Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic Salaries by State
Mean and median pay, wage percentiles, employment, and top-paying metro areas for milling and planing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics 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
- Washington$86,320
- Connecticut$71,170
- Massachusetts$63,800
- California$62,490
- New York$61,510
📉 5 Lowest-Paying States
- Alabama$39,500
- Georgia$42,530
- Tennessee$43,040
- Oklahoma$43,370
- Mississippi$44,320
State Rankings
| # | State | Mean | Median | Hourly | vs. U.S. | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $86,320 | $86,460 | $42 | +52.1% | 240 |
| 2 | Connecticut | $71,170 | $79,300 | $34 | +25.4% | 150 |
| 3 | Massachusetts | $63,800 | $62,380 | $31 | +12.4% | — |
| 4 | California | $62,490 | $59,050 | $30 | +10.1% | 1,960 |
| 5 | New York | $61,510 | $56,560 | $30 | +8.4% | 550 |
| 6 | Kentucky | $60,800 | $66,440 | $29 | +7.2% | 540 |
| 7 | Illinois | $59,380 | $63,360 | $29 | +4.7% | 570 |
| 8 | Virginia | $58,790 | $56,410 | $28 | +3.6% | 90 |
| 9 | Texas | $58,190 | $53,840 | $28 | +2.6% | 510 |
| 10 | Minnesota | $57,930 | $55,210 | $28 | +2.1% | 220 |
| 11 | Maryland | $57,100 | $56,080 | $27 | +0.6% | 50 |
| 12 | Wisconsin | $56,460 | $58,770 | $27 | -0.5% | 280 |
| 13 | Indiana | $55,940 | $57,720 | $27 | -1.4% | 590 |
| 14 | Ohio | $55,850 | $51,310 | $27 | -1.6% | 610 |
| 15 | Nebraska | $55,240 | $59,630 | $27 | -2.6% | 70 |
| 16 | Arizona | $53,600 | $48,760 | $26 | -5.5% | 100 |
| 17 | Nevada | $53,600 | $52,800 | $26 | -5.5% | 120 |
| 18 | Iowa | $53,530 | $51,600 | $26 | -5.7% | 140 |
| 19 | Colorado | $53,510 | $53,780 | $26 | -5.7% | — |
| 20 | New Hampshire | $52,510 | $49,230 | $25 | -7.5% | 50 |
| 21 | North Carolina | $52,460 | $49,210 | $25 | -7.5% | 280 |
| 22 | Pennsylvania | $51,800 | $47,690 | $25 | -8.7% | 410 |
| 23 | Michigan | $51,550 | $48,400 | $25 | -9.1% | 670 |
| 24 | Maine | $51,360 | $45,210 | $25 | -9.5% | 120 |
| 25 | New Jersey | $51,080 | $50,530 | $25 | -10% | 190 |
| 26 | South Carolina | $50,540 | $48,340 | $24 | -10.9% | 120 |
| 27 | Missouri | $48,780 | $47,680 | $23 | -14% | 350 |
| 28 | Arkansas | $48,730 | $44,440 | $23 | -14.1% | 160 |
| 29 | West Virginia | $48,110 | $45,440 | $23 | -15.2% | 120 |
| 30 | Utah | $46,340 | $46,580 | $22 | -18.3% | 100 |
| 31 | Florida | $45,390 | $47,220 | $22 | -20% | 140 |
| 32 | Mississippi | $44,320 | $39,100 | $21 | -21.9% | 100 |
| 33 | Oklahoma | $43,370 | $40,250 | $21 | -23.6% | 160 |
| 34 | Tennessee | $43,040 | $43,710 | $21 | -24.1% | 1,170 |
| 35 | Georgia | $42,530 | $38,340 | $20 | -25% | 120 |
| 36 | Alabama | $39,500 | $35,760 | $19 | -30.4% | 210 |
Top-Paying Metro Areas
Highest median pay among 64 metro areas.
| # | Metro area | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $105,430 | $93,900 | 110 |
| 2 | Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $66,440 | $59,520 | 90 |
| 3 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $65,540 | $66,120 | — |
| 4 | West Tennessee nonmetropolitan area | $65,360 | $53,880 | 80 |
| 5 | Southwest Maine nonmetropolitan area | $64,290 | $58,930 | 30 |
| 6 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $63,360 | $59,110 | 470 |
| 7 | Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $62,530 | $60,660 | 110 |
| 8 | Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $62,220 | $59,850 | 40 |
| 9 | Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $61,340 | $71,130 | 130 |
| 10 | Youngstown-Warren, OH | $60,380 | $60,360 | 30 |
Pay by Industry
Highest-paying industries employing milling and planing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics (BLS OEWS, by median).
| # | Industry | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing | $81,490 | $80,690 | 1,210 |
| 2 | Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods | $78,780 | $68,380 | — |
| 3 | Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods (4241, 4247, and 4249 only) | $78,780 | $68,380 | — |
| 4 | Computer and Electronic Product Manufacturing | $77,890 | $73,210 | 500 |
| 5 | Alumina and Aluminum Production and Processing | $68,670 | $67,880 | 1,020 |
| 6 | Transportation Equipment Manufacturing | $61,450 | $65,900 | 2,060 |
| 7 | Engine, Turbine, and Power Transmission Equipment Manufacturing | $61,320 | $64,940 | 130 |
| 8 | Commercial and Service Industry Machinery Manufacturing | $61,230 | $57,710 | 50 |
| 9 | Primary Metal Manufacturing | $59,200 | $59,640 | 2,150 |
| 10 | Motor Vehicle Body and Trailer Manufacturing | $59,040 | $57,460 | 220 |
| 11 | Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (3323 and 3324 only) | $58,590 | $56,520 | 140 |
| 12 | Machine Shops | $57,090 | $57,570 | 1,630 |
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do milling and planing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic make in the U.S.?
The median milling and planing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic salary in the United States is $52,800 per year (mean $56,740), and about 80% earn between $37,840 and $81,030.
How much do milling and planing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic make per hour?
Roughly $27 per hour, based on a mean annual wage of $56,740 and 2,080 work hours per year.
Which state pays milling and planing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic the most?
Washington has the highest average pay for milling and planing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic at $86,320 per year (median $86,460).
What is the job outlook for milling and planing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic?
Employment is projected to change -14.4% from 2024 to 2034 (Decline), with about 1,100 openings per year.