Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, aged to 2026 using compounded market movement. State selections show BLS state-level figures where published. Actual pay varies with experience, industry, and organization size.
Heat Treating Equipment Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic salary by state
What Heat Treating Equipment Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastics do
Typical education: High School Diploma
Read production schedules and work orders to determine processing sequences, furnace temperatures, and heat cycle requirements for objects to be heat-treated.
Record times that parts are removed from furnaces to document that objects have attained specified temperatures for specified times.
Adjust controls to maintain temperatures and heating times, using thermal instruments and charts, dials and gauges of furnaces, and color of stock in furnaces to make setting determinations.
Start conveyors and open furnace doors to load stock, or signal crane operators to uncover soaking pits and lower ingots into them.
Set up and operate or tend machines, such as furnaces, baths, flame-hardening machines, and electronic induction machines, that harden, anneal, and heat-treat metal.
Top skills:Operations MonitoringOperation and ControlSpeakingQuality Control AnalysisMonitoringActive Listening
Includes information from O*NET OnLine by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (CC BY 4.0).
Heat Treating Equipment Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic pay by experience level
Entry level$36,500
Typical starting pay (about the 10th percentile)
Early career$42,000
A few years in (about the 25th percentile)
Experienced$50,500
Mid-career median pay
Senior$60,500
Seasoned professionals (about the 75th percentile)
Top earners$68,500
Highest earners (about the 90th percentile)
Experience tiers are derived from the BLS wage percentile distribution for this occupation, aged to 2026. Actual pay varies by employer, location, and specialization.
Job outlook
-12.8%
projected change in jobs, 2024–2034
1,200
projected openings per year
Declining
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program (2024–2034). Openings include growth and replacement needs.
Heat Treating Equipment Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic salary by industry
Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing
6,390 workers
$50,000
Coating, Engraving, Heat Treating, and Allied Activities
3,220 workers
$51,500
Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (3321, 3322, 3325, 3326, and 3329 only)
2,480 workers
$46,500
Primary Metal Manufacturing
2,050 workers
$56,500
Machinery Manufacturing
1,660 workers
$51,000
Transportation Equipment Manufacturing
1,580 workers
$59,000
Machinery Manufacturing (3331, 3332, 3334, and 3339 only)
1,070 workers
$52,000
Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing
940 workers
$63,500
Iron and Steel Mills and Ferroalloy Manufacturing
630 workers
$56,500
Machine Shops; Turned Product; and Screw, Nut, and Bolt Manufacturing
550 workers
$50,500
National sector-level figures, BLS OEWS May 2025, aged to 2026.
How this role compares
Heat Treating Equipment Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic pays 6% below the average across 112 roles in the Production job family (family average $56,000).
Related occupations from O*NET OnLine, U.S. Department of Labor.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a Heat Treating Equipment Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic make?
The average base salary for a Heat Treating Equipment Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic in the United States is $52,500 per year, or about $25.24 per hour.
What is the typical salary range?
Pay typically falls between $42,000 and $60,500 per year (25th to 75th percentile) depending on experience, location, industry, and organization size.
How does this compare with other Production roles?
The Production job family averages $56,000 across 112 roles tracked by WePayFairly.
Need a defensible market price for this role? WePayFairly data is compiled from published survey sources and maintained by compensation professionals.
