Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic salary in the U.S.
Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic in the U.S. earn a median of $52,800 a year ($25.39 an hour), based on BLS data for 12,460 workers.
Pay ranges from $37,840 for the lowest-paid 10% to $81,030 for the top 10%. The average (mean) salary is $56,740, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for milling and planing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic in the U.S.
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $37,840 | $18.19 |
| 25th percentile | $45,210 | $21.74 |
| Median | $52,800 | $25.39 |
| 75th percentile | $64,900 | $31.20 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $81,030 | $38.96 |
| Average (mean) | $56,740 | $27.28 |
Half of milling and planing 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 | $4,400 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $2,200 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $2,030.77 |
| Weekly | $1,015.38 |
| Hourly | $25.39 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Buying a home? On a $52,800 salary, see how much house you can afford at today's mortgage rates, or work out a payment with the mortgage calculator.
Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic salary by state
| State | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Washington | $86,460 | 240 |
| Connecticut | $79,300 | 150 |
| Kentucky | $66,440 | 540 |
| Illinois | $63,360 | 570 |
| Massachusetts | $62,380 | n/a |
| Nebraska | $59,630 | 70 |
| California | $59,050 | 1,960 |
| Wisconsin | $58,770 | 280 |
| Indiana | $57,720 | 590 |
| New York | $56,560 | 550 |
| Virginia | $56,410 | 90 |
| Maryland | $56,080 | 50 |
| Minnesota | $55,210 | 220 |
| Texas | $53,840 | 510 |
| Colorado | $53,780 | n/a |
| Nevada | $52,800 | 120 |
| Iowa | $51,600 | 140 |
| Ohio | $51,310 | 610 |
| New Jersey | $50,530 | 190 |
| New Hampshire | $49,230 | 50 |
| North Carolina | $49,210 | 280 |
| Arizona | $48,760 | 100 |
| Michigan | $48,400 | 670 |
| South Carolina | $48,340 | 120 |
| Pennsylvania | $47,690 | 410 |
| Missouri | $47,680 | 350 |
| Florida | $47,220 | 140 |
| Utah | $46,580 | 100 |
| West Virginia | $45,440 | 120 |
| Maine | $45,210 | 120 |
| Arkansas | $44,440 | 160 |
| Tennessee | $43,710 | 1,170 |
| Oklahoma | $40,250 | 160 |
| Mississippi | $39,100 | 100 |
| Georgia | $38,340 | 120 |
| Alabama | $35,760 | 210 |
Best-paying metro areas for milling and planing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $105,430 | 110 |
| Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $66,440 | 90 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $65,540 | n/a |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $63,360 | 470 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $62,530 | 110 |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $62,220 | 40 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $61,340 | 130 |
| Youngstown-Warren, OH | $60,380 | 30 |
| Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | $60,140 | 60 |
| Springfield, MA | $59,260 | n/a |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $59,050 | 230 |
| Elkhart-Goshen, IN | $59,040 | 190 |
| Canton-Massillon, OH | $58,590 | 30 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $58,360 | 180 |
| Omaha, NE-IA | $58,290 | 30 |
Metro areas with the most milling and planing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic
| Metro area | Workers | Median salary |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 660 | $54,090 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 470 | $63,360 |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | 230 | $56,970 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | 230 | $59,050 |
| Elkhart-Goshen, IN | 190 | $59,040 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 190 | $51,900 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 180 | $58,360 |
| Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI | 150 | $47,510 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | 140 | $56,870 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | 140 | $47,710 |
| Cleveland, OH | 130 | $55,500 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 130 | $61,340 |
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | 120 | $41,210 |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | 110 | $49,210 |
| Kansas City, MO-KS | 110 | $53,990 |
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Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 51-4035. 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 milling and planing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic make in the U.S.?
The median salary for milling and planing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic in the U.S. is $52,800 a year, or $25.39 an hour. Pay ranges from $37,840 for the lowest-paid 10% to $81,030 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid milling and planing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic make in the U.S.?
The top 10% of milling and planing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic in the U.S. earn at least $81,030 a year. The top 25% earn $64,900 or more.
What is the starting pay for milling and planing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic in the U.S.?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $37,840 a year, and a quarter of milling and planing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic earn $45,210 or less.
How many milling and planing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic work in the U.S.?
About 12,460 milling and planing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic are employed in the U.S., not counting the self-employed.