Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

Median salary

$49,030

Average salary

$51,680

Employment

8,930

Projected growth

18.9% decline

Annual openings

600

Typical entry education

High school diploma or equivalent

What Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic Do

Set up, operate, or tend forging machines to taper, shape, or form metal or plastic parts.

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 5

Job 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 4.2/5
Mathematicsimportance 3.6/5
Education and Trainingimportance 3.6/5
Mechanicalimportance 3.5/5
Engineering and Technologyimportance 3.2/5
Designimportance 3.0/5
English Languageimportance 2.9/5
Computers and Electronicsimportance 2.9/5

Work Environment

What the day-to-day work setting is like, per O*NET.

Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams4.7/5
Time Pressure4.5/5
Exposed to Sounds, Noise Levels that are Distracting or Uncomfortable4.4/5
Spend Time Standing4.4/5
Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team4.3/5
Contact With Others4.3/5

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.

Food and Tobacco Roasting, Baking, and Drying Machine Operators and Tenders95% skill match
Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic95% skill match
Highway Maintenance Workers95% skill match
Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors95% skill match
Continuous Mining Machine Operators95% skill match
Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas95% skill match
Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers94% skill match
Crane and Tower Operators94% 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 3.3/5
Operation and Controlimportance 3.1/5
Time Managementimportance 3.0/5
Social Perceptivenessimportance 2.9/5
Troubleshootingimportance 2.9/5
Quality Control Analysisimportance 2.9/5
Coordinationimportance 2.8/5
Equipment Maintenanceimportance 2.8/5

Software & Technologies

Tools and software used in this occupation, per O*NET.

Other Software Used

Work Style

Personal work characteristics that matter most for this occupation, per O*NET.

Dependability
Attention to Detail
Cautiousness
Stress Tolerance
Achievement Orientation
Self-Control
Perseverance

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
EnterprisingLow
ArtisticLow
SocialLow

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 forging machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic make up the largest share of local employment, relative to the national average (BLS location quotient).