Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic (SOC 51-4022) earn a median $49,030 a year ($23.57 an hour) in the United States, with 8,930 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is Oregon.
What forging machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic do
Forging machine setters, operators, and tenders shape heated or cold metal and some plastics by pressing or hammering it between dies to taper or form parts. From the work order or blueprint they learn the tolerances and the sequence of operations, then install and align dies, stop guides, and cams, often using overhead cranes. At the machine, they set the pressure and ram-stroke depth, feed stock or wire through a series of dies, and flatten, straighten, bend, cut, or pierce the stock. Finished pieces are measured and inspected, and settings are changed if parts drift out of specification. Sample workpieces are run first to check the setup, the cycle is watched for malfunctions, and the operator confers with other workers about machine setups and specifications. Rolling, extruding, and stamping machine operators handle related shaping work under separate codes.
Typical entry: According to O*NET, a high school diploma or equivalent is the most common level of education reported by workers in this occupation.
Also called: Air Table Operator, Anvil Seating Press Operator, Automatic Casting-Forging Machine Operator, Blacksmith, Board Hammer Operator.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $17.69 | $20.40 | $23.57 | $28.91 | $33.04 | $24.85 | 8,930 |
| Annual | $36,800 | $42,440 | $49,030 | $60,130 | $68,720 | $51,680 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where forging machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Oregon | Hourly | $25.09 | $25.09 | $33.27 | $40.19 | $42.99 | $34.53 | 30 | 0.02 | 0.31 |
| Annual | $52,180 | $52,180 | $69,210 | $83,590 | $89,420 | $71,820 | ||||
| Oklahoma | Hourly | $21.72 | $24.18 | $29.68 | $29.88 | $29.89 | $27.32 | ** | ** | ** |
| Annual | $45,170 | $50,300 | $61,720 | $62,150 | $62,170 | $56,820 | ||||
| Michigan | Hourly | $20.11 | $22.71 | $29.63 | $30.78 | $33.22 | $27.44 | 620 | 0.14 | 2.46 |
| Annual | $41,820 | $47,230 | $61,620 | $64,030 | $69,100 | $57,080 | ||||
| Nebraska | Hourly | $28.75 | $29.07 | $29.07 | $31.24 | $31.24 | $29.53 | 200 | 0.19 | 3.37 |
| Annual | $59,800 | $60,460 | $60,460 | $64,980 | $64,980 | $61,420 | ||||
| Wisconsin | Hourly | $23.30 | $25.64 | $29.00 | $29.09 | $30.46 | $27.31 | 80 | 0.03 | 0.47 |
| Annual | $48,460 | $53,340 | $60,310 | $60,500 | $63,360 | $56,810 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Tennessee | Hourly | $17.86 | $18.79 | $21.06 | $22.59 | $28.46 | $21.54 | 1,140 | 0.35 | 6.08 |
| Annual | $37,140 | $39,090 | $43,810 | $46,990 | $59,200 | $44,810 | ||||
| California | Hourly | $20.86 | $22.04 | $28.49 | $37.61 | $39.29 | $29.55 | 750 | 0.04 | 0.71 |
| Annual | $43,390 | $45,850 | $59,250 | $78,240 | $81,730 | $61,470 | ||||
| Texas | Hourly | $11.75 | $13.47 | $17.98 | $22.27 | $27.02 | $18.85 | 720 | 0.05 | 0.89 |
| Annual | $24,440 | $28,010 | $37,390 | $46,320 | $56,210 | $39,210 | ||||
| Michigan | Hourly | $20.11 | $22.71 | $29.63 | $30.78 | $33.22 | $27.44 | 620 | 0.14 | 2.46 |
| Annual | $41,820 | $47,230 | $61,620 | $64,030 | $69,100 | $57,080 | ||||
| Virginia | Hourly | $22.95 | $23.14 | $26.07 | $26.80 | $28.81 | $25.77 | 560 | 0.14 | 2.36 |
| Annual | $47,740 | $48,130 | $54,230 | $55,740 | $59,930 | $53,590 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | Hourly | $28.98 | $31.02 | $32.32 | $41.04 | $41.04 | $34.65 | 40 | 0.02 | 0.33 |
| Annual | $60,280 | $64,520 | $67,230 | $85,360 | $85,360 | $72,070 | ||||
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | Hourly | $22.47 | $22.47 | $30.71 | $34.29 | $35.52 | $28.58 | 190 | 0.07 | 1.16 |
| Annual | $46,730 | $46,730 | $63,880 | $71,320 | $73,880 | $59,440 | ||||
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | Hourly | $20.35 | $22.64 | $29.80 | $30.74 | $30.86 | $27.19 | 380 | 0.20 | 3.48 |
| Annual | $42,330 | $47,100 | $61,980 | $63,930 | $64,200 | $56,550 | ||||
| Pittsburgh, PA | Hourly | $21.88 | $23.68 | $29.56 | $29.57 | $34.71 | $27.99 | ** | ** | ** |
| Annual | $45,520 | $49,260 | $61,480 | $61,500 | $72,190 | $58,210 | ||||
| Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | Hourly | $24.91 | $28.39 | $29.09 | $29.09 | $30.46 | $28.09 | 60 | 0.07 | 1.21 |
| Annual | $51,810 | $59,050 | $60,500 | $60,500 | $63,360 | $58,430 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $21.20 | $22.32 | $28.52 | $37.74 | $39.23 | $29.79 | 510 | 0.08 | 1.42 |
| Annual | $44,090 | $46,430 | $59,320 | $78,500 | $81,600 | $61,970 | ||||
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | Hourly | $20.35 | $22.64 | $29.80 | $30.74 | $30.86 | $27.19 | 380 | 0.20 | 3.48 |
| Annual | $42,330 | $47,100 | $61,980 | $63,930 | $64,200 | $56,550 | ||||
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | Hourly | $17.86 | $21.37 | $21.38 | $22.59 | $23.76 | $21.64 | 240 | 0.22 | 3.74 |
| Annual | $37,140 | $44,450 | $44,460 | $46,990 | $49,410 | $45,000 | ||||
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | Hourly | $11.75 | $13.47 | $17.66 | $22.29 | $29.43 | $18.92 | 230 | 0.07 | 1.22 |
| Annual | $24,440 | $28,010 | $36,730 | $46,370 | $61,220 | $39,350 | ||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $16.80 | $17.13 | $18.55 | $28.43 | $31.62 | $22.52 | 200 | 0.02 | 0.36 |
| Annual | $34,940 | $35,630 | $38,580 | $59,130 | $65,770 | $46,840 | ||||
Top industries employing forging machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic
Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (3321, 3322, 3325, 3326, and 3329 only) employ 33.7% of forging machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic nationally (3,010 jobs) at a median $48,410 a year ($23.27 an hour), followed by Machine Shops; Turned Product; and Screw, Nut, and Bolt Manufacturing (12.3%) and Motor Vehicle Parts Manufacturing (10.6%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (3321, 3322, 3325, 3326, and 3329 only) NAICS 3320A1 | 3,010 | 33.7% | $48,410 | $23.27 |
| Machine Shops; Turned Product; and Screw, Nut, and Bolt Manufacturing NAICS 332700 | 1,100 | 12.3% | $58,020 | $27.89 |
| Motor Vehicle Parts Manufacturing NAICS 336300 | 950 | 10.6% | $44,460 | $21.37 |
| Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (3323 and 3324 only) NAICS 3320A2 | 490 | 5.5% | $56,180 | $27.01 |
| Machinery Manufacturing (3331, 3332, 3334, and 3339 only) NAICS 3330A1 | 430 | 4.8% | $47,270 | $22.73 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (8,930). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $44,520 for forging machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic in May 2021 and $49,030 in May 2025, with employment of 11,500 and 8,930.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $44,520 | $21.40 | 11,500 |
| May 2022 | $46,540 | $22.37 | 10,650 |
| May 2023 | $46,990 | $22.59 | 9,170 |
| May 2024 | $49,240 | $23.67 | 8,760 |
| May 2025 | $49,030 | $23.57 | 8,930 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
32 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oregon profile | $33.27 | $69,210 | $52,180 | $89,420 | 30 | 0.02 | 0.31 |
| 2 | Oklahoma profile | $29.68 | $61,720 | $45,170 | $62,170 | ** | ** | ** |
| 3 | Michigan profile | $29.63 | $61,620 | $41,820 | $69,100 | 620 | 0.14 | 2.46 |
| 4 | Nebraska profile | $29.07 | $60,460 | $59,800 | $64,980 | 200 | 0.19 | 3.37 |
| 5 | Wisconsin profile | $29.00 | $60,310 | $48,460 | $63,360 | 80 | 0.03 | 0.47 |
| 6 | California profile | $28.49 | $59,250 | $43,390 | $81,730 | 750 | 0.04 | 0.71 |
| 7 | Colorado profile | $27.87 | $57,970 | $39,900 | $67,310 | 140 | 0.05 | 0.86 |
| 8 | Ohio profile | $27.34 | $56,870 | $40,800 | $68,730 | 500 | 0.09 | 1.58 |
| 9 | New York profile | $27.09 | $56,350 | $38,620 | $71,320 | 260 | 0.03 | 0.46 |
| 10 | Missouri profile | $26.54 | $55,210 | $35,070 | $66,160 | 60 | 0.02 | 0.33 |
| 11 | Virginia profile | $26.07 | $54,230 | $47,740 | $59,930 | 560 | 0.14 | 2.36 |
| 12 | Indiana profile | $25.75 | $53,550 | $39,330 | $60,910 | 450 | 0.14 | 2.46 |
| 13 | Massachusetts profile | $24.89 | $51,770 | $39,180 | $89,400 | 310 | 0.09 | 1.49 |
| 14 | Kansas profile | $24.58 | $51,120 | $43,590 | $58,810 | 130 | 0.09 | 1.61 |
| 15 | Pennsylvania profile | $24.18 | $50,280 | $42,800 | $71,490 | 550 | 0.09 | 1.57 |
| 16 | Maryland profile | $24.00 | $49,920 | $49,920 | $53,750 | 30 | 0.01 | 0.22 |
| 17 | Illinois profile | $23.92 | $49,750 | $40,580 | $61,690 | 230 | 0.04 | 0.65 |
| 18 | South Carolina profile | $23.85 | $49,610 | $46,420 | $63,770 | 80 | 0.03 | 0.59 |
| 19 | Arizona profile | $23.43 | $48,730 | $47,510 | $62,350 | 30 | 0.01 | 0.18 |
| 20 | Iowa profile | $22.60 | $47,010 | $45,770 | $58,180 | ** | ** | ** |
| 21 | Alabama profile | $22.58 | $46,970 | $36,940 | $78,620 | 70 | 0.03 | 0.58 |
| 22 | Georgia profile | $22.35 | $46,490 | $37,730 | $61,980 | 380 | 0.08 | 1.36 |
| 23 | Connecticut profile | $21.69 | $45,120 | $38,210 | $54,090 | 110 | 0.06 | 1.10 |
| 24 | Nevada profile | $21.66 | $45,040 | $37,980 | $61,240 | 40 | 0.03 | 0.49 |
| 25 | Tennessee profile | $21.06 | $43,810 | $37,140 | $59,200 | 1,140 | 0.35 | 6.08 |
| 26 | Florida profile | $19.46 | $40,480 | $27,040 | $92,490 | 80 | 0.01 | 0.15 |
| 27 | Mississippi profile | $19.02 | $39,550 | $37,490 | $44,500 | 70 | 0.06 | 0.99 |
| 28 | Arkansas profile | $18.33 | $38,120 | $35,060 | $54,800 | 140 | 0.11 | 1.85 |
| 29 | Texas profile | $17.98 | $37,390 | $24,440 | $56,210 | 720 | 0.05 | 0.89 |
| 30 | West Virginia profile | $17.97 | $37,390 | $33,320 | $63,200 | ** | ** | ** |
| 31 | Kentucky profile | $17.36 | $36,110 | $32,460 | $59,590 | ** | ** | ** |
| 32 | New Jersey profile | $17.13 | $35,630 | $34,840 | $72,760 | ** | ** | ** |
Related occupations
Occupations in the same SOC broad group (51-4020), with their national median annual wage.
Part of Production Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 51-4022 Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic.
**- Employment estimate not available.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 51-4022, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 51-4022.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.