Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic salary in the U.S.
Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic in the U.S. earn a median of $50,620 a year ($24.34 an hour), based on BLS data for 16,710 workers.
Pay ranges from $36,670 for the lowest-paid 10% to $69,700 for the top 10%. The average (mean) salary is $52,490, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for lathe and turning machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic in the U.S.
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $36,670 | $17.63 |
| 25th percentile | $43,250 | $20.79 |
| Median | $50,620 | $24.34 |
| 75th percentile | $60,700 | $29.18 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $69,700 | $33.51 |
| Average (mean) | $52,490 | $25.24 |
Half of lathe and turning machine tool 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 | $4,218.33 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $2,109.17 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $1,946.92 |
| Weekly | $973.46 |
| Hourly | $24.34 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Buying a home? On a $50,620 salary, see how much house you can afford at today's mortgage rates, or work out a payment with the mortgage calculator.
Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic salary by state
| State | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Colorado | $71,670 | 150 |
| Maine | $64,800 | 80 |
| Minnesota | $61,000 | 150 |
| Massachusetts | $60,870 | 690 |
| California | $60,180 | 2,600 |
| Alabama | $58,490 | 100 |
| Nevada | $58,240 | 60 |
| Pennsylvania | $57,020 | 580 |
| Arizona | $55,840 | 110 |
| Illinois | $54,930 | 1,260 |
| Maryland | $54,860 | 60 |
| North Carolina | $53,840 | 310 |
| West Virginia | $53,660 | 50 |
| Wisconsin | $51,020 | 340 |
| New York | $50,760 | 530 |
| Louisiana | $50,560 | 90 |
| Iowa | $50,370 | 180 |
| Georgia | $50,180 | 100 |
| Ohio | $49,880 | 1,180 |
| South Carolina | $49,490 | 370 |
| Indiana | $49,420 | 710 |
| Connecticut | $49,380 | 690 |
| New Hampshire | $48,980 | 150 |
| Missouri | $48,950 | 160 |
| Virginia | $48,920 | 210 |
| New Jersey | $48,180 | 190 |
| Texas | $48,020 | 2,150 |
| Nebraska | $47,350 | 120 |
| Kansas | $47,310 | 90 |
| Kentucky | $47,060 | 250 |
| Michigan | $46,680 | 1,540 |
| Florida | $44,710 | 140 |
| Oklahoma | $43,680 | 240 |
| Oregon | $41,640 | 40 |
| Tennessee | $40,730 | 700 |
| Arkansas | $39,060 | 190 |
Best-paying metro areas for lathe and turning machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $74,420 | 360 |
| Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | $66,980 | 80 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | $66,500 | 220 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $64,950 | 130 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $64,790 | 60 |
| Spartanburg, SC | $61,940 | 90 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $61,890 | 510 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $61,050 | 240 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $60,190 | 30 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $60,110 | 1,280 |
| Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | $59,740 | 180 |
| Springfield, MA | $59,030 | 100 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $57,990 | 230 |
| Peoria, IL | $57,330 | 190 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $57,010 | 210 |
Metro areas with the most lathe and turning machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic
| Metro area | Workers | Median salary |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 1,280 | $60,110 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | 1,020 | $47,900 |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | 740 | $49,210 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 590 | $49,980 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 510 | $61,890 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | 360 | $74,420 |
| Cleveland, OH | 350 | $51,340 |
| Waterbury-Shelton, CT | 280 | $36,770 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 270 | $50,700 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | 240 | $61,050 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | 230 | $57,990 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | 220 | $66,500 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 210 | $57,010 |
| Peoria, IL | 190 | $57,330 |
| Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | 180 | $47,330 |
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Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 51-4034. 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 lathe and turning machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic make in the U.S.?
The median salary for lathe and turning machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic in the U.S. is $50,620 a year, or $24.34 an hour. Pay ranges from $36,670 for the lowest-paid 10% to $69,700 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid lathe and turning machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic make in the U.S.?
The top 10% of lathe and turning machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic in the U.S. earn at least $69,700 a year. The top 25% earn $60,700 or more.
What is the starting pay for lathe and turning machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic in the U.S.?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $36,670 a year, and a quarter of lathe and turning machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic earn $43,250 or less.
How many lathe and turning machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic work in the U.S.?
About 16,710 lathe and turning machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic are employed in the U.S., not counting the self-employed.