Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic salary in the U.S.
Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic in the U.S. earn a median of $46,330 a year ($22.27 an hour), based on BLS data for 171,200 workers.
Pay ranges from $35,760 for the lowest-paid 10% to $65,510 for the top 10%. The average (mean) salary is $48,430, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic in the U.S.
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $35,760 | $17.19 |
| 25th percentile | $38,870 | $18.69 |
| Median | $46,330 | $22.27 |
| 75th percentile | $55,410 | $26.64 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $65,510 | $31.50 |
| Average (mean) | $48,430 | $23.28 |
Half of cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic earn more than the median and half earn less. Percentiles show the spread: 10% earn less than the 10th percentile, and 10% earn more than the 90th.
Median paycheck, before taxes
| Pay period | Amount |
|---|---|
| Monthly | $3,860.83 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $1,930.42 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $1,781.92 |
| Weekly | $890.96 |
| Hourly | $22.27 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
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Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic salary by state
| State | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Oregon | $53,680 | 1,180 |
| Maine | $51,820 | 180 |
| Washington | $51,160 | 1,750 |
| Colorado | $50,790 | 1,400 |
| Minnesota | $49,770 | 6,130 |
| Wisconsin | $49,270 | 7,960 |
| Alaska | $49,010 | 80 |
| Illinois | $48,990 | 8,060 |
| Nebraska | $48,690 | 1,320 |
| Montana | $48,490 | 130 |
| California | $48,450 | 7,710 |
| North Dakota | $48,400 | 230 |
| Missouri | $48,310 | 3,240 |
| Iowa | $48,240 | 2,030 |
| Rhode Island | $48,170 | 470 |
| New Hampshire | $48,110 | 600 |
| Pennsylvania | $47,860 | 8,890 |
| Nevada | $47,690 | 580 |
| Maryland | $47,320 | 270 |
| Virginia | $47,300 | 1,790 |
| Indiana | $46,980 | 9,680 |
| New York | $46,930 | 3,340 |
| Wyoming | $46,890 | 60 |
| Kansas | $46,840 | 1,900 |
| Utah | $46,670 | 1,050 |
| Arizona | $46,610 | 1,100 |
| Connecticut | $46,280 | 2,030 |
| Michigan | $46,120 | 22,060 |
| South Dakota | $46,060 | 490 |
| Kentucky | $45,760 | 7,290 |
| Massachusetts | $45,760 | 2,590 |
| New Jersey | $45,680 | 1,950 |
| Arkansas | $45,580 | 3,020 |
| Ohio | $45,230 | 13,350 |
| Georgia | $45,080 | 5,260 |
| Tennessee | $44,780 | 5,380 |
| South Carolina | $44,420 | 4,100 |
| Alabama | $43,830 | 6,000 |
| Vermont | $43,560 | 70 |
| North Carolina | $43,400 | 3,940 |
| West Virginia | $43,070 | 290 |
| Texas | $42,720 | 13,290 |
| Delaware | $41,640 | 240 |
| Oklahoma | $40,930 | 2,480 |
| Louisiana | $40,870 | 760 |
| Mississippi | $40,650 | 1,700 |
| Idaho | $39,580 | 720 |
| Florida | $39,440 | 2,740 |
| New Mexico | $39,430 | 220 |
| Puerto Rico | $24,090 | 240 |
Best-paying metro areas for cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Flint, MI | $78,600 | 380 |
| Rome, GA | $63,740 | 200 |
| Oshkosh-Neenah, WI | $62,250 | 560 |
| Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $60,230 | 3,100 |
| Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ | $60,080 | 730 |
| Bellingham, WA | $59,380 | 30 |
| Lewiston-Auburn, ME | $59,300 | 60 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $58,580 | 410 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $58,240 | 640 |
| Mankato, MN | $57,850 | 60 |
| Lincoln, NE | $57,780 | 270 |
| Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA | $57,290 | 30 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $57,110 | 800 |
| Albany, OR | $56,410 | 70 |
| Saginaw, MI | $55,630 | 390 |
Metro areas with the most cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic
| Metro area | Workers | Median salary |
|---|---|---|
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | 11,650 | $50,460 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 6,320 | $50,770 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | 4,490 | $48,710 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 4,440 | $43,950 |
| Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI | 4,270 | $42,050 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | 3,810 | $43,420 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 3,490 | $48,640 |
| Cleveland, OH | 3,220 | $46,300 |
| Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | 3,100 | $60,230 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 2,840 | $46,310 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 2,400 | $47,360 |
| Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | 2,010 | $48,650 |
| Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | 1,880 | $47,170 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 1,840 | $49,000 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | 1,600 | $46,940 |
Related jobs in the U.S.
More: Production Occupations
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 51-4031. Wages include base pay, tips, commissions and shift pay, but not overtime, bonuses or benefits, and exclude the self-employed.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic make in the U.S.?
The median salary for cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic in the U.S. is $46,330 a year, or $22.27 an hour. Pay ranges from $35,760 for the lowest-paid 10% to $65,510 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic make in the U.S.?
The top 10% of cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic in the U.S. earn at least $65,510 a year. The top 25% earn $55,410 or more.
What is the starting pay for cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic in the U.S.?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $35,760 a year, and a quarter of cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic earn $38,870 or less.
How many cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic work in the U.S.?
About 171,200 cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic are employed in the U.S., not counting the self-employed.