SalariesWhat the occupation covers
All metal workers and plastic workers not listed separately.
Official definition from the Standard Occupational Classification, code 51-4199.
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 | $35,350 | $2,946 | $680 | $16.99 |
| Lowest 25% earn less than | $39,190 | $3,266 | $754 | $18.84 |
| Median (half earn less, half more) | $45,950 | $3,829 | $884 | $22.09 |
| Top 25% earn more than | $54,100 | $4,508 | $1,040 | $26.01 |
| 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 Metal Workers and Plastic Workers, All Other is $45,950, which is 10% lower. Among the 105 occupations of the field Production, it ranks number 63 by median pay. With 15,900 jobs, it makes up about 1.0 of every 10,000 jobs in the country.
Metal Workers and Plastic Workers, All Other pay by state
The highest median pay was in Hawaii ($78,000), Washington ($65,760) and Oklahoma ($65,040). The lowest was in Puerto Rico ($21,840), New Jersey ($33,790) and Florida ($36,040). The most jobs were in California (1,970), Georgia (1,730) and Texas (1,410). The occupation is most concentrated in New Hampshire, where its share of all jobs is 11.3 times the national share.
No state matches.
| State | Jobs | Median a year | Average a year | Median an hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | 30 | $78,000 | $73,080 | $37.50 |
| Washington | 360 | $65,760 | $75,360 | $31.62 |
| Oklahoma | 180 | $65,040 | $56,470 | $31.27 |
| Kentucky | 200 | $61,320 | $60,310 | $29.48 |
| New York | 150 | $60,740 | $62,570 | $29.20 |
| Montana | 110 | $56,740 | $51,590 | $27.28 |
| Utah | 30 | $54,940 | $52,620 | $26.42 |
| Indiana | 250 | $54,890 | $54,670 | $26.39 |
| Alabama | 80 | $54,360 | $53,580 | $26.13 |
| New Mexico | 40 | $53,080 | $54,470 | $25.52 |
| Colorado | 400 | $52,430 | $52,930 | $25.21 |
| Minnesota | 110 | $51,990 | $54,310 | $25.00 |
| Virginia | 130 | $51,690 | $61,040 | $24.85 |
| Maryland | 510 | $50,280 | $53,300 | $24.17 |
| Illinois | 170 | $49,570 | $57,470 | $23.83 |
| Oregon | 570 | $49,510 | $53,170 | $23.80 |
| Missouri | 210 | $48,920 | $48,370 | $23.52 |
| New Hampshire | 790 | $47,830 | $49,090 | $23.00 |
| California | 1,970 | $47,380 | $51,170 | $22.78 |
| Massachusetts | 30 | $47,060 | $62,050 | $22.63 |
| Arizona | 100 | $47,050 | $51,270 | $22.62 |
| Iowa | 40 | $46,570 | $49,580 | $22.39 |
| South Carolina | 400 | $46,470 | $46,410 | $22.34 |
| Nevada | 210 | $46,440 | $51,110 | $22.33 |
| Louisiana | 210 | $45,680 | $46,470 | $21.96 |
| Texas | 1,410 | $45,560 | $46,380 | $21.91 |
| Pennsylvania | 800 | $45,350 | $47,040 | $21.80 |
| North Carolina | 470 | $45,190 | $46,390 | $21.73 |
| Ohio | 790 | $45,180 | $46,940 | $21.72 |
| Wisconsin | 470 | $45,100 | $48,340 | $21.68 |
| Georgia | 1,730 | $42,030 | $43,060 | $20.21 |
| Maine | 60 | $41,600 | $48,530 | $20.00 |
| Arkansas | 180 | $40,570 | $46,540 | $19.51 |
| Connecticut | 350 | $40,260 | $45,290 | $19.36 |
| Michigan | 530 | $40,110 | $43,560 | $19.28 |
| Tennessee | 980 | $36,770 | $40,570 | $17.68 |
| Florida | 490 | $36,040 | $37,980 | $17.33 |
| New Jersey | not published | $33,790 | $40,380 | $16.25 |
| Puerto Rico | 40 | $21,840 | $23,380 | $10.50 |
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
- Upholsterers$46,340 a year
- Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$46,330 a year
- Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic$46,170 a year
- Electrical, Electronic, and Electromechanical Assemblers, Except Coil Winders, Tapers, and Finishers$45,850 a year
- Printing Press Operators$45,780 a year
- Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$45,760 a year
Common questions
How much do Metal Workers and Plastic Workers, All Other earn in the United States?
The median pay was $45,950 a year in May 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $35,350 and the highest-paid 10% more than $65,510.
How many people work as Metal Workers and Plastic Workers, All Other?
About 15,900 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.