Occupations · Production
Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Synthetic and Glass Fibers
Set up, operate, or tend machines that extrude and form continuous filaments from synthetic materials, such as liquid polymer, rayon, and fiberglass.
O*NET 30.3 Database (USDOL/ETA) · occupation code 51-6091.00
What it pays
A single “average salary” hides the spread. This is the whole distribution — the gap between the bottom and top bar is usually the number that matters.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024 · national, cross-industry · annual wage
Pay over time
Median up 60% between 2003 and 2024, before inflation. The band shows the 10th to 90th percentile.
BLS OEWS, one release per year. Before May 2011 only national estimates were published, so geography detail starts there.
Where the jobs are
| Metro area | Median wage | Employed |
|---|---|---|
| Dalton, GA | $44,180 | 910 |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $46,610 | 830 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $57,970 | 570 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $50,600 | 530 |
| Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC | $41,080 | 520 |
| Columbia, SC | $43,260 | 470 |
| Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX | $47,210 | 300 |
| Chattanooga, TN-GA | $49,960 | 300 |
| Greensboro-High Point, NC | $42,530 | 250 |
| Wilmington, NC | $52,470 | 240 |
| Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC | $34,770 | 230 |
| Greenville-Anderson-Mauldin, SC | $40,190 | 210 |
BLS OEWS May 2024, metropolitan estimates · the 12 areas with the most people in this occupation
Typical education to enter: High school diploma or equivalent · BLS Employment Projections 2024–34
What people in this job actually do
Ordered by how important the work is rated.
- Set up, operate, or tend machines that extrude and form filaments from synthetic materials such as rayon, fiberglass, or liquid polymers.
- Press buttons to stop machines when processes are complete or when malfunctions are detected.
- Notify other workers of defects, and direct them to adjust extruding and forming machines.
- Observe flow of finish across finish rollers, and turn valves to adjust flow to specifications.
- Observe machine operations, control boards, and gauges to detect malfunctions such as clogged bushings and defective binder applicators.
- Remove polymer deposits from spinnerettes and equipment, using silicone spray, brass chisels, and bronze-wool pads.
- Load materials into extruding and forming machines, using hand tools, and adjust feed mechanisms to set feed rates.
- Record operational data on tags, and attach tags to machines.
- Press metering-pump buttons and turn valves to stop flow of polymers.
- Move controls to activate and adjust extruding and forming machines.
- Start metering pumps and observe operation of machines and equipment to ensure continuous flow of filaments extruded through spinnerettes and to detect processing defects.
- Remove excess, entangled, or completed filaments from machines, using hand tools.
O*NET 30.3 task ratings, importance scale
Skills that matter most
Importance, rated 1 to 5.
O*NET 30.3 skills, importance scale
Software and tools
A dot marks what O*NET flags as in demand.
O*NET 30.3 software skills · hot-technology flag
What this work is actually like
Conditions rated against the average across all occupations — only what makes this job different is listed.
O*NET 30.3 Job Zones
Working conditions that stand out
O*NET 30.3 work context, frequency scale · observed 2019-08
How people actually get in
Share of workers by the education they hold.
O*NET 30.2 education, training and experience · observed 2019-08
What kind of person the work suits
Occupational interest profile, rated 1 to 7.
O*NET 30.2 occupational interests (RIASEC)
What you take with you
Skills rated for how well they transfer into other occupations.
O*NET 30.3 transferable skills, importance scale
Knowledge the work draws on
Abilities it leans on
O*NET 30.3 abilities and knowledge, importance scale
How this job is advertised
The same work is posted under many titles — this is what to search for.
O*NET 30.3 job titles reported for this occupation
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What changed since 2015
Comparing O*NET release 20.1 (2015-10-01) with 30.3 (2026-05-01). Signs, not colour alone, carry the meaning.
Now listed 7
No longer listed 1
Diff across the O*NET releases held here in full since October 2015, following occupations through merges and retirements. O*NET re-surveys occupations on a rolling cycle, so “no change” can also mean “not re-surveyed”.
Related jobs
O*NET 30.3 related occupations
Also called
O*NET 30.3 alternative titles
The same work in Europe
| ESCO occupation | ISCO | Match |
|---|---|---|
| fibre machine tender | 8181.6 | exact |
| extrusion machine operator | 8121.2 | close |
| nonwoven textile technician | 8159.7 | broader |
| nonwoven filament machine operator | 8131.15 | broader |
Official ESCO ↔ O*NET crosswalk (ESCO Secretariat with USDOL/ETA)
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