Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
What Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic Do
Set up, operate, or tend machines to saw, cut, shear, slit, punch, crimp, notch, bend, or straighten metal or plastic material.
See full salary breakdown & percentiles →
Career Outlook
National employment outlook, 2024–2034.
- Related work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- Moderate-term on-the-job training
- Self-employed
- Not available
Source: BLS Employment Projections — 2024-2034.
How Much Preparation Does This Take?
Job Zone 2 of 5Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed
- Experience
- Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience.
- Education
- Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
- Job training
- Ranges from a few days to one year of on-the-job training.
Source: O*NET Job Zones.
Key Knowledge Areas
Subject-matter areas this occupation draws on most, per O*NET.
- Production and Processingimportance 3.3/5
- Mechanicalimportance 3.0/5
- English Languageimportance 3.0/5
- Mathematicsimportance 2.4/5
- Engineering and Technologyimportance 2.4/5
- Education and Trainingimportance 2.3/5
- Designimportance 2.1/5
- Computers and Electronicsimportance 2.0/5
Work Environment
What the day-to-day work setting is like, per O*NET.
- Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets4.9/5
- Exposed to Contaminants4.7/5
- Pace Determined by Speed of Equipment4.7/5
- Exposed to Sounds, Noise Levels that are Distracting or Uncomfortable4.6/5
- Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls4.6/5
- Spend Time Making Repetitive Motions4.5/5
Careers With Similar Skills
Occupations whose Transferable Skills profile most closely matches this one — a mathematical comparison, not observed data about people actually moving between these careers.
- Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood97% skill match
- Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators97% skill match
- Pile Driver Operators96% skill match
- Refractory Materials Repairers, Except Brickmasons96% skill match
- Crane and Tower Operators96% skill match
- Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators96% skill match
- Power Plant Operators96% skill match
- Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand96% skill match
Transferable Skills
Cross-functional skills this occupation draws on most, per O*NET — the kind that carry over to other careers.
- Operations Monitoringimportance 3.5/5
- Operation and Controlimportance 3.4/5
- Troubleshootingimportance 3.0/5
- Quality Control Analysisimportance 3.0/5
- Judgment and Decision Makingimportance 2.9/5
- Coordinationimportance 2.8/5
- Equipment Maintenanceimportance 2.8/5
- Time Managementimportance 2.8/5
Software & Technologies
Tools and software used in this occupation, per O*NET.
Hot Technologies
Other Software Used
- Automated inventory software
- Computerized numerical control CNC software
- Operational databases
- Striker Systems SS-Punch
Work Style
Personal work characteristics that matter most for this occupation, per O*NET.
- Attention to Detail
- Dependability
- Cautiousness
- Stress Tolerance
- Perseverance
- Self-Control
- Integrity
Career Interests
This occupation’s RIASEC interest profile, per O*NET — how strongly it fits each of the six Holland interest types.
- RealisticHigh
- ConventionalMedium
- InvestigativeLow
- ArtisticLow
- SocialLow
- EnterprisingLow
This page includes information from the O*NET 30.3 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
Where This Career Is Most Concentrated
Metro areas where cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic make up the largest share of local employment, relative to the national average (BLS location quotient).
- 1Gadsden, AL6.70× national avg
- 2Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI6.48× national avg
- 3Monroe, MI5.80× national avg
- 4Elkhart-Goshen, IN5.59× national avg
- 5Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI5.56× national avg
Possible Career Moves
A computed starting point, not observed job-change data — see the full list for why each one might fit.
- Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticLateral Move
- Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticLateral Move
- Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticLateral Move
- Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticLateral Move
Related Education Programs
Schools that offer related fields of study, based on the NCES CIP-SOC crosswalk — not a guarantee that graduates enter this specific career.
Machine Tool Technology/Machinist
- Tulsa Welding School-Houston (Houston, TX)grads earn ~$47,367
- Tulsa Welding School-Jacksonville (Jacksonville, FL)grads earn ~$47,367
- Ivy Tech Community College (Indianapolis, IN)grads earn ~$53,579
- Front Range Community College (Westminster, CO)grads earn ~$52,873
- Tulsa Welding School-Tulsa (Tulsa, OK)grads earn ~$47,367