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.
Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic salary by state
What Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastics do
Typical education: High School Diploma
Read work orders or blueprints to determine specified tolerances and sequences of operations for machine setup.
Position and move metal wires or workpieces through a series of dies that compress and shape stock to form die impressions.
Measure and inspect machined parts to ensure conformance to product specifications.
Set up, operate, or tend presses and forging machines to perform hot or cold forging by flattening, straightening, bending, cutting, piercing, or other operations to taper, shape, or form metal.
Turn handles or knobs to set pressures and depths of ram strokes and to synchronize machine operations.
Top skills:Operations MonitoringReading ComprehensionOperation and ControlMonitoringActive ListeningTime Management
Includes information from O*NET OnLine by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (CC BY 4.0).
Forging 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$44,000
A few years in (about the 25th percentile)
Experienced$50,500
Mid-career median pay
Senior$62,000
Seasoned professionals (about the 75th percentile)
Top earners$71,000
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
-18.9%
projected change in jobs, 2024–2034
600
projected openings per year
Declining
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program (2024–2034). Openings include growth and replacement needs.
Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic salary by industry
Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing
4,600 workers
$54,500
Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (3321, 3322, 3325, 3326, and 3329 only)
3,010 workers
$52,000
Transportation Equipment Manufacturing
1,340 workers
$53,500
Machine Shops; Turned Product; and Screw, Nut, and Bolt Manufacturing
1,100 workers
$60,000
Motor Vehicle Parts Manufacturing
950 workers
$49,500
Primary Metal Manufacturing
710 workers
$59,000
Machinery Manufacturing
660 workers
$51,000
Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (3323 and 3324 only)
490 workers
$56,500
Machinery Manufacturing (3331, 3332, 3334, and 3339 only)
430 workers
$51,000
Plastics and Rubber Products Manufacturing
420 workers
$41,500
National sector-level figures, BLS OEWS May 2025, aged to 2026.
How this role compares
Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic pays 4% 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 Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic make?
The average base salary for a Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic in the United States is $53,500 per year, or about $25.72 per hour.
What is the typical salary range?
Pay typically falls between $44,000 and $62,000 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 Forging 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.
