Occupations · Production
Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
Set up, operate, or tend more than one type of cutting or forming machine tool or robot.
O*NET 30.3 Database (USDOL/ETA) · occupation code 51-4081.00
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 59% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $77,520 | 5,530 |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | $46,460 | 3,840 |
| Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX | $46,860 | 3,700 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI | $46,610 | 3,560 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA | $38,010 | 3,150 |
| Cleveland, OH | $47,320 | 2,700 |
| Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $47,690 | 2,290 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $47,600 | 2,260 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $47,670 | 1,940 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | $47,980 | 1,790 |
| Toledo, OH | $38,530 | 1,630 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $45,570 | 1,470 |
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.
- Inspect workpieces for defects, and measure workpieces to determine accuracy of machine operation, using rules, templates, or other measuring instruments.
- Position, adjust, and secure stock material or workpieces against stops, on arbors, or in chucks, fixtures, or automatic feeding mechanisms, manually or using hoists.
- Select, install, and adjust alignment of drills, cutters, dies, guides, and holding devices, using templates, measuring instruments, and hand tools.
- Read blueprints or job orders to determine product specifications and tooling instructions and to plan operational sequences.
- Observe machine operation to detect workpiece defects or machine malfunctions, adjusting machines as necessary.
- Set up and operate machines, such as lathes, cutters, shears, borers, millers, grinders, presses, drills, or auxiliary machines, to make metallic and plastic workpieces.
- Measure and mark reference points and cutting lines on workpieces, using traced templates, compasses, and rules.
- Change worn machine accessories, such as cutting tools or brushes, using hand tools.
- Set machine stops or guides to specified lengths as indicated by scales, rules, or templates.
- Select the proper coolants and lubricants and start their flow.
- Perform minor machine maintenance, such as oiling or cleaning machines, dies, or workpieces, or adding coolant to machine reservoirs.
- Remove burrs, sharp edges, rust, or scale from workpieces, using files, hand grinders, wire brushes, or power 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 2021-08
How people actually get in
Share of workers by the education they hold.
O*NET 30.2 education, training and experience · observed 2021-08
What kind of person the work suits
Occupational interest profile, rated 1 to 7.
O*NET 30.2 occupational interests (RIASEC)
Tasks O*NET flags as emerging
- Write programs for computer numerical control (CNC) machines to cut metal and plastic materials.
O*NET 25.3 emerging tasks
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 5
No longer listed 3
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 |
|---|---|---|
| tool and die maker | 7222.5 | close |
| swaging machine operator | 7223.23 | broader |
| deburring machine operator | 8122.5 | broader |
| metal nibbling operator | 7223.11 | broader |
| punch press operator | 7223.4.7 | broader |
| screw machine operator | 7223.19 | broader |
| gear machinist | 7223.8 | broader |
| straightening machine operator | 7223.22 | broader |
| drill press operator | 7223.6 | broader |
| fitter and turner | 7223.7 | broader |
Official ESCO ↔ O*NET crosswalk (ESCO Secretariat with USDOL/ETA)
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