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Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

General Information

Description

Set up, operate, or tend milling or planing machines to mill, plane, shape, groove, or profile metal or plastic work pieces.

Workplace at a Glance

What you can expect to experience while on the job

  • Responsibility
  • Exposure to job hazards
  • Physical activity
  • Decision making
  • Repetitiveness
  • Level of competition
  • Time pressure

Industry areas

  • Manufacturing

Job Outlook

Projected Job Growth (2022 - 2032)
-6%
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Job Outlook

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Overall employment of metal and plastic machine workers is projected to decline 6 percent from 2022 to 2032. Despite declining employment, about 90,800 openings for metal and plastic machine workers are projected each year, on average, over the decade. All of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to other occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.

Similar Careers

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Salary

Salary Information

Median Salary This is the median, or the midpoint, of the salary range for this career.

$46,870

State-by-state Salary

Gray states indicate no data available

Salary Range Salary varies based on years of experience, degree level and location.

$30,530
$66,240
No Information for this section

Education & Interests

Most Common Education Levels

People in this career achieve this level of education.

  • High school 47%
  • Bachelor's degree 18%
  • Post-secondary certificate 15%
  • Some college 9%
  • Less than high school 9%
  • Master's degree 0%
  • Doctoral degree 0%
  • Associate's degree 0%
  • Post baccalaureate 0%
  • Post-doctoral training 0%
  • Post-master's certificate 0%
  • First professional degree 0%

Related College Majors

Select major to see colleges that offer it

PERSONALITY CHARACTERISTICS

You may find this career fulfilling if you consider yourself to be:

  • Realistic — You have an interest in physically working with equipment, materials or structures.
  • Conventional — You have an interest in following procedures and regulations to organize information or data.

Not sure what characteristics best describe you? Take the RIASEC Test.

Skills at a Glance

Skills helpful in this career

  • Verbal skills
  • Critical thinking & problem solving
  • Equipment operation & maintenance
  • Math & science skills
  • Technology design & control
  • Leadership

Knowledge

  • Mechanical
  • Production and Processing
  • Computers and Electronics
  • Mathematics
  • Engineering and Technology

Gain insights into your knowledge by using the ASVAB Career Exploration Program

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Data supplied by Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Center of Education Statistics, Defense Manpower Data Center (View our update schedule). Contact any business, college or military service branch to answer additional questions.