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.
Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic salary by state
Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic is a professional role within the function in the Production job family.
What Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastics do
Typical education: High School Diploma
Measure and examine extruded products to locate defects and to check for conformance to specifications, adjusting controls as necessary to alter products.
Determine setup procedures and select machine dies and parts, according to specifications.
Start machines and set controls to regulate vacuum, air pressure, sizing rings, and temperature, and to synchronize speed of extrusion.
Reel extruded products into rolls of specified lengths and weights.
Install dies, machine screws, and sizing rings on machines that extrude thermoplastic or metal materials.
Top skills:Operations MonitoringOperation and ControlQuality Control AnalysisMonitoringJudgment and Decision MakingCritical Thinking
Includes information from O*NET OnLine by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (CC BY 4.0).
Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic pay by experience level
Entry level$38,000
Typical starting pay (about the 10th percentile)
Early career$42,000
A few years in (about the 25th percentile)
Experienced$49,500
Mid-career median pay
Senior$59,000
Seasoned professionals (about the 75th percentile)
Top earners$66,000
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
+1.2%
projected change in jobs, 2024–2034
6,500
projected openings per year
Growing slower than average
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program (2024–2034). Openings include growth and replacement needs.
Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic salary by industry
Plastics and Rubber Products Manufacturing
30,760 workers
$49,500
Plastics Product Manufacturing
29,920 workers
$49,500
Primary Metal Manufacturing
11,990 workers
$55,500
Nonferrous Metal (except Aluminum) Production and Processing
6,080 workers
$59,500
Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing
4,800 workers
$50,000
Electrical Equipment, Appliance, and Component Manufacturing
4,730 workers
$53,000
Other Electrical Equipment and Component Manufacturing
4,650 workers
$53,500
Alumina and Aluminum Production and Processing
3,390 workers
$50,000
Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (3321, 3322, 3325, 3326, and 3329 only)
3,290 workers
$50,000
Steel Product Manufacturing from Purchased Steel
2,220 workers
$52,500
National sector-level figures, BLS OEWS May 2025, aged to 2026.
How this role compares
Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic pays 9% 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 Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic make?
The average base salary for a Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic in the United States is $51,000 per year, or about $24.52 per hour.
What is the typical salary range?
Pay typically falls between $42,000 and $59,000 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.
Need Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic pay benchmarked for your organization, or defensible compensation analysis for a dispute or valuation? Grahall builds it from primary sources, backed by an expert who testifies.
