Career Paths From Drilling and Boring Machine Tool 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 Move95.9% skill match
Drilling and Boring Machine Tool 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 (96% 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 8% higher.
Current median salary
$49,080
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 Move92.1% skill match
Drilling and Boring Machine Tool 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 (92% 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. Median salary is about 5% lower.
Current median salary
$49,080
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
Drilling and Boring Machine Tool 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. Median salary is about 4% lower.
Current median salary
$49,080
Target median salary
$47,180
Current Job Zone
2
Target Job Zone
2
Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticLateral Move92.8% skill match
Drilling and Boring Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic and Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic share a similar Transferable Skills profile (93% match). Cutting, Punching, and Press 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% lower.
Current median salary
$49,080
Target median salary
$46,330
Current Job Zone
2
Target Job Zone
2
Earth Drillers, Except Oil and GasCareer Change92.2% skill match
Drilling and Boring Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic and Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas share a similar Transferable Skills profile (92% 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 23% higher.
Current median salary
$49,080
Target median salary
$60,190
Current Job Zone
2
Target Job Zone
2
Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticLateral Move93.1% skill match
Drilling and Boring Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic and Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic share a similar Transferable Skills profile (93% match). Extruding and Drawing 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 3% lower.
Current median salary
$49,080
Target median salary
$47,720
Current Job Zone
2
Target Job Zone
2
Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticLateral Move93.2% skill match
Drilling and Boring Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic and Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic share a similar Transferable Skills profile (93% match). Rolling Machine 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
$49,080
Target median salary
$50,140
Current Job Zone
2
Target Job Zone
2
MachinistsAdvancement90.1% skill match
Drilling and Boring Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic and Machinists share a similar Transferable Skills profile (90% match). Machinists is typically a step up, requiring more preparation and paying more. Job Zone is higher (3 vs 2). Median salary is about 20% higher.
Current median salary
$49,080
Target median salary
$58,750
Current Job Zone
2
Target Job Zone
3
Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticLateral Move93.2% skill match
Drilling and Boring Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic and Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic share a similar Transferable Skills profile (93% 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.
Current median salary
$49,080
Target median salary
$49,030
Current Job Zone
2
Target Job Zone
2
Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, WoodLateral Move92.2% skill match
Drilling and Boring Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic and Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood share a similar Transferable Skills profile (92% 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 13% lower.
Current median salary
$49,080
Target median salary
$42,770
Current Job Zone
2
Target Job Zone
2
Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersLateral Move96% skill match
Drilling and Boring Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic and Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders share a similar Transferable Skills profile (96% match). Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders sits at a similar preparation level, so this would be more of a lateral move. Median salary is about 7% lower.
Current median salary
$49,080
Target median salary
$45,760
Current Job Zone
2
Target Job Zone
2
Stationary Engineers and Boiler OperatorsAdvancement91.1% skill match
Drilling and Boring Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic and Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators share a similar Transferable Skills profile (91% match). Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators is typically a step up, requiring more preparation and paying more. Job Zone is higher (3 vs 2). Median salary is about 60% higher.
Current median salary
$49,080
Target median salary
$78,620
Current Job Zone
2
Target Job Zone
3
Continuous Mining Machine OperatorsCareer Change94.1% skill match
Drilling and Boring Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic and Continuous Mining Machine Operators share a similar Transferable Skills profile (94% match). Continuous Mining Machine Operators is in a different occupational field, but draws on much of the same underlying skill set. Median salary is about 26% higher.
Current median salary
$49,080
Target median salary
$61,810
Current Job Zone
2
Target Job Zone
2
Power Plant OperatorsLateral Move90.4% skill match
Drilling and Boring Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic and Power Plant Operators share a similar Transferable Skills profile (90% match). Power Plant Operators sits at a similar preparation level, so this would be more of a lateral move. Median salary is about 108% higher.
Current median salary
$49,080
Target median salary
$102,040
Current Job Zone
2
Target Job Zone
2
Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticLateral Move92.3% skill match
Drilling and Boring Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic and Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic share a similar Transferable Skills profile (92% match). Molding, Coremaking, and Casting 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 10% lower.
Current median salary
$49,080
Target median salary
$44,350
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.