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.
Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic salary by state
Base salary plus target annual bonus. Target bonus opportunity scales with role level, so a higher base carries a higher target percentage.
Base salary
$58,500
National baseline
Target bonus
$5,500
9.3% of base
Total target cash
$64,000
Base plus target bonus
Bonus percentiles:25th$3,50050th$5,50075th$9,000
Long-term incentive is not shown for this role. Equity awards are only disclosed publicly for the named executive officers of public companies, so no market figure exists for most jobs. See executive pay disclosures.
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About this role
Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic is a professional role within the function in the Production job family.
Typical entry preparation: High School Diploma and up to 1 year of related work experience, per O*NET occupational data. Advancement typically requires additional years in role.
What Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastics do
Typical education: High School Diploma
Remove workpieces from machines, and check to ensure that they conform to specifications, using measuring instruments such as microscopes, gauges, calipers, and micrometers.
Verify alignment of workpieces on machines, using measuring instruments such as rules, gauges, or calipers.
Move controls to set cutting specifications, to position cutting tools and workpieces in relation to each other, and to start machines.
Observe milling or planing machine operation, and adjust controls to ensure conformance with specified tolerances.
Select and install cutting tools and other accessories according to specifications, using hand tools or power tools.
Top skills:Operations MonitoringOperation and ControlMonitoringCritical ThinkingActive ListeningSpeaking
Includes information from O*NET OnLine by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (CC BY 4.0).
Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic pay by experience level
Entry level$39,000
Typical starting pay (about the 10th percentile)
Early career$47,000
A few years in (about the 25th percentile)
Experienced$54,500
Mid-career median pay
Senior$67,000
Seasoned professionals (about the 75th percentile)
Top earners$84,000
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
-14.4%
projected change in jobs, 2024–2034
1,100
projected openings per year
Declining
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program (2024–2034). Openings include growth and replacement needs.
Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic salary by industry
Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing
3,100 workers
$56,000
Primary Metal Manufacturing
2,150 workers
$61,500
Transportation Equipment Manufacturing
2,060 workers
$68,000
Machine Shops; Turned Product; and Screw, Nut, and Bolt Manufacturing
1,830 workers
$59,000
Machinery Manufacturing
1,440 workers
$58,000
Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing
1,210 workers
$83,500
Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (3321, 3322, 3325, 3326, and 3329 only)
1,030 workers
$50,000
Alumina and Aluminum Production and Processing
1,020 workers
$70,500
Machinery Manufacturing (3331, 3332, 3334, and 3339 only)
880 workers
$58,000
Steel Product Manufacturing from Purchased Steel
700 workers
$54,500
National sector-level figures, BLS OEWS May 2025, aged to 2026.
Pay trend
National median annual wage, 2020 to 2025: $43,150 to $52,800.
+22.4% over this period
Medians as published each May in the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics national estimates. Nominal dollars, not adjusted for inflation. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS.
Pay by experience level
How annual pay for this occupation spreads from newcomers to the highest paid, aged to 2026.
Entry10th percentile
$39,000
Early career25th percentile
$47,000
Median50th percentile
$54,500
Experienced75th percentile
$67,000
Top earners90th percentile
$84,000
Bands are the 10th, 25th, 50th, 75th, and 90th percentile annual wages for this occupation nationally. Percentiles reflect the full mix of tenure, employer, and location, so they approximate but do not equal years of experience. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS national estimates.
Where this job pays most
Top-paying states for this occupation, average annual wage aged to 2026.
State averages for this occupation from the BLS OEWS state estimates. Cost of living differs by state; a higher wage does not always mean more buying power.
The abilities employers and analysts most associate with this occupation.
Operations MonitoringOperation and ControlMonitoringCritical ThinkingActive ListeningSpeaking
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, O*NET occupational database.
Typical duties and FLSA status
Core duties
Remove workpieces from machines, and check to ensure that they conform to specifications, using measuring instruments such as microscopes, gauges, calipers, and micrometers.
Verify alignment of workpieces on machines, using measuring instruments such as rules, gauges, or calipers.
Move controls to set cutting specifications, to position cutting tools and workpieces in relation to each other, and to start machines.
Observe milling or planing machine operation, and adjust controls to ensure conformance with specified tolerances.
Select and install cutting tools and other accessories according to specifications, using hand tools or power tools.
FLSA classification (typical)
Typically Non-exempt · Service, trades, or production work
Occupations in this SOC group are typically classified as Non-exempt and eligible for overtime pay under FLSA rules. Actual classification depends on the specific job duties, salary basis, and any applicable state or local rules. The current federal salary threshold for exemption is $684 per week ($35,568 per year), per the 2020 Department of Labor rule; the 2024 rule that would have raised the threshold was struck down by federal court in November 2024.
Pay outlook
Five-year pay outlook for this title
2026$58,500
2027$60,500
2028$62,500
2029$65,000
2030$67,000
2031$69,500
Projection assumes market wages keep rising about 3.5% a year, consistent with recent wage growth measured by the BLS Employment Cost Index. It reflects market movement for the title, not individual raises or promotions, which vary.
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Sources and assumptions
Modeled market estimate, aged to 2026. Underlying source families are BLS OEWS May 2025 for BLS-mapped occupations and the 2018–19 collection for corporate titles. Annual aging is compounded at approximately 3–4%; geographic, industry and company-size repricing are modeled. See the role details and methodology for the applicable source and assumptions.
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How much does a Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic make?
The median market pay for a Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic in the United States is about $58,500 per year in 2026, based on WePayFairly's market model.
What is the salary range for a Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic?
Most Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic pay falls between about $47,000 (25th percentile) and $67,000 (75th percentile), with top earners above $84,000.
What does a Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic do?
Core responsibilities include: remove workpieces from machines, and check to ensure that they conform to specifications, using measuring instruments such as microscopes, gauges, calipers, and micrometers; and verify alignment of workpieces on machines, using measuring instruments such as rules, gauges, or calipers.
Is pay for Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic roles growing?
Yes. The national median wage for this occupation moved from $43,150 in 2020 to $52,800 in 2025, a change of +22.4% in nominal dollars.
How this role compares
Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic pays 4% above 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 Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic make?
The average base salary for a Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic in the United States is $58,500 per year, or about $28.13 per hour.
What is the typical salary range?
Pay typically falls between $47,000 and $67,000 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 Milling and Planing 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.
