Career Paths From Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

Possible next moves, computed from skill overlap, O*NET occupational relatedness, preparation level, education, and pay — not a record of people who actually made these moves.

Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticLateral Move95.5% skill match
Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic and Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic share a similar Transferable Skills profile (95% match). Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic sits at a similar preparation level, so this would be more of a lateral move. Median salary is about 14% higher.
Current median salary
$46,330
Target median salary
$52,800
Current Job Zone
2
Target Job Zone
2
Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticLateral Move94.6% skill match
Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic and Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic share a similar Transferable Skills profile (95% match). Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic sits at a similar preparation level, so this would be more of a lateral move.
Current median salary
$46,330
Target median salary
$46,550
Current Job Zone
2
Target Job Zone
2
Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticLateral Move94.9% skill match
Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic and Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic share a similar Transferable Skills profile (95% match). Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic sits at a similar preparation level, so this would be more of a lateral move.
Current median salary
$46,330
Target median salary
$47,180
Current Job Zone
2
Target Job Zone
2
Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticLateral Move94.9% skill match
Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic and Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic share a similar Transferable Skills profile (95% match). Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic sits at a similar preparation level, so this would be more of a lateral move. Median salary is about 6% higher.
Current median salary
$46,330
Target median salary
$49,030
Current Job Zone
2
Target Job Zone
2
Grinding and Polishing Workers, HandLateral Move95.6% skill match
Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic and Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand share a similar Transferable Skills profile (96% match). Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand sits at a similar preparation level, so this would be more of a lateral move. Median salary is about 8% lower.
Current median salary
$46,330
Target median salary
$42,660
Current Job Zone
2
Target Job Zone
2
Adhesive Bonding Machine Operators and TendersLateral Move94.6% skill match
Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic and Adhesive Bonding Machine Operators and Tenders share a similar Transferable Skills profile (95% match). Adhesive Bonding Machine Operators and Tenders sits at a similar preparation level, so this would be more of a lateral move.
Current median salary
$46,330
Target median salary
$46,460
Current Job Zone
2
Target Job Zone
2
Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, WoodLateral Move97% skill match
Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic and Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood share a similar Transferable Skills profile (97% match). Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood sits at a similar preparation level, so this would be more of a lateral move. Median salary is about 8% lower.
Current median salary
$46,330
Target median salary
$42,770
Current Job Zone
2
Target Job Zone
2
Pile Driver OperatorsCareer Change96.1% skill match
Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic and Pile Driver Operators share a similar Transferable Skills profile (96% match). Pile Driver Operators is in a different occupational field, but draws on much of the same underlying skill set. Median salary is about 58% higher.
Current median salary
$46,330
Target median salary
$73,300
Current Job Zone
2
Target Job Zone
2
Gas Compressor and Gas Pumping Station OperatorsCareer Change94.5% skill match
Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic and Gas Compressor and Gas Pumping Station Operators share a similar Transferable Skills profile (95% match). Gas Compressor and Gas Pumping Station Operators is in a different occupational field, but draws on much of the same underlying skill set. Median salary is about 67% higher.
Current median salary
$46,330
Target median salary
$77,320
Current Job Zone
2
Target Job Zone
2
Textile Cutting Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersLateral Move95.5% skill match
Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic and Textile Cutting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders share a similar Transferable Skills profile (96% match). Textile Cutting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders sits at a similar preparation level, so this would be more of a lateral move. Median salary is about 16% lower.
Current median salary
$46,330
Target median salary
$38,760
Current Job Zone
2
Target Job Zone
2
Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment OperatorsCareer Change95.9% skill match
Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic and Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators share a similar Transferable Skills profile (96% match). Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators is in a different occupational field, but draws on much of the same underlying skill set. Median salary is about 51% higher.
Current median salary
$46,330
Target median salary
$70,070
Current Job Zone
2
Target Job Zone
2
Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment OperatorsCareer Change96.9% skill match
Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic and Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators share a similar Transferable Skills profile (97% match). Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators is in a different occupational field, but draws on much of the same underlying skill set. Median salary is about 29% higher.
Current median salary
$46,330
Target median salary
$59,850
Current Job Zone
2
Target Job Zone
2
Semiconductor Processing TechniciansLateral Move94.6% skill match
Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic and Semiconductor Processing Technicians share a similar Transferable Skills profile (95% match). Semiconductor Processing Technicians sits at a similar preparation level, so this would be more of a lateral move. Median salary is about 11% higher.
Current median salary
$46,330
Target median salary
$51,430
Current Job Zone
2
Target Job Zone
2
Crane and Tower OperatorsCareer Change95.9% skill match
Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic and Crane and Tower Operators share a similar Transferable Skills profile (96% match). Crane and Tower Operators is in a different occupational field, but draws on much of the same underlying skill set. Job Zone is higher (3 vs 2). Median salary is about 47% higher.
Current median salary
$46,330
Target median salary
$68,080
Current Job Zone
2
Target Job Zone
3
Earth Drillers, Except Oil and GasCareer Change95.1% skill match
Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic and Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas share a similar Transferable Skills profile (95% match). Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas is in a different occupational field, but draws on much of the same underlying skill set. Median salary is about 30% higher.
Current median salary
$46,330
Target median salary
$60,190
Current Job Zone
2
Target Job Zone
2

Computed from O*NET Transferable Skills, occupational relatedness and Job Zone data, plus BLS wage and projections data. Categories (Advancement / Lateral Move / Career Change) are derived algorithmically, not self-reported career histories.