Career Paths From Heat Treating Equipment 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.

Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and TendersLateral Move96.9% skill match
Heat Treating Equipment Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic and Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders share a similar Transferable Skills profile (97% match). Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders sits at a similar preparation level, so this would be more of a lateral move. Median salary is about 15% lower.
Current median salary
$48,750
Target median salary
$41,330
Current Job Zone
2
Target Job Zone
2
Chemical Equipment Operators and TendersLateral Move93.9% skill match
Heat Treating Equipment Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic and Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders share a similar Transferable Skills profile (94% match). Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders sits at a similar preparation level, so this would be more of a lateral move. Median salary is about 19% higher.
Current median salary
$48,750
Target median salary
$58,040
Current Job Zone
2
Target Job Zone
2
Adhesive Bonding Machine Operators and TendersLateral Move95.6% skill match
Heat Treating Equipment Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic and Adhesive Bonding Machine Operators and Tenders share a similar Transferable Skills profile (96% match). Adhesive Bonding Machine Operators and Tenders sits at a similar preparation level, so this would be more of a lateral move. Median salary is about 5% lower.
Current median salary
$48,750
Target median salary
$46,460
Current Job Zone
2
Target Job Zone
2
Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Synthetic and Glass FibersLateral Move93.2% skill match
Heat Treating Equipment Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic and Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Synthetic and Glass Fibers share a similar Transferable Skills profile (93% match). Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Synthetic and Glass Fibers sits at a similar preparation level, so this would be more of a lateral move. Median salary is about 5% lower.
Current median salary
$48,750
Target median salary
$46,350
Current Job Zone
2
Target Job Zone
2
Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersLateral Move92.4% skill match
Heat Treating Equipment Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic and Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders share a similar Transferable Skills profile (92% match). Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders sits at a similar preparation level, so this would be more of a lateral move. Median salary is about 4% lower.
Current median salary
$48,750
Target median salary
$46,570
Current Job Zone
2
Target Job Zone
2
Refractory Materials Repairers, Except BrickmasonsCareer Change92.7% skill match
Heat Treating Equipment Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic and Refractory Materials Repairers, Except Brickmasons share a similar Transferable Skills profile (93% match). Refractory Materials Repairers, Except Brickmasons 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
$48,750
Target median salary
$61,290
Current Job Zone
2
Target Job Zone
2
Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticLateral Move93.4% skill match
Heat Treating Equipment 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 (93% 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
$48,750
Target median salary
$46,550
Current Job Zone
2
Target Job Zone
2
Chemical Plant and System OperatorsLateral Move93.8% skill match
Heat Treating Equipment Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic and Chemical Plant and System Operators share a similar Transferable Skills profile (94% match). Chemical Plant and System Operators sits at a similar preparation level, so this would be more of a lateral move. Median salary is about 60% higher.
Current median salary
$48,750
Target median salary
$78,120
Current Job Zone
2
Target Job Zone
2
Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and GaugersLateral Move92.1% skill match
Heat Treating Equipment Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic and Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers share a similar Transferable Skills profile (92% match). Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers sits at a similar preparation level, so this would be more of a lateral move. Median salary is about 98% higher.
Current median salary
$48,750
Target median salary
$96,710
Current Job Zone
2
Target Job Zone
2
Pump Operators, Except Wellhead PumpersCareer Change92.6% skill match
Heat Treating Equipment Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic and Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers share a similar Transferable Skills profile (93% match). Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers is in a different occupational field, but draws on much of the same underlying skill set. Median salary is about 27% higher.
Current median salary
$48,750
Target median salary
$61,770
Current Job Zone
2
Target Job Zone
2
Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment OperatorsCareer Change92.3% skill match
Heat Treating Equipment Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic and Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators share a similar Transferable Skills profile (92% 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 44% higher.
Current median salary
$48,750
Target median salary
$70,070
Current Job Zone
2
Target Job Zone
2
Power Plant OperatorsLateral Move93% skill match
Heat Treating Equipment Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic and Power Plant Operators share a similar Transferable Skills profile (93% match). Power Plant Operators sits at a similar preparation level, so this would be more of a lateral move. Median salary is about 109% higher.
Current median salary
$48,750
Target median salary
$102,040
Current Job Zone
2
Target Job Zone
2
Gas Plant OperatorsLateral Move92.6% skill match
Heat Treating Equipment Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic and Gas Plant Operators share a similar Transferable Skills profile (93% match). Gas Plant Operators sits at a similar preparation level, so this would be more of a lateral move. Median salary is about 80% higher.
Current median salary
$48,750
Target median salary
$87,820
Current Job Zone
2
Target Job Zone
2
Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersLateral Move93.6% skill match
Heat Treating Equipment Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic and Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders share a similar Transferable Skills profile (94% match). Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders sits at a similar preparation level, so this would be more of a lateral move.
Current median salary
$48,750
Target median salary
$48,250
Current Job Zone
2
Target Job Zone
2
Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, WoodLateral Move95.5% skill match
Heat Treating Equipment Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic and Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood share a similar Transferable Skills profile (96% 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 12% lower.
Current median salary
$48,750
Target median salary
$42,770
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.