Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic salary in the U.S.
Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic in the U.S. earn a median of $43,960 a year ($21.14 an hour), based on BLS data for 32,410 workers.
Pay ranges from $33,790 for the lowest-paid 10% to $60,370 for the top 10%. The average (mean) salary is $45,100, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for plating machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic in the U.S.
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $33,790 | $16.25 |
| 25th percentile | $37,260 | $17.91 |
| Median | $43,960 | $21.14 |
| 75th percentile | $49,600 | $23.85 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $60,370 | $29.02 |
| Average (mean) | $45,100 | $21.69 |
Half of plating 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 | $3,663.33 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $1,831.67 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $1,690.77 |
| Weekly | $845.38 |
| Hourly | $21.14 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Buying a home? On a $43,960 salary, see how much house you can afford at today's mortgage rates, or work out a payment with the mortgage calculator.
Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic salary by state
| State | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Iowa | $70,910 | 440 |
| Washington | $58,000 | 410 |
| Mississippi | $52,090 | 60 |
| Arkansas | $51,140 | 230 |
| Oklahoma | $49,330 | 180 |
| Oregon | $48,050 | 310 |
| Nebraska | $48,010 | 400 |
| Colorado | $47,930 | 190 |
| Arizona | $47,110 | 640 |
| Utah | $46,940 | 180 |
| Ohio | $46,790 | 1,810 |
| California | $46,760 | 5,600 |
| Minnesota | $46,730 | 560 |
| Florida | $46,460 | 530 |
| New Hampshire | $46,300 | 60 |
| Massachusetts | $46,150 | 860 |
| Maine | $45,720 | 170 |
| Pennsylvania | $45,590 | 1,740 |
| New York | $45,510 | 830 |
| South Carolina | $44,560 | 470 |
| Idaho | $44,470 | 60 |
| Wisconsin | $44,350 | 940 |
| Missouri | $44,080 | 150 |
| North Carolina | $43,540 | 710 |
| Virginia | $43,380 | 270 |
| Maryland | $42,030 | 60 |
| New Jersey | $40,800 | 380 |
| Tennessee | $39,510 | 1,660 |
| Georgia | $39,160 | 660 |
| Texas | $39,060 | 2,090 |
| Kansas | $38,770 | 360 |
| Indiana | $38,680 | 1,250 |
| Illinois | $38,620 | 2,380 |
| Rhode Island | $38,580 | 450 |
| Michigan | $37,600 | 3,330 |
| Nevada | $37,460 | 60 |
| Connecticut | $37,220 | 620 |
| Kentucky | $34,680 | 630 |
| Louisiana | $34,040 | 100 |
| Alabama | $33,730 | 400 |
Best-paying metro areas for plating machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Ogden, UT | $70,490 | 60 |
| Oklahoma City, OK | $65,040 | 90 |
| Omaha, NE-IA | $61,880 | 40 |
| Oshkosh-Neenah, WI | $59,720 | 50 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $58,400 | 210 |
| Jacksonville, FL | $56,350 | 40 |
| Reading, PA | $55,230 | 100 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $53,680 | 460 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $50,870 | 600 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $50,520 | 70 |
| Lancaster, PA | $50,080 | 80 |
| New Haven, CT | $49,100 | 50 |
| South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI | $48,810 | 50 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $48,690 | 340 |
| Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ | $48,610 | 100 |
Metro areas with the most plating machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic
| Metro area | Workers | Median salary |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 3,160 | $46,420 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 1,870 | $38,830 |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | 1,620 | $37,820 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | 880 | $38,880 |
| Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI | 780 | $36,960 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | 600 | $50,870 |
| Cleveland, OH | 570 | $47,440 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 560 | $44,880 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | 550 | $47,200 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 540 | $39,420 |
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | 540 | $47,630 |
| Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | 540 | $38,740 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 500 | $47,310 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | 460 | $44,590 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 460 | $53,680 |
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 51-4193. 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 plating machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic make in the U.S.?
The median salary for plating machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic in the U.S. is $43,960 a year, or $21.14 an hour. Pay ranges from $33,790 for the lowest-paid 10% to $60,370 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid plating machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic make in the U.S.?
The top 10% of plating machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic in the U.S. earn at least $60,370 a year. The top 25% earn $49,600 or more.
What is the starting pay for plating machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic in the U.S.?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $33,790 a year, and a quarter of plating machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic earn $37,260 or less.
How many plating machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic work in the U.S.?
About 32,410 plating machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic are employed in the U.S., not counting the self-employed.