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.
Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic salary by state
Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic is a professional role in the Production job family, focused on Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic work. Pay for this title reflects both its level and its scope; see our Title Level and Organization Responsibility guides for how WePayFairly defines them.
What Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastics do
Typical education: Less than a High School Diploma
Immerse workpieces in coating solutions or liquid metal or plastic for specified times.
Adjust dials to regulate flow of current and voltage supplied to terminals to control plating processes.
Inspect coated or plated areas for defects, such as air bubbles or uneven coverage.
Set up, operate, or tend plating or coating machines to coat metal or plastic products with chromium, zinc, copper, cadmium, nickel, or other metal to protect or decorate surfaces.
Observe gauges to ensure that machines are operating properly, making adjustments or stopping machines when problems occur.
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).
Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic salary by industry
Sectors 31, 32, and 33 – Manufacturing
30,940 workers
$46,500
Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services
860 workers
$37,500
Federal, State, and Local Government, excl. State & Local Schools & Hospitals & USPS
340 workers
$71,000
Federal Government, including the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation)
330 workers
$72,000
Wholesale Trade
80 workers
$45,500
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
30 workers
$75,000
Other Services (except Public Administration)$49,500
National sector-level figures, BLS OEWS May 2025, aged to 2026.
How this role compares
Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic pays 15% below the average across 105 roles in the Production job family (family average $55,000).
How much does a Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic make?
The average base salary for a Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic in the United States is $46,500 per year, or about $22.36 per hour.
What is the typical salary range?
Pay typically falls between $38,500 and $51,500 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 $55,000 across 105 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.
