Average Salary for Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
SOC 51-4031 · Production Occupations · 2024 data
The median annual wage for Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic in the United States is $45,590 ($21.92/hr), based on 2024 BLS OEWS data. Wages range from $35,000 at the 10th percentile to $62,650 at the 90th percentile nationally. An estimated 174,430 people work in this occupation across the country. The national median wage has grown 48.6% since 2014.
Median Annual
$45,590
Mean Annual
$47,060
10th Pct
$35,000
75th Pct
$52,150
Employment
174,430
Salary Distribution
$35k
10th
$38k
25th
$46k
Median
$52k
75th
$63k
90th
Highest Paying Metro Areas
| Metro Area | Median Annual |
|---|---|
| Flint, MI | $74,080 |
| Fayetteville, NC | $67,180 |
| Lewiston-Auburn, ME | $62,760 |
| Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $61,930 |
| Rome, GA | $61,670 |
| Oshkosh-Neenah, WI | $60,340 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $58,590 |
| Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA | $58,450 |
| Lincoln, NE | $56,700 |
| Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | $56,490 |
| Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA | $56,460 |
| St. Cloud, MN | $55,950 |
| Mankato, MN | $55,550 |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | $55,470 |
| Medford, OR | $54,650 |
Salary by State
| State | Median Annual |
|---|---|
| West Virginia | $53,460 |
| Oregon | $51,810 |
| Minnesota | $50,960 |
| Maine | $50,180 |
| Washington | $49,590 |
| Wisconsin | $48,730 |
| Colorado | $48,680 |
| Montana | $48,290 |
| Maryland | $48,210 |
| Kentucky | $48,170 |
| Iowa | $47,850 |
| Nebraska | $47,680 |
| Alaska | $47,600 |
| New Hampshire | $47,580 |
| Pennsylvania | $47,510 |
| Missouri | $47,310 |
| New Jersey | $47,170 |
| California | $47,100 |
| Connecticut | $46,680 |
| Arizona | $46,490 |
| Michigan | $46,470 |
| North Dakota | $46,050 |
| Virginia | $45,850 |
| Massachusetts | $45,780 |
| Illinois | $45,700 |
| Nevada | $45,430 |
| Indiana | $45,400 |
| New York | $45,130 |
| Arkansas | $45,020 |
| Utah | $44,940 |
| Rhode Island | $44,780 |
| Oklahoma | $44,140 |
| Wyoming | $44,090 |
| Tennessee | $44,080 |
| South Dakota | $44,050 |
| Ohio | $43,920 |
| Vermont | $43,630 |
| Georgia | $43,630 |
| Louisiana | $43,580 |
| Kansas | $42,680 |
| South Carolina | $42,390 |
| North Carolina | $42,330 |
| Texas | $41,620 |
| New Mexico | $39,630 |
| Mississippi | $39,570 |
| Alabama | $39,460 |
| Delaware | $39,170 |
| Idaho | $38,860 |
| Florida | $37,660 |
| Puerto Rico | $23,470 |
Salary by Industry
National median wage for Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic broken down by industry sector, 2024 data.
| Industry | Median Annual |
|---|---|
| Plumbing, Heating, and Air-Conditioning Contractors | $82,530 |
| Motor Vehicle Manufacturing | $62,490 |
| Utility System Construction | $61,360 |
| Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction | $60,250 |
| Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services | $59,990 |
| Engineering Services | $59,990 |
| Building Equipment Contractors | $59,500 |
| Computer and Peripheral Equipment Manufacturing | $52,990 |
| Other Specialty Trade Contractors | $50,530 |
| Ship and Boat Building | $50,150 |
| Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods (4242 and 4246 only) | $49,180 |
| Converted Paper Product Manufacturing | $48,770 |
| Paper Manufacturing | $48,670 |
| Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing | $48,230 |
| Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods | $48,170 |
| Commercial and Service Industry Machinery Manufacturing | $48,090 |
| Steel Product Manufacturing from Purchased Steel | $47,750 |
| Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers | $47,690 |
| Construction | $47,520 |
| Wholesale Trade Agents and Brokers | $47,370 |
| Wholesale Trade Agents and Brokers | $47,370 |
| Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (3323 and 3324 only) | $47,250 |
| Specialty Trade Contractors | $47,230 |
| Engine, Turbine, and Power Transmission Equipment Manufacturing | $47,150 |
| Machinery Manufacturing (3331, 3332, 3334, and 3339 only) | $47,150 |
| Food Manufacturing | $46,710 |
| Other Food Manufacturing | $46,710 |
| Foundation, Structure, and Building Exterior Contractors | $46,650 |
| Other Wood Product Manufacturing | $46,600 |
| Machinery Manufacturing | $46,550 |
| Printing and Related Support Activities | $46,530 |
| Printing and Related Support Activities | $46,530 |
| Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing | $46,510 |
| Merchant Wholesalers, Durable Goods (4232, 4233, 4235, 4236, 4237, and 4239 only) | $46,450 |
| Wholesale Trade | $46,420 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | $46,410 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | $46,410 |
| Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods (4241, 4247, and 4249 only) | $46,390 |
| Merchant Wholesalers, Durable Goods | $46,350 |
| Turned Product and Screw, Nut, and Bolt Manufacturing | $46,280 |
| Coating, Engraving, Heat Treating, and Allied Activities | $46,280 |
| Transportation Equipment Manufacturing | $46,280 |
| Machine Shops | $46,270 |
| Machine Shops; Turned Product; and Screw, Nut, and Bolt Manufacturing | $46,270 |
| Furniture and Related Product Manufacturing (3371 and 3372 only) | $46,180 |
| Other Transportation Equipment Manufacturing | $46,180 |
| Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing | $46,000 |
| Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (3321, 3322, 3325, 3326, and 3329 only) | $45,900 |
| Manufacturing | $45,810 |
| Other Electrical Equipment and Component Manufacturing | $45,810 |
| Furniture and Related Product Manufacturing | $45,770 |
| Electrical Equipment Manufacturing | $45,730 |
| Alumina and Aluminum Production and Processing | $45,650 |
| Cross-industry, Private Ownership only | $45,590 |
| Motor Vehicle Body and Trailer Manufacturing | $45,500 |
| Medical Equipment and Supplies Manufacturing | $45,470 |
| Primary Metal Manufacturing | $45,440 |
| Nonmetallic Mineral Product Manufacturing | $45,030 |
| Motor Vehicle Parts Manufacturing | $44,810 |
| Computer and Electronic Product Manufacturing | $44,300 |
| Other Services (except Public Administration) | $44,160 |
| Metalworking Machinery Manufacturing | $44,090 |
| Motor Vehicle and Motor Vehicle Parts and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers | $44,030 |
| Electrical Equipment, Appliance, and Component Manufacturing | $43,980 |
| Household Appliance Manufacturing | $43,940 |
| Other Building Equipment Contractors | $43,680 |
| Wood Product Manufacturing | $43,660 |
| Repair and Maintenance | $43,570 |
| Foundries | $43,360 |
| Commercial and Industrial Machinery and Equipment (except Automotive and Electronic) Repair and Maintenance | $42,860 |
| Transportation and Warehousing | $42,730 |
| Semiconductor and Other Electronic Component Manufacturing | $42,680 |
| Miscellaneous Manufacturing | $42,680 |
| Rubber Product Manufacturing | $42,490 |
| Machinery, Equipment, and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers | $42,240 |
| Other Miscellaneous Manufacturing | $42,200 |
| Electric Lighting Equipment Manufacturing | $41,820 |
| Publishing Industries | $41,170 |
| Newspaper Publishers | $41,170 |
| Newspaper, Periodical, Book, and Directory Publishers | $41,170 |
| Information | $41,170 |
| Chemical Manufacturing | $40,980 |
| Nonferrous Metal (except Aluminum) Production and Processing | $40,860 |
| Chemical Manufacturing (3251, 3252, 3253, and 3259 only) | $40,860 |
| Retail Trade | $40,840 |
| Plastics and Rubber Products Manufacturing | $40,440 |
| Warehousing and Storage | $40,430 |
| Warehousing and Storage | $40,430 |
| Communications Equipment Manufacturing | $40,270 |
| Plastics Product Manufacturing | $40,260 |
| Other Furniture Related Product Manufacturing | $40,260 |
| Iron and Steel Mills and Ferroalloy Manufacturing | $39,830 |
| Jewelry and Silverware Manufacturing | $39,780 |
| Railroad Rolling Stock Manufacturing | $39,540 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | $39,200 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | $39,200 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | $39,200 |
| Advertising, Public Relations, and Related Services | $39,120 |
| Veneer, Plywood, and Engineered Wood Product Manufacturing | $38,760 |
| Textile Product Mills | $38,120 |
| Manufacturing and Reproducing Magnetic and Optical Media | $37,520 |
| Other Textile Product Mills | $36,350 |
| Temporary Help Services | $36,240 |
| Employment Services | $36,060 |
| Administrative and Support Services | $36,060 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | $36,060 |
| Other Support Services | $33,870 |
National Wage Trend
View data table
| Year | Median Annual |
|---|---|
| 2024 | $45,590 |
| 2023 | $42,400 |
| 2022 | $39,340 |
| 2021 | $37,630 |
| 2020 | $36,980 |
| 2019 | $35,610 |
| 2018 | $34,460 |
| 2017 | $33,060 |
| 2016 | $32,370 |
| 2015 | $31,280 |
| 2014 | $30,680 |