Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic Salaries by State
Mean and median pay, wage percentiles, employment, and top-paying metro areas for plating 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
- Iowa$59,160
- Washington$59,100
- Arkansas$52,750
- Utah$52,190
- Oklahoma$51,950
State Rankings
| # | State | Mean | Median | Hourly | vs. U.S. | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Iowa | $59,160 | $70,910 | $28 | +31.2% | 440 |
| 2 | Washington | $59,100 | $58,000 | $28 | +31% | 410 |
| 3 | Arkansas | $52,750 | $51,140 | $25 | +17% | 230 |
| 4 | Utah | $52,190 | $46,940 | $25 | +15.7% | 180 |
| 5 | Oklahoma | $51,950 | $49,330 | $25 | +15.2% | 180 |
| 6 | Oregon | $51,420 | $48,050 | $25 | +14% | 310 |
| 7 | Mississippi | $50,690 | $52,090 | $24 | +12.4% | 60 |
| 8 | Colorado | $49,750 | $47,930 | $24 | +10.3% | 190 |
| 9 | Georgia | $49,250 | $39,160 | $24 | +9.2% | 660 |
| 10 | Nebraska | $48,870 | $48,010 | $24 | +8.4% | 400 |
| 11 | Minnesota | $48,650 | $46,730 | $23 | +7.9% | 560 |
| 12 | Ohio | $48,460 | $46,790 | $23 | +7.5% | 1,810 |
| 13 | Maryland | $48,050 | $42,030 | $23 | +6.5% | 60 |
| 14 | California | $47,610 | $46,760 | $23 | +5.6% | 5,600 |
| 15 | Maine | $47,440 | $45,720 | $23 | +5.2% | 170 |
| 16 | New Hampshire | $47,420 | $46,300 | $23 | +5.1% | 60 |
| 17 | New York | $47,200 | $45,510 | $23 | +4.7% | 830 |
| 18 | Pennsylvania | $47,190 | $45,590 | $23 | +4.6% | 1,740 |
| 19 | Wisconsin | $46,280 | $44,350 | $22 | +2.6% | 940 |
| 20 | Massachusetts | $45,930 | $46,150 | $22 | +1.8% | 860 |
| 21 | Arizona | $45,920 | $47,110 | $22 | +1.8% | 640 |
| 22 | Florida | $45,220 | $46,460 | $22 | +0.3% | 530 |
| 23 | South Carolina | $45,210 | $44,560 | $22 | +0.2% | 470 |
| 24 | Idaho | $44,380 | $44,470 | $21 | -1.6% | 60 |
| 25 | Virginia | $43,810 | $43,380 | $21 | -2.9% | 270 |
| 26 | Connecticut | $43,750 | $37,220 | $21 | -3% | 620 |
| 27 | Rhode Island | $43,700 | $38,580 | $21 | -3.1% | 450 |
| 28 | North Carolina | $43,530 | $43,540 | $21 | -3.5% | 710 |
| 29 | Indiana | $43,370 | $38,680 | $21 | -3.8% | 1,250 |
| 30 | Missouri | $43,010 | $44,080 | $21 | -4.6% | 150 |
| 31 | Kansas | $42,480 | $38,770 | $20 | -5.8% | 360 |
| 32 | Illinois | $41,990 | $38,620 | $20 | -6.9% | 2,380 |
| 33 | New Jersey | $41,920 | $40,800 | $20 | -7.1% | 380 |
| 34 | Tennessee | $41,470 | $39,510 | $20 | -8% | 1,660 |
| 35 | Michigan | $40,490 | $37,600 | $19 | -10.2% | 3,330 |
| 36 | Texas | $40,460 | $39,060 | $19 | -10.3% | 2,090 |
| 37 | Nevada | $40,440 | $37,460 | $19 | -10.3% | 60 |
| 38 | Kentucky | $38,630 | $34,680 | $19 | -14.3% | 630 |
| 39 | Louisiana | $36,400 | $34,040 | $18 | -19.3% | 100 |
| 40 | Alabama | $35,210 | $33,730 | $17 | -21.9% | 400 |
Top-Paying Metro Areas
Highest median pay among 129 metro areas.
| # | Metro area | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ogden, UT | $70,490 | $64,690 | 60 |
| 2 | West Kentucky nonmetropolitan area | $68,300 | $53,560 | 130 |
| 3 | Oklahoma City, OK | $65,040 | $59,990 | 90 |
| 4 | Omaha, NE-IA | $61,880 | $57,100 | 40 |
| 5 | Oshkosh-Neenah, WI | $59,720 | $58,220 | 50 |
| 6 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $58,400 | $57,770 | 210 |
| 7 | Jacksonville, FL | $56,350 | $52,190 | 40 |
| 8 | Reading, PA | $55,230 | $51,710 | 100 |
| 9 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $53,680 | $52,770 | 460 |
| 10 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $50,870 | $53,300 | 600 |
Pay by Industry
Highest-paying industries employing plating machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics (BLS OEWS, by median).
| # | Industry | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | $87,360 | $72,570 | 30 |
| 2 | Sector 54 - Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | $87,360 | $72,570 | 30 |
| 3 | Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) | $70,180 | $69,380 | 330 |
| 4 | Federal Government, including the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | $70,180 | $69,380 | 330 |
| 5 | Federal, State, and Local Government, excluding State and Local Schools and Hospitals and USPS | $68,540 | $68,690 | 340 |
| 6 | Federal, State, and Local Government, including State and Local Schools and Hospitals and USPS | $68,540 | $68,690 | 340 |
| 7 | Sector 99 - Federal, State, and Local Government, excl. State & Local Schools & Hospitals & USPS | $68,540 | $68,690 | 340 |
| 8 | Furniture and Related Product Manufacturing | $67,610 | $61,910 | 30 |
| 9 | Furniture and Related Product Manufacturing (3371 and 3372 only) | $67,610 | $61,910 | 30 |
| 10 | Alumina and Aluminum Production and Processing | $61,470 | $55,780 | 720 |
| 11 | Iron and Steel Mills and Ferroalloy Manufacturing | $60,870 | $56,310 | 190 |
| 12 | Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing | $59,540 | $68,200 | 500 |
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do plating machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic make in the U.S.?
The median plating machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic salary in the United States is $43,960 per year (mean $45,100), and about 80% earn between $33,790 and $60,370.
How much do plating machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic make per hour?
Roughly $22 per hour, based on a mean annual wage of $45,100 and 2,080 work hours per year.
Which state pays plating machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic the most?
Iowa has the highest average pay for plating machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic at $59,160 per year (median $70,910).
What is the job outlook for plating machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic?
Employment is projected to change -13.6% from 2024 to 2034 (Decline), with about 2,500 openings per year.