Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders Salaries by State
Mean and median pay, wage percentiles, employment, and top-paying metro areas for extruding, forming, pressing, and compacting machine setters, operators, and tenderss across the U.S. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 (data.bls.gov OEWS tool /OESServices/combo/table, all-occupation crawl by area).
Job Outlook, 2024–2034
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034.
Salary Map
Brighter tiles = higher average pay; dashed tiles have no data. Click a state for details.
💰 Top 5 Highest-Paying States
- Pennsylvania$57,820
- Maine$55,230
- South Carolina$53,530
- Minnesota$52,730
- Illinois$51,860
📉 5 Lowest-Paying States
- New Mexico$35,320
- Kentucky$39,330
- Alabama$39,900
- Idaho$40,900
- Texas$41,230
State Rankings
| # | State | Mean | Median | Hourly | vs. U.S. | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pennsylvania | $57,820 | $53,580 | $28 | +22.3% | 2,450 |
| 2 | Maine | $55,230 | $57,990 | $27 | +16.9% | 140 |
| 3 | South Carolina | $53,530 | $51,620 | $26 | +13.3% | 2,460 |
| 4 | Minnesota | $52,730 | $52,070 | $25 | +11.6% | 560 |
| 5 | Illinois | $51,860 | $47,370 | $25 | +9.7% | 1,690 |
| 6 | Oregon | $51,820 | $48,360 | $25 | +9.6% | 370 |
| 7 | Vermont | $51,620 | $52,340 | $25 | +9.2% | 160 |
| 8 | Colorado | $51,150 | $49,100 | $25 | +8.2% | 280 |
| 9 | Iowa | $50,910 | $49,340 | $24 | +7.7% | 500 |
| 10 | California | $50,900 | $47,300 | $24 | +7.7% | 4,210 |
| 11 | Nebraska | $50,700 | $48,760 | $24 | +7.3% | 750 |
| 12 | Nevada | $50,440 | $50,050 | $24 | +6.7% | — |
| 13 | Virginia | $50,180 | $49,390 | $24 | +6.2% | 1,810 |
| 14 | Washington | $49,800 | $44,510 | $24 | +5.4% | 750 |
| 15 | West Virginia | $49,380 | $50,690 | $24 | +4.5% | 180 |
| 16 | Ohio | $48,980 | $47,070 | $24 | +3.6% | 3,970 |
| 17 | Utah | $48,620 | $49,100 | $23 | +2.9% | 250 |
| 18 | New York | $48,510 | $44,660 | $23 | +2.6% | 3,260 |
| 19 | Connecticut | $48,450 | $46,090 | $23 | +2.5% | 240 |
| 20 | Mississippi | $48,390 | $46,560 | $23 | +2.4% | 660 |
| 21 | New Jersey | $48,200 | $47,080 | $23 | +2% | 1,880 |
| 22 | Missouri | $47,940 | $47,470 | $23 | +1.4% | 1,040 |
| 23 | Massachusetts | $47,900 | $47,220 | $23 | +1.4% | 950 |
| 24 | New Hampshire | $47,800 | $47,730 | $23 | +1.1% | 410 |
| 25 | North Dakota | $47,770 | $46,220 | $23 | +1.1% | 270 |
| 26 | Arizona | $47,380 | $46,440 | $23 | +0.3% | 700 |
| 27 | Arkansas | $46,990 | $48,320 | $23 | -0.6% | 2,190 |
| 28 | Indiana | $46,720 | $46,790 | $22 | -1.1% | 3,150 |
| 29 | Wisconsin | $46,580 | $46,370 | $22 | -1.4% | 1,730 |
| 30 | Maryland | $46,380 | $46,640 | $22 | -1.9% | 280 |
| 31 | South Dakota | $45,880 | $43,240 | $22 | -2.9% | 610 |
| 32 | Louisiana | $45,360 | $44,200 | $22 | -4% | 200 |
| 33 | Georgia | $44,930 | $45,670 | $22 | -4.9% | 1,150 |
| 34 | North Carolina | $44,890 | $43,050 | $22 | -5% | 3,420 |
| 35 | Kansas | $44,370 | $44,290 | $21 | -6.1% | 600 |
| 36 | Michigan | $43,470 | $39,790 | $21 | -8% | 1,970 |
| 37 | Tennessee | $43,230 | $41,970 | $21 | -8.5% | 4,210 |
| 38 | Rhode Island | $42,570 | $39,230 | $20 | -9.9% | 80 |
| 39 | Oklahoma | $42,220 | $42,180 | $20 | -10.7% | 1,310 |
| 40 | Florida | $41,560 | $39,800 | $20 | -12.1% | 780 |
| 41 | Texas | $41,230 | $37,710 | $20 | -12.8% | 3,420 |
| 42 | Idaho | $40,900 | $38,580 | $20 | -13.5% | 210 |
| 43 | Alabama | $39,900 | $38,650 | $19 | -15.6% | 1,510 |
| 44 | Kentucky | $39,330 | $36,180 | $19 | -16.8% | 1,690 |
| 45 | New Mexico | $35,320 | $36,710 | $17 | -25.3% | 80 |
Top-Paying Metro Areas
Highest median pay among 191 metro areas.
| # | Metro area | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Modesto, CA | $88,940 | $73,970 | 140 |
| 2 | Oshkosh-Neenah, WI | $72,500 | $57,510 | 100 |
| 3 | Southwest New York nonmetropolitan area | $65,350 | $60,890 | 130 |
| 4 | Lincoln, NE | $61,820 | $55,110 | 170 |
| 5 | Vallejo, CA | $59,110 | $56,820 | 110 |
| 6 | Terre Haute, IN | $59,080 | $55,020 | 170 |
| 7 | Duluth, MN-WI | $57,910 | $52,370 | 30 |
| 8 | West Northwestern Ohio nonmetropolitan area | $56,610 | $56,750 | 690 |
| 9 | St. Louis, MO-IL | $56,320 | $58,390 | 590 |
| 10 | Gulfport-Biloxi, MS | $55,940 | $54,290 | 40 |
Pay by Industry
Highest-paying industries employing extruding, forming, pressing, and compacting machine setters, operators, and tenderss (BLS OEWS, by median).
| # | Industry | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pulp, Paper, and Paperboard Mills | $62,530 | $63,000 | 270 |
| 2 | Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing | $61,040 | $69,370 | 260 |
| 3 | Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing | $61,040 | $69,370 | 260 |
| 4 | Beverage Manufacturing | $58,420 | $62,330 | 50 |
| 5 | Dairy Product Manufacturing | $58,290 | $58,240 | 90 |
| 6 | Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods (4244 and 4248 only) | $56,610 | $55,540 | 120 |
| 7 | Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing | $56,580 | $57,940 | 700 |
| 8 | Textile Mills | $54,620 | $53,870 | — |
| 9 | Paper Manufacturing | $53,570 | $55,800 | 2,620 |
| 10 | Converted Paper Product Manufacturing | $53,430 | $54,970 | 2,350 |
| 11 | Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods (4242 and 4246 only) | $51,230 | $48,060 | 190 |
| 12 | Waste Management and Remediation Services | $51,160 | $48,740 | — |
Workforce Deep-Dive
Distribution and demographics from Census ACS (2023, self-reported). Wage figures here are ACS averages and run lower than the authoritative BLS wages above; use them for shape, not exact pay.
Annual wage distribution
Pay by age band
Education level
Full-time vs part-time
Race / ethnicity
Top fields of study
Top Skills
Most important skills for this role (O*NET importance, 1–5 scale).
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do extruding, forming, pressing, and compacting machine setters, operators, and tenders make in the U.S.?
The median extruding, forming, pressing, and compacting machine setters, operators, and tenders salary in the United States is $45,760 per year (mean $47,260), and about 80% earn between $34,630 and $63,450.
How much do extruding, forming, pressing, and compacting machine setters, operators, and tenders make per hour?
Roughly $23 per hour, based on a mean annual wage of $47,260 and 2,080 work hours per year.
Which state pays extruding, forming, pressing, and compacting machine setters, operators, and tenders the most?
Pennsylvania has the highest average pay for extruding, forming, pressing, and compacting machine setters, operators, and tenders at $57,820 per year (median $53,580).
What is the job outlook for extruding, forming, pressing, and compacting machine setters, operators, and tenders?
Employment is projected to change +2% from 2024 to 2034 (About as fast as average), with about 5,200 openings per year.