Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic (SOC 51-4193) earn a median $43,960 a year ($21.14 an hour) in the United States, with 32,410 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is Iowa.
What plating machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic do
Plating machine operators coat metal or plastic products with a layer of another metal, such as chromium, zinc, copper, cadmium, or nickel, to protect or decorate the surface. Workpieces are immersed in plating solution or, in some processes, molten metal, and left there for a specified time. The operator adjusts dials to control voltage and current, watches gauges, and stops the line when something goes wrong. Pieces are lifted out at intervals and examined for bubbles, thin spots, or uneven coverage. Excess material or impurities are removed from objects with air hoses or grinding machines, and production records are kept. Anodizing appears among the job titles. Coating, painting, and spraying machine operators are excluded and counted in a separate code.
Typical entry: According to O*NET, less than a high school diploma is the most common level of education reported by workers in this occupation.
Also called: Alodize Machine Operator, Anode Machine Operator, Anodic Operator, Anodic Treater, Anodize Machine Operator.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $16.25 | $17.91 | $21.14 | $23.85 | $29.02 | $21.69 | 32,410 |
| Annual | $33,790 | $37,260 | $43,960 | $49,600 | $60,370 | $45,100 | ||
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 plating 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 | ||||||
| Iowa | Hourly | $18.12 | $22.08 | $34.09 | $34.09 | $34.09 | $28.44 | 440 | 0.28 | 1.36 |
| Annual | $37,690 | $45,930 | $70,910 | $70,910 | $70,910 | $59,160 | ||||
| Washington | Hourly | $22.35 | $23.73 | $27.89 | $30.97 | $38.11 | $28.41 | 410 | 0.12 | 0.55 |
| Annual | $46,480 | $49,360 | $58,000 | $64,410 | $79,260 | $59,100 | ||||
| Mississippi | Hourly | $21.00 | $23.37 | $25.04 | $25.04 | $27.50 | $24.37 | 60 | 0.05 | 0.25 |
| Annual | $43,670 | $48,610 | $52,090 | $52,090 | $57,200 | $50,690 | ||||
| Arkansas | Hourly | $14.25 | $18.95 | $24.59 | $31.28 | $35.19 | $25.36 | 230 | 0.18 | 0.84 |
| Annual | $29,640 | $39,420 | $51,140 | $65,060 | $73,190 | $52,750 | ||||
| Oklahoma | Hourly | $17.11 | $18.67 | $23.71 | $31.56 | $34.19 | $24.98 | 180 | 0.11 | 0.51 |
| Annual | $35,580 | $38,830 | $49,330 | $65,640 | $71,120 | $51,950 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| California | Hourly | $17.66 | $18.94 | $22.48 | $24.61 | $28.66 | $22.89 | 5,600 | 0.31 | 1.48 |
| Annual | $36,730 | $39,390 | $46,760 | $51,180 | $59,610 | $47,610 | ||||
| Michigan | Hourly | $15.58 | $16.88 | $18.08 | $21.63 | $24.93 | $19.47 | 3,330 | 0.76 | 3.63 |
| Annual | $32,400 | $35,100 | $37,600 | $44,990 | $51,850 | $40,490 | ||||
| Illinois | Hourly | $16.61 | $17.71 | $18.57 | $23.07 | $24.64 | $20.19 | 2,380 | 0.39 | 1.87 |
| Annual | $34,540 | $36,830 | $38,620 | $47,990 | $51,260 | $41,990 | ||||
| Texas | Hourly | $12.86 | $15.59 | $18.78 | $22.67 | $26.63 | $19.45 | 2,090 | 0.15 | 0.71 |
| Annual | $26,750 | $32,420 | $39,060 | $47,150 | $55,390 | $40,460 | ||||
| Ohio | Hourly | $18.38 | $19.74 | $22.49 | $24.93 | $29.85 | $23.30 | 1,810 | 0.33 | 1.57 |
| Annual | $38,240 | $41,050 | $46,790 | $51,860 | $62,090 | $48,460 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Ogden, UT | Hourly | $22.97 | $25.54 | $33.89 | $35.14 | $37.27 | $31.10 | 60 | 0.24 | 1.13 |
| Annual | $47,770 | $53,110 | $70,490 | $73,090 | $77,520 | $64,690 | ||||
| Oklahoma City, OK | Hourly | $19.36 | $21.51 | $31.27 | $33.96 | $35.46 | $28.84 | 90 | 0.14 | 0.66 |
| Annual | $40,260 | $44,730 | $65,040 | $70,640 | $73,760 | $59,990 | ||||
| Omaha, NE-IA | Hourly | $18.91 | $23.95 | $29.75 | $29.75 | $29.75 | $27.45 | 40 | 0.08 | 0.37 |
| Annual | $39,330 | $49,820 | $61,880 | $61,880 | $61,880 | $57,100 | ||||
| Oshkosh-Neenah, WI | Hourly | $20.44 | $23.06 | $28.71 | $32.23 | $32.23 | $27.99 | 50 | 0.52 | 2.48 |
| Annual | $42,520 | $47,960 | $59,720 | $67,030 | $67,030 | $58,220 | ||||
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | Hourly | $23.73 | $23.91 | $28.08 | $29.08 | $34.07 | $27.78 | 210 | 0.10 | 0.48 |
| Annual | $49,360 | $49,740 | $58,400 | $60,480 | $70,860 | $57,770 | ||||
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 | $17.64 | $18.37 | $22.32 | $24.20 | $28.19 | $22.41 | 3,160 | 0.51 | 2.42 |
| Annual | $36,690 | $38,210 | $46,420 | $50,330 | $58,630 | $46,620 | ||||
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | Hourly | $17.44 | $18.03 | $18.67 | $23.53 | $24.65 | $20.52 | 1,870 | 0.42 | 1.99 |
| Annual | $36,280 | $37,500 | $38,830 | $48,940 | $51,280 | $42,680 | ||||
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | Hourly | $15.46 | $16.83 | $18.19 | $19.69 | $23.71 | $19.29 | 1,620 | 0.85 | 4.07 |
| Annual | $32,160 | $35,010 | $37,820 | $40,960 | $49,310 | $40,120 | ||||
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | Hourly | $12.60 | $15.60 | $18.69 | $22.66 | $24.66 | $19.42 | 880 | 0.27 | 1.28 |
| Annual | $26,210 | $32,440 | $38,880 | $47,130 | $51,290 | $40,390 | ||||
| Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI | Hourly | $16.03 | $16.88 | $17.77 | $21.12 | $24.73 | $19.06 | 780 | 1.30 | 6.24 |
| Annual | $33,330 | $35,100 | $36,960 | $43,930 | $51,440 | $39,640 | ||||
Top industries employing plating machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic
Coating, Engraving, Heat Treating, and Allied Activities employ 62.6% of plating machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic nationally (20,280 jobs) at a median $40,140 a year ($19.30 an hour), followed by Semiconductor and Other Electronic Component Manufacturing (5.4%) and Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (3321, 3322, 3325, 3326, and 3329 only) (3.6%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coating, Engraving, Heat Treating, and Allied Activities NAICS 332800 | 20,280 | 62.6% | $40,140 | $19.30 |
| Semiconductor and Other Electronic Component Manufacturing NAICS 334400 | 1,740 | 5.4% | $45,410 | $21.83 |
| Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (3321, 3322, 3325, 3326, and 3329 only) NAICS 3320A1 | 1,180 | 3.6% | $40,490 | $19.47 |
| Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (3323 and 3324 only) NAICS 3320A2 | 1,040 | 3.2% | $47,340 | $22.76 |
| Motor Vehicle Parts Manufacturing NAICS 336300 | 920 | 2.8% | $38,280 | $18.40 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (32,410). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $37,200 for plating machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic in May 2021 and $43,960 in May 2025, with employment of 32,310 and 32,410.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $37,200 | $17.89 | 32,310 |
| May 2022 | $37,900 | $18.22 | 32,050 |
| May 2023 | $39,740 | $19.11 | 31,970 |
| May 2024 | $41,600 | $20.00 | 31,510 |
| May 2025 | $43,960 | $21.14 | 32,410 |
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
40 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 | Iowa profile | $34.09 | $70,910 | $37,690 | $70,910 | 440 | 0.28 | 1.36 |
| 2 | Washington profile | $27.89 | $58,000 | $46,480 | $79,260 | 410 | 0.12 | 0.55 |
| 3 | Mississippi profile | $25.04 | $52,090 | $43,670 | $57,200 | 60 | 0.05 | 0.25 |
| 4 | Arkansas profile | $24.59 | $51,140 | $29,640 | $73,190 | 230 | 0.18 | 0.84 |
| 5 | Oklahoma profile | $23.71 | $49,330 | $35,580 | $71,120 | 180 | 0.11 | 0.51 |
| 6 | Oregon profile | $23.10 | $48,050 | $39,850 | $61,000 | 310 | 0.16 | 0.77 |
| 7 | Nebraska profile | $23.08 | $48,010 | $37,000 | $63,950 | 400 | 0.39 | 1.86 |
| 8 | Colorado profile | $23.04 | $47,930 | $37,710 | $61,620 | 190 | 0.07 | 0.31 |
| 9 | Arizona profile | $22.65 | $47,110 | $36,830 | $51,060 | 640 | 0.20 | 0.95 |
| 10 | Utah profile | $22.57 | $46,940 | $35,200 | $73,090 | 180 | 0.10 | 0.49 |
| 11 | Ohio profile | $22.49 | $46,790 | $38,240 | $62,090 | 1,810 | 0.33 | 1.57 |
| 12 | California profile | $22.48 | $46,760 | $36,730 | $59,610 | 5,600 | 0.31 | 1.48 |
| 13 | Minnesota profile | $22.47 | $46,730 | $36,400 | $61,410 | 560 | 0.19 | 0.91 |
| 14 | Florida profile | $22.34 | $46,460 | $30,570 | $59,270 | 530 | 0.05 | 0.25 |
| 15 | New Hampshire profile | $22.26 | $46,300 | $43,170 | $58,640 | 60 | 0.09 | 0.43 |
| 16 | Massachusetts profile | $22.19 | $46,150 | $35,440 | $57,250 | 860 | 0.24 | 1.13 |
| 17 | Maine profile | $21.98 | $45,720 | $39,550 | $55,550 | 170 | 0.26 | 1.26 |
| 18 | Pennsylvania profile | $21.92 | $45,590 | $36,150 | $60,490 | 1,740 | 0.29 | 1.38 |
| 19 | New York profile | $21.88 | $45,510 | $35,180 | $65,220 | 830 | 0.09 | 0.41 |
| 20 | South Carolina profile | $21.43 | $44,560 | $37,960 | $58,380 | 470 | 0.21 | 0.99 |
| 21 | Idaho profile | $21.38 | $44,470 | $36,540 | $51,740 | 60 | 0.07 | 0.35 |
| 22 | Wisconsin profile | $21.32 | $44,350 | $29,430 | $63,220 | 940 | 0.32 | 1.54 |
| 23 | Missouri profile | $21.19 | $44,080 | $31,100 | $53,910 | 150 | 0.05 | 0.25 |
| 24 | North Carolina profile | $20.93 | $43,540 | $30,260 | $57,770 | 710 | 0.14 | 0.69 |
| 25 | Virginia profile | $20.86 | $43,380 | $33,230 | $56,780 | 270 | 0.07 | 0.32 |
| 26 | Maryland profile | $20.21 | $42,030 | $34,790 | $63,440 | 60 | 0.02 | 0.10 |
| 27 | New Jersey profile | $19.62 | $40,800 | $32,220 | $51,490 | 380 | 0.09 | 0.42 |
| 28 | Tennessee profile | $18.99 | $39,510 | $29,700 | $51,840 | 1,660 | 0.51 | 2.43 |
| 29 | Georgia profile | $18.83 | $39,160 | $33,670 | $106,010 | 660 | 0.13 | 0.64 |
| 30 | Texas profile | $18.78 | $39,060 | $26,750 | $55,390 | 2,090 | 0.15 | 0.71 |
| 31 | Kansas profile | $18.64 | $38,770 | $33,330 | $57,980 | 360 | 0.25 | 1.21 |
| 32 | Indiana profile | $18.60 | $38,680 | $35,420 | $58,350 | 1,250 | 0.39 | 1.88 |
| 33 | Illinois profile | $18.57 | $38,620 | $34,540 | $51,260 | 2,380 | 0.39 | 1.87 |
| 34 | Rhode Island profile | $18.55 | $38,580 | $37,770 | $61,370 | 450 | 0.90 | 4.32 |
| 35 | Michigan profile | $18.08 | $37,600 | $32,400 | $51,850 | 3,330 | 0.76 | 3.63 |
| 36 | Nevada profile | $18.01 | $37,460 | $36,470 | $45,690 | 60 | 0.04 | 0.18 |
| 37 | Connecticut profile | $17.89 | $37,220 | $34,850 | $58,590 | 620 | 0.37 | 1.75 |
| 38 | Kentucky profile | $16.67 | $34,680 | $26,110 | $68,300 | 630 | 0.31 | 1.51 |
| 39 | Louisiana profile | $16.36 | $34,040 | $28,410 | $52,500 | 100 | 0.05 | 0.25 |
| 40 | Alabama profile | $16.22 | $33,730 | $26,550 | $44,020 | 400 | 0.19 | 0.90 |
Related occupations
Occupations in the same SOC broad group (51-4190), 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 51-4193 Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic.
- 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 51-4193, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 51-4193.00, 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.