SalariesWhat the occupation covers
Set up, operate, or tend machines to roll steel or plastic forming bends, beads, knurls, rolls, or plate, or to flatten, temper, or reduce gauge of material.
Official definition from the Standard Occupational Classification, code 51-4023.
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 | $37,690 | $3,141 | $725 | $18.12 |
| Lowest 25% earn less than | $44,020 | $3,668 | $847 | $21.16 |
| Median (half earn less, half more) | $50,140 | $4,178 | $964 | $24.10 |
| Top 25% earn more than | $61,880 | $5,157 | $1,190 | $29.75 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $70,310 | $5,859 | $1,352 | $33.80 |
* 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 Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic is $50,140, which is about the same. Among the 105 occupations of the field Production, it ranks number 35 by median pay. With 25,250 jobs, it makes up about 1.6 of every 10,000 jobs in the country.
Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic pay by state
The highest median pay was in Iowa ($72,670), Pennsylvania ($66,970) and Vermont ($66,240). The lowest was in Puerto Rico ($22,650), Mississippi ($39,320) and Kansas ($40,260). The most jobs were in Pennsylvania (3,070), Indiana (2,750) and Alabama (1,710). The occupation is most concentrated in Indiana, where its share of all jobs is 5.3 times the national share.
No state matches.
| State | Jobs | Median a year | Average a year | Median an hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Iowa | 660 | $72,670 | $65,600 | $34.94 |
| Pennsylvania | 3,070 | $66,970 | $62,240 | $32.20 |
| Vermont | 40 | $66,240 | $63,440 | $31.85 |
| Washington | 350 | $63,560 | $68,340 | $30.56 |
| Maryland | 310 | $61,470 | $59,640 | $29.55 |
| New York | 420 | $60,890 | $67,820 | $29.27 |
| Minnesota | 50 | $60,620 | $57,260 | $29.15 |
| Connecticut | 150 | $60,610 | $55,050 | $29.14 |
| New Hampshire | 40 | $60,570 | $62,850 | $29.12 |
| Colorado | 110 | $57,500 | $57,530 | $27.64 |
| Illinois | 550 | $54,180 | $53,580 | $26.05 |
| Alabama | 1,710 | $53,380 | $59,960 | $25.67 |
| Wisconsin | 290 | $51,370 | $54,920 | $24.70 |
| Kentucky | 1,120 | $50,400 | $50,090 | $24.23 |
| Oregon | 140 | $50,400 | $60,700 | $24.23 |
| Ohio | 1,310 | $50,030 | $52,170 | $24.05 |
| Louisiana | 110 | $49,920 | $56,380 | $24.00 |
| Texas | 1,680 | $49,660 | $51,650 | $23.88 |
| Tennessee | 1,290 | $48,540 | $48,450 | $23.34 |
| North Carolina | 510 | $48,450 | $49,640 | $23.29 |
| Oklahoma | 290 | $48,330 | $45,980 | $23.24 |
| South Carolina | 820 | $48,210 | $49,210 | $23.18 |
| California | 1,150 | $48,040 | $52,860 | $23.10 |
| Massachusetts | 480 | $47,830 | $50,750 | $22.99 |
| Arizona | 110 | $47,820 | $50,890 | $22.99 |
| Utah | 60 | $47,540 | $55,030 | $22.86 |
| Missouri | 180 | $47,390 | $45,680 | $22.79 |
| New Jersey | 250 | $46,980 | $52,270 | $22.59 |
| Florida | 310 | $46,810 | $51,640 | $22.51 |
| Virginia | 450 | $46,450 | $49,800 | $22.33 |
| South Dakota | 70 | $46,040 | $45,290 | $22.13 |
| Arkansas | 420 | $45,890 | $50,070 | $22.06 |
| Nebraska | 230 | $45,800 | $44,370 | $22.02 |
| Indiana | 2,750 | $45,430 | $48,680 | $21.84 |
| Georgia | 1,070 | $45,050 | $44,920 | $21.66 |
| Michigan | 1,480 | $44,090 | $48,250 | $21.20 |
| North Dakota | 150 | $43,480 | $44,880 | $20.90 |
| Kansas | 170 | $40,260 | $42,800 | $19.36 |
| Mississippi | 230 | $39,320 | $43,870 | $18.90 |
| Puerto Rico | 170 | $22,650 | $25,060 | $10.89 |
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
- Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators$50,690 a year
- Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$50,620 a year
- Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$50,270 a year
- Tool Grinders, Filers, and Sharpeners$50,060 a year
- Patternmakers, Wood$49,630 a year
- Dental Laboratory Technicians$49,610 a year
Common questions
How much do Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic earn in the United States?
The median pay was $50,140 a year in May 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $37,690 and the highest-paid 10% more than $70,310.
How many people work as Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic?
About 25,250 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.