |
| Colorado | 140 | $57,970 | $56,220 | $27.87 |
| Ohio | 500 | $56,870 | $55,940 | $27.34 |
| New York | 260 | $56,350 | $55,410 | $27.09 |
| Missouri | 60 | $55,210 | $51,610 | $26.54 |
| Virginia | 560 | $54,230 | $53,590 | $26.07 |
| Indiana | 450 | $53,550 | $52,600 | $25.75 |
| Massachusetts | 310 | $51,770 | $59,820 | $24.89 |
| Kansas | 130 | $51,120 | $51,620 | $24.58 |
| Pennsylvania | 550 | $50,280 | $54,500 | $24.18 |
| Maryland | 30 | $49,920 | $51,710 | $24.00 |
| Illinois | 230 | $49,750 | $51,970 | $23.92 |
| South Carolina | 80 | $49,610 | $51,540 | $23.85 |
| Arizona | 30 | $48,730 | $52,630 | $23.43 |
| Iowa | not published | $47,010 | $48,280 | $22.60 |
| Alabama | 70 | $46,970 | $52,460 | $22.58 |
| Georgia | 380 | $46,490 | $50,660 | $22.35 |
| Connecticut | 110 | $45,120 | $44,650 | $21.69 |
| Nevada | 40 | $45,040 | $49,320 | $21.66 |
| Tennessee | 1,140 | $43,810 | $44,810 | $21.06 |
| Florida | 80 | $40,480 | $44,180 | $19.46 |
| Mississippi | 70 | $39,550 | $39,810 | $19.02 |
| Arkansas | 140 | $38,120 | $42,850 | $18.33 |
| Texas | 720 | $37,390 | $39,210 | $17.98 |
| West Virginia | not published | $37,390 | $42,910 | $17.97 |
| Kentucky | not published | $36,110 | $40,810 | $17.36 |
| New Jersey | not published | $35,630 | $43,450 | $17.13 |
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
- Patternmakers, Wood$49,630 a year
- Dental Laboratory Technicians$49,610 a year
- Drilling and Boring Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$49,080 a year
- Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$48,990 a year
- Heat Treating Equipment Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$48,750 a year
- Prepress Technicians and Workers$48,690 a year
Common questions
How much do Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic earn in the United States?
The median pay was $49,030 a year in May 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $36,800 and the highest-paid 10% more than $68,720.
How many people work as Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic?
About 8,930 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.