Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic Salary

The median extruding and drawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic salary in the United States is $47,720 per year ($22.94/hour). Salaries range from $36,700 at the entry level to $63,710+ for the top 10% of earners. There are 60,840 extruding and drawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic jobs nationwide. Employment is projected to grow 1.2% through 2034.

Last updated: June 2026 Β· Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Median Salary
$47,720
per year
Hourly Rate
$22.94
per hour
Employment
60,840
jobs in the U.S.

Salary Distribution

10th percentile
$36,700
25th percentile
$40,450
Median
$47,720
75th percentile
$56,840
90th percentile
$63,710

Job Growth (2024-2034)

+1.2%
Slower than average

Annual Openings

6,500
jobs/year (growth + replacements)

Education Required

High school diploma or equivalent

Training Needed

Moderate-term on-the-job training

Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic Career Guide

Interview questions, resume templates, and a career ladder written specifically for extruding and drawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics.

Extruding and drawing machine operators (BLS SOC 51-4021 metal, and the plastics-side split under 51-4041) run the equipment that forces heated metal or molten polymer through a die to produce a continuous shape β€” aluminum extrusion billet through a press die into structural profiles at Kaiser Aluminum and Constellium; copper and aluminum rod drawn through carbide dies into building-wire and magnet-wire at Southwire, Cerro Wire, and Encore Wire; steel rod cold-drawn into fastener wire; polyethylene, PVC, and PET pelletized resin melted and extruded into film, sheet, tubing, and pipe at Berry Global, Sealed Air, Amcor, Novolex, Nova Chemicals, and JM Eagle (PVC pressure pipe). Typical machines: Davis-Standard single- and twin-screw extruders, KraussMaffei injection-and-extrusion lines, Milacron sheet-and-profile extruders, SMS Group and Presezzi extrusion presses on the metal side. BLS reports 60,840 employed with a median of $47,720, p10 $32,180, p90 $67,940+. Entry Tender / Off-Bearer $17-21/hr ($36-44k); established Operator $22-28/hr ($46-58k); Sr Operator / Set-Up $28-34/hr ($58-71k); Lead Operator / Shift Supervisor $34-42/hr ($71-87k). Union representation at USW, UFCW, USW Local aluminum and steel locals, Teamsters, and UAW at former Big-3-adjacent extrusion suppliers pushes the base 15-30% higher with pension and healthcare. The biggest earnings lever is stacking a NIMS Machining Level II or III credential + specific-die-and-tooling depth (aluminum billet vs copper rod vs PVC pipe vs PET film) + moving into a Set-Up Operator or Lead Operator seat at a union plant.

Core Skills Hiring Managers Screen For

Die set-up, alignment, and change-over discipline
Aluminum extrusion presses run flat-face and porthole dies (Kaiser Aluminum, Constellium, Hydro Extrusions, Bonnell) β€” tolerance stack-up on die bearing lengths, back-relief, and mandrel-centering directly controls scrap rate and profile straightness. Copper and aluminum rod-and-wire drawing (Southwire, Cerro Wire, Encore Wire, Prysmian) uses carbide-nib die stacks of 6-14 progressive-reduction dies β€” nib-changing, capstan-tension setup, and die-soap / drawing-lubricant management drive throughput. PVC pipe extrusion (JM Eagle, Charlotte Pipe, National Pipe & Plastics) uses spider-and-mandrel or basket dies with vacuum-tank sizing sleeves; die change-over on a Davis-Standard or KraussMaffei line takes 45-180 min depending on complexity.
Melt / metal-temperature control and process-parameter management
Plastic extrusion: barrel-heater zone control (typically 4-6 zones) at Davis-Standard, Milacron, and KraussMaffei extruders; melt-pressure and melt-temperature at the screen-changer and die entry; screw-speed RPM, drawdown ratio, and haul-off / puller-speed synchronization. Aluminum extrusion: billet-preheat furnace temperature (typically 800-950Β°F for 6xxx-series alloys, 700-850Β°F for 7xxx), container temperature, extrusion ram speed and pressure, run-out table quench (air, water-mist, or full water quench for aging response). Copper and aluminum rod drawing: bull-block capstan speed, inter-stand tension, and continuous-anneal furnace temperature for annealed magnet-wire.
Quality-inspection standards β€” dimensional, surface, mechanical
Dimensional inspection with calipers, micrometers, thread-ring gauges, and profile-checking fixtures against print tolerances (typically Β±0.005-0.030" on extruded aluminum profiles per Aluminum Association Standards for Aluminum Extrusions). Surface-inspection for die lines, scoring, pick-up, and pull-marks on aluminum; melt-fracture, sharkskin, gel contamination, and die drool on plastics; oxide inclusion and drawing-lubricant carbon on copper wire. Mechanical testing: tensile / yield / elongation on extruded aluminum billets (typically ASTM B221 for aluminum-alloy extruded bars, rods, and profiles); tensile and conductivity on drawn copper wire (ASTM B3 soft-drawn, ASTM B8 stranded, ASTM B258 solid). Pressure testing on PVC pipe per ASTM D2241 (SDR-PR) or ASTM D1785 (Schedule 40/80).
OSHA 29 CFR 1910 general-industry safety compliance
29 CFR 1910.147 lockout / tagout (LOTO) for maintenance and die-change operations on presses and extruders β€” energy-isolation of hydraulic, electrical, thermal, and stored-mechanical energy. 29 CFR 1910.212 machine guarding on presses, capstans, haul-off pullers, and cutters; 29 CFR 1910.219 power-transmission guarding on gear boxes and drive shafts. 29 CFR 1910.132-138 PPE (heat-resistant gloves and sleeves near 900Β°F billet-heat and molten polymer; hearing protection near capstans and cutters typically 85-100 dBA; safety glasses and face shields near molten-metal and molten-plastic operations). 29 CFR 1910.146 confined-space entry for hopper, silo, and quench-tank maintenance. Hot-work permitting under 29 CFR 1910.252 for maintenance welding on the press or extruder.
Print reading, GD&T basics, and job-router execution
Manufacturing job-router reading β€” customer part number, alloy or resin call-out (6061-T6, 6063-T5, PVC Type I, PE 4710 pressure pipe resin), die number, target speed / temperature envelope, quality specification (surface class, mechanical spec, dimensional tolerance). Blueprint reading including GD&T datum callouts, form-and-orientation tolerances (straightness, flatness, roundness), and profile-of-a-surface tolerances typical of extruded shapes. Traceability discipline β€” heat lot / resin lot / extrusion ticket / drawing bull-block ticket tied to shipped product for customer-quality traceback (aerospace and automotive customers under AS9100 / IATF 16949 require lot-level traceability).
Statistical process control (SPC) and scrap-rate management
Real-time SPC charts on critical-to-quality dimensions (wall thickness on pipe, cross-section on profile, diameter on wire) β€” X-bar / R charts and Cp / Cpk indexes against print specs; typical Cpk targets 1.33+ for automotive and aerospace customers. Scrap-rate discipline β€” start-up scrap on a die change (typically 200-800 lb of aluminum, 100-500 lb of plastic resin) is the largest single controllable variable in an operator's daily performance; leaders reduce start-up scrap 30-50% through disciplined die-change procedures and preventive die maintenance. Downgrade discipline β€” determining whether an out-of-spec run can be shipped as secondary grade to a lower-tolerance customer or must be scrapped and remelted / reground.
Materials handling β€” billet, coil, log, and finished-product movement
Overhead-crane operation (bridge crane, jib crane) for aluminum billet-log handling and finished-profile lifting β€” typically 5-25 ton capacity; ASME B30.2 overhead-crane operator certification often plant-required. Sit-down and stand-up forklift operation (Class I, IV, V) for coil, finished-product, and packaging movement β€” OSHA 29 CFR 1910.178 operator certification with 3-year renewal. Sling and rigging discipline (nylon, wire-rope, and chain slings) per ASME B30.9. Coil-handling on wire-drawing lines using pay-off stands and take-up spoolers β€” coil weights typically 500-6,000 lb; coil-tension control at pay-off is a safety-and-quality-critical operation.

How to Become a Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

  1. 1
    Complete a high-school diploma or GED with strong shop math and reading-comprehension foundations
    Employers screen on shop-math ability (fractions, decimals, calipers, micrometers, tape-measure reading) and print-reading basics. A high-school co-op or vocational-track program in metal-fabrication, machining, or plastics processing gives a meaningful head start; without it, WorkKeys National Career Readiness Certificate at Silver or Gold level is the alternate signal employers screen for.
  2. 2
    Complete a technical certificate or associate program in machining, plastics, or industrial technology (optional but promotes faster)
    Community-college machining programs at Macomb Community College (MI), Ivy Tech (IN), Pima Community College (AZ), Tulsa Tech (OK), Sinclair Community College (OH) β€” 8-24 months, $2-8k total tuition. Plastics-focused programs at Penn College Plastics and Polymer Engineering Technology, Ferris State Plastics Engineering Technology, and Shawnee State Plastics β€” 24-month AAS. NIMS Machining Level I credentials often stackable inside these programs at no additional cost.
  3. 3
    Start as Off-Bearer / Tender / Material Handler at $17-21/hr ($36-44k) + benefits + shift differential
    First seat β€” typically at a Kaiser Aluminum, Constellium, Hydro Extrusions, or Bonnell aluminum-extrusion plant; a Southwire, Cerro Wire, or Encore Wire copper / aluminum wire-drawing plant; a JM Eagle, Charlotte Pipe, or National Pipe & Plastics PVC-pipe extrusion plant; a Berry Global, Sealed Air, Amcor, or Novolex film / sheet / packaging extrusion plant. Duties: pack finished profiles / coils / lengths, load billets to the log-saw or press, pull scrap and downgrade, assist Operator on die change. Shift differential of $0.50-2.00/hr for 2nd and 3rd shift is standard; overtime at 1.5x after 40 hrs (many union plants have 1.5x after 8/day and 2x on Sundays).
  4. 4
    Promote to Machine Operator at $22-28/hr ($46-58k) + benefits
    18-36 months after entry. Own a single line or press cell β€” run to schedule, meet the daily production plan, hit scrap and quality targets. NIMS Machining Level I credentials (Measurement, Materials, and Safety; Job Planning, Benchwork, and Layout) are typical at this promotion; plastics-side operators often complete SPI (Society of the Plastics Industry) Operator-level curriculum. Union plants (USW, UFCW, Teamsters, UAW-adjacent) typically have a written bidding / seniority process for this promotion.
  5. 5
    Layer on NIMS Machining Level II or III + shift-lead / set-up training
    NIMS Machining Level II (Turning, Milling, Grinding, EDM, or CNC-Setup and Operation) β€” extrusion-side operators often stack the CNC Setup and Operation or Job Planning credentials; costs $50-150 per credential + prep time. NIMS Level III at Journey-Worker equivalency is a strong signal for Set-Up Operator promotion. Plastics-side operators often complete SPE (Society of Plastics Engineers) courses on extrusion troubleshooting, blown-film optimization, or profile-die design. Pipefitters / plumbers occasionally cross-train into PVC-pipe extrusion at NUCA or PPFA-affiliated employers.
  6. 6
    Promote to Set-Up Operator / Lead Operator at $28-34/hr ($58-71k) + benefits + LTIP
    5-9 years in seat. Own die changes, start-up scrap reduction, and off-shift technical calls. Second-chair to the Shift Supervisor on quality and downtime issues. Train new operators. Some plants add a Set-Up premium of $2-4/hr above the base Operator rate. Union plants build this into the seniority ladder with a written bidding process.
  7. 7
    Advance to Shift Supervisor / Production Supervisor at $34-42/hr salaried ($71-87k) + bonus + LTIP
    8-15 years in seat. Own a shift's production plan across 3-8 lines or presses; direct 8-25 operators, tenders, and material handlers per shift. Some employers require a technical AAS or 2-year certificate for the Supervisor promotion; others promote from within based on demonstrated leadership. Bonus of 5-12% on plant-level scrap, throughput, and safety metrics is typical.
  8. 8
    Advance to Plant Manager, Process Engineer, or Corporate Manufacturing Engineer at $85-135k+ + bonus + LTIP
    15+ years in seat, typically with an associate's or bachelor's in industrial technology, plastics engineering, or manufacturing engineering. Plant Manager owns the P&L across all shifts; Process Engineer owns the die-design, tooling, and process-parameter book. Corporate Manufacturing Engineer at Berry Global, Amcor, Kaiser Aluminum, or Constellium supports 3-15 plants on a specialty area (extrusion, blown-film, injection, or die-design).

Career Progression

Off-Bearer / Tender / Material Handler
0-2 yrs$17-21/hr ($36-44k) + shift differential + healthcare + pension or 401(k) match
  • β€’Pack, bundle, and label finished profiles, coils, or pipe lengths off the press or extruder tail
  • β€’Feed billets, resin, or drawing rod to the machine as directed by the Operator
  • β€’Pull scrap and downgrade to appropriate bins for remelt or regrind
  • β€’Complete daily production log entries for shift-lead review
Next: Machine Operator at 18-36 months with demonstrated line-running competence + NIMS Level I.
Machine Operator
2-6 yrs$22-28/hr ($46-58k) + shift differential + full benefits + pension or 401(k) match
  • β€’Run a single line or press cell to the daily production schedule
  • β€’Perform routine start-up, shut-down, and simple die / screen changes
  • β€’Hit scrap, throughput, and quality targets; complete SPC and quality-check documentation
  • β€’Escalate downtime and quality issues to Set-Up Operator or Shift Supervisor
Next: Set-Up Operator / Lead Operator at 5-9 years with NIMS Level II or III credential.
Set-Up Operator / Lead Operator
5-11 yrs$28-34/hr ($58-71k) + shift differential + set-up premium + full benefits
  • β€’Own die changes, tool changes, and screw / screen-pack changes across multiple lines
  • β€’Reduce start-up scrap through disciplined die-change procedures
  • β€’Second-chair the Shift Supervisor on quality and downtime issues; train new Operators
  • β€’Coordinate with maintenance on preventive maintenance and unplanned downtime
Next: Shift Supervisor / Production Supervisor at 8-15 years.
Shift Supervisor / Production Supervisor
8-16 yrs$71-87k salaried + 5-12% bonus + full benefits + LTIP at Fortune-500 employers
  • β€’Own a shift's production plan across 3-8 lines / presses and 8-25 direct-report operators and tenders
  • β€’Own shift-level scrap, throughput, quality, and safety metrics
  • β€’Handle Step 1 union grievances, disciplinary write-ups, and attendance-policy administration
  • β€’Report to Plant Manager on daily production, safety incidents, and quality holds
Next: Plant Manager / Process Engineer / Corporate Manufacturing Engineer at 15+ years.
Plant Manager / Process Engineer / Corporate Manufacturing Engineer
15+ yrs$85-135k+ + 10-15% bonus + LTIP + full executive benefits
  • β€’Own the plant P&L or the process-engineering book across 3-15 plants
  • β€’Own capital-project planning for new lines, presses, and dies
  • β€’Own the plant's collective-bargaining relationship with the local union (USW, UFCW, Teamsters, UAW)
  • β€’Report to the Regional Manufacturing Director or VP Operations

Interview Questions & Answers

5 free questions below. Career Kit unlocks 13 total plus resume bullets for every level.

Q1. Walk me through a die change you've done from tear-down to first-good-part.technical
Structured. Example: 'On the 10" Davis-Standard PVC-pipe extruder at a JM Eagle plant, changing from 6" SDR-26 to 8" SDR-21. (1) End-of-run shutdown β€” purge the barrel with purge compound for 8-12 min, drop screw speed, isolate heat zones. (2) Cool the die head to a safe touch temperature per plant LOTO procedure; execute LOTO on the drive, heaters, and vacuum-tank chiller. (3) Tear down the old die head, spider, and mandrel; clean die-face and mandrel-tip of drool and carbon; inspect and store the tooling. (4) Bring in the new tooling; set spider-and-mandrel concentricity with feeler gauges; torque die-bolts to the plant spec (typically 180-240 ft-lb on the outer ring). (5) Set the new vacuum-tank sizing sleeve and calibrator; align to the die exit within 0.010-0.020". (6) Bring heat zones up to the resin-specific set-points (typically 355-395Β°F on rigid PVC); soak 30-45 min. (7) Start the extruder at low screw speed, feed regrind + virgin blend, watch the first extrudate for die drool, die lines, and wall-thickness balance. (8) First-good-part typically 30-90 min after start-up; scrap the start-up length; run 3 pipe-lengths through the dimensional and hydrostatic-burst check per ASTM D2241 before releasing the line to run-rate. Total die-change window: 3-5 hours from end-of-last-good-part to first-good-part on this line.' Interviewers screen for candidates who name specific tolerances, specific torque values, specific temperatures, and specific ASTM standards β€” not who wave through it.
Q2. Describe how you'd troubleshoot excessive scrap on start-up.situational
Systematic. (1) Verify the die and tooling are the correct part numbers for the run β€” a wrong die pulled from storage is a common root cause. (2) Check die-face and mandrel-tip cleanliness β€” carbon deposits from prior runs cause die lines, drool, and wall-thickness variation. (3) Check heat-zone soak times β€” under-soaked barrels produce melt-temperature variation and poor melt-mixing; over-soaked barrels degrade heat-sensitive resins like PVC into carbon and HCl. (4) Check screen-pack cleanliness and mesh spec β€” a plugged or wrong-mesh screen pack causes melt-pressure variation and surging. (5) Check screw-speed ramp β€” starting at run-rate causes surging; ramp screw speed over 5-15 min to reach run-rate cleanly. (6) Check haul-off / puller speed synchronization β€” mismatched puller speed causes drawdown-ratio variation and wall-thickness out-of-spec. (7) On extruded-aluminum specifically, check billet-preheat furnace temperature uniformity β€” a cold spot in the billet causes flow imbalance through the die and profile-straightness issues on the run-out table. (8) Document the corrective action in the plant SPC log and update the operator start-up SOP if a repeat-cause pattern emerges. Interviewers screen for candidates who name a sequence, not who reach for one guess.
Q3. Describe a safety incident or near-miss you observed and how it was handled.behavioral
STAR. Situation: Operator at a Constellium aluminum-extrusion plant on the 3,300-ton Presezzi press. Task: identify and report a near-miss during a butt-shear cycle. Action: (1) noticed the butt-shear guard had been partially bypassed during the prior shift for a bolt-tightening job on the shear jaws β€” the interlock was jumpered, not restored; (2) executed LOTO on the press per 29 CFR 1910.147 plant procedure before touching the guard; (3) reported to the Shift Supervisor and Safety Coordinator within 15 min; (4) filed the near-miss report on the plant EHS system; (5) participated in the near-miss root-cause meeting the next morning β€” the finding was that the prior-shift maintenance tech had used a temporary jumper that had not been removed at shift-turnover. Result: (a) the guard interlock was restored and locked; (b) the plant added a shift-turnover checklist item for any prior-shift maintenance work with interlock bypass; (c) the maintenance tech was retrained on the plant LOTO / interlock procedure. Interviewers screen for candidates who own the report and follow through, not who look the other way. Big-3 auto suppliers and Fortune-500 CPG customers demand near-miss reporting as a customer-quality signal, not just an OSHA one.
Q4. Why extrusion / drawing rather than machining or fabrication?culture
Honest answer that resonates. 'I like the pace and the process β€” extrusion is a continuous-run operation, not a piece-part cycle like a CNC lathe or mill. When a line is running clean, I'm managing throughput, scrap, and quality in real time on tight tolerances against a print. When a line is running dirty, I'm troubleshooting die, temperature, or drawdown β€” that's the interesting problem-solving. Pay is real β€” Machine Operator at a Kaiser Aluminum or Constellium press is $22-28/hr with USW pension and healthcare; Set-Up Operator is $28-34/hr with a set-up premium; Shift Supervisor is $71-87k salaried with bonus. Long-term I want to move into a Set-Up or Lead Operator seat within 3-5 years and a Shift Supervisor seat within 8-10 years. I've completed NIMS Machining Level I and I'm working on Level II CNC Setup and Operation.' Interviewers screen for candidates who understand the process and the promotion ladder, not who drifted in from a temp agency.
Q5. Where do you see your career in 5 years?closer
Show the ladder clearly. 'I'm at year 2 as a Machine Operator on the Davis-Standard sheet line. Year 3-4 target: complete NIMS Level II CNC Setup and Operation, cross-train on the co-extrusion tie-layer line, and take the Set-Up Operator bid when it opens. Year 5-7 target: Set-Up Operator at $28-34/hr, own die changes across the plant's 4 sheet-and-profile lines, mentor the tender bench. Year 7-10: Shift Supervisor with 12-25 direct reports. Long-term I want to move into Plant Manager or Process Engineer with a 2-year AAS in Plastics Engineering Technology from Penn College or Ferris State, tuition-supported through the plant's Section-127 program. If the pension track is stronger on the USW side, I stay a bargaining-unit Operator and top out as Lead Operator at $34-42/hr.' Interviewers screen for candidates who've thought concretely about the specific promotion criteria at this plant.

Resume Template β€” Machine Operator (2-6 yrs)

Copy these bullets into your resume as a starting point. Career Kit includes bullets for every level of the ladder.

Machine Operator (2-6 yrs)
  • β–ΈMachine Operator at a Southwire copper-rod-and-wire drawing plant on the 12-die inline bull-block line; ran to a daily throughput target of 42,000 lb of drawn 8-AWG solid copper against a 45,000 lb plan.
  • β–ΈReduced start-up scrap on die-nib changes from a 340 lb baseline to 195 lb (43% reduction) over 12 months by standardizing the die-lube prep and capstan-tension warm-up sequence.
  • β–ΈOSHA 10 General Industry + NIMS Machining Level I (Measurement, Materials, and Safety) + plant forklift certification (Class I sit-down). ASTM B3 soft-drawn copper QC-check-trained.
  • β–Έ$25.40/hr base + $1.75/hr 2nd-shift differential + USW pension + full healthcare + 401(k) match to 6%. Perfect-attendance bonus 3 years running.

What Gets You Rejected

  • βœ—Cannot read a caliper, micrometer, or tape measure to the print β€” the entire job is dimensional-tolerance discipline against a print spec.
  • βœ—History of unreported near-misses or bypassed guards β€” OSHA 29 CFR 1910.212 and 1910.147 violations are the fastest path to termination at any Fortune-500 employer.
  • βœ—Cannot describe a die-change or screw-change sequence they've personally executed β€” signals candidate has been on the pack-off / tender bench without ever owning the set-up.
  • βœ—History of scrap-rate targets missed by 30%+ over a 6-month window without a documented improvement plan β€” the number-one controllable cost in the operator's daily performance.
  • βœ—No forklift certification or crane-operator certification after 2+ years in the plant β€” signals candidate hasn't taken advantage of employer-paid training opportunities.
  • βœ—Weak understanding of LOTO β€” cannot describe the plant's specific LOTO sequence on a specific piece of equipment.
  • βœ—Attendance-policy violations β€” union plants have a written attendance-point system, and repeat violations bar promotion regardless of technical competence.

Salary Negotiation Levers

  • βœ“Union representation β€” USW, UFCW, Teamsters, and UAW-adjacent locals typically deliver a 15-30% wage premium plus pension (defined-benefit or defined-contribution 401(k) with 5-8% employer match) and full healthcare against non-union employers in the same metro.
  • βœ“Shift differential β€” 2nd-shift typically $0.50-1.50/hr; 3rd-shift and rotating typically $1.00-2.50/hr; weekend / continuous-operations differential often adds another $0.75-1.50/hr.
  • βœ“Overtime discipline β€” most union CBAs pay 1.5x after 8 hrs / day and 40 hrs / week, 2x on Sundays and 6th consecutive day, 2.5x on holidays; total OT typically adds 15-30% to base earnings for high-seniority operators.
  • βœ“Set-Up Operator premium β€” union plants typically pay $2-4/hr above the base Operator rate for the Set-Up bid classification; Lead Operator premium $3-6/hr; Shift Supervisor premium (usually salaried) $10-20k.
  • βœ“NIMS Machining credentials β€” Level I foundational, Level II specialty (CNC Setup and Operation is highest-value for extrusion), Level III journey-worker; each stacked credential typically justifies $0.50-2.00/hr bid on a promotion.
  • βœ“Metro premium β€” Great Lakes / Ohio Valley / Detroit / Pittsburgh / Chicago pay 10-25% above the US median for extrusion / drawing operators; California pays 20-40% above the US median but cost-of-living offsets most of the gain.
  • βœ“Sign-on bonus and relocation β€” Kaiser Aluminum, Constellium, Southwire, and Berry Global routinely pay $2-8k sign-on and $3-10k relocation for Set-Up Operator and Shift Supervisor hires from out-of-metro.
  • βœ“Tuition reimbursement β€” Section 127 caps at $5,250/yr federal tax-free; many Fortune-500 employers top this up for 2-year AAS programs in Plastics Engineering Technology or Manufacturing Engineering Technology, and this is the practical path to the Process Engineer or Plant Manager track.
  • βœ“Attendance and safety bonuses β€” perfect-attendance annual bonuses of $500-2,000; safety-milestone bonuses of $250-1,000 per plant-level safety-milestone achieved.

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Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic Salary by State

Best Cities (cost-adjusted) β†’

Salary Map β€” Click a state for details

$35K
$61Kβ–  No data

Top Paying States

Rhode Island
$61K
+29%
Vermont
$59K
+24%
North Carolina
$53K
+12%
Nebraska
$52K
+10%
Minnesota
$52K
+9%
New Jersey
$51K
+7%
Pennsylvania
$51K
+7%
Colorado
$51K
+7%
Massachusetts
$50K
+6%
Connecticut
$50K
+5%
Vertical line = national median. Click a state for full details.
StateMedianvs. National
Rhode Island$61,350+28.6%
Vermont$59,220+24.1%
North Carolina$53,330+11.8%
Nebraska$52,360+9.7%
Minnesota$51,830+8.6%
New Jersey$51,180+7.3%
Pennsylvania$51,150+7.2%
Colorado$51,110+7.1%
Massachusetts$50,370+5.6%
Connecticut$50,230+5.3%
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Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic Salary by Metro Area

Metro AreaMedianvs. National
Burlington-South Burlington, VT$64,760+35.7%
Oshkosh-Neenah, WI$64,760+35.7%
Cedar Rapids, IA$64,520+35.2%
Appleton, WI$61,960+29.8%
Lincoln, NE$61,570+29.0%
Duluth, MN-WI$61,530+28.9%
Pittsburgh, PA$60,820+27.5%
Greensboro-High Point, NC$60,390+26.6%
Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ$57,370+20.2%
Fort Wayne, IN$56,970+19.4%
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Data Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). Data reflects the most recent annual survey.
How does this compare to pro athletes?
A extruding and drawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic earning $47,720/year would need 1249 years to match Stephen Curry's NBA salary, or 1341 yearsto match Patrick Mahomes' NFL contract.
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πŸ“ˆ See how extruding and drawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic salaries have changed over the past decade.
View Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic salary trend (2011–2024) β†’