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Drilling and Boring Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

Typical education: High school diplomaModerate pressure

What they do

Set up, operate, or tend drilling machines to drill, bore, ream, mill, or countersink metal or plastic work pieces.

Kinds of work

  • Realistic: Hands-on work with tools, machines, plants or animals, often outdoors.
  • Conventional: Organizing information, following clear procedures and working with data and details.

Moderate pressure: How much pressure workers in this job report: deadlines, conflict, dealing with upset people, the cost of mistakes, responsibility for others' safety, competition and long hours. It varies a lot from one employer to the next. Source: U.S. Department of Labor worker surveys.

Pay, tasks and more

Salary

United States $49,080 Median per year · $23.60/hr Most earn $36,300–$68,410

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2025.

What you might do

  • Verify conformance of machined work to specifications, using measuring instruments, such as calipers, micrometers, or fixed or telescoping gauges.
  • Sharpen cutting tools, using bench grinders.
  • Observe drilling or boring machine operations to detect any problems.
  • Operate single- or multiple-spindle drill presses to bore holes so that machining operations can be performed on metal or plastic workpieces.
  • Study machining instructions, job orders, or blueprints to determine dimensional or finish specifications, sequences of operations, setups, or tooling requirements.
  • Study machining instructions, job orders, or blueprints to determine dimensional or finish specifications, sequences of operations, setups, or tooling requirements.

Job outlook

United States
10% fewer jobs by 2035, declining · about 400 openings a year

Openings include new jobs and jobs left by workers who retire or change careers. Projections: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. "Bright Outlook": U.S. Department of Labor.

Where they work

  • Fabricated metal product manufacturing16.0%
  • Machinery manufacturing10.6%
  • Semiconductor and other electronic component manufacturing9.9%
  • Motor vehicle parts manufacturing8.2%
  • Machine shops7.7%

Share of all workers in this career. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Employment Matrix.

Experience before this job: 1 to 2 years

Some people start through an apprenticeship: paid training on the job, often with classes. Search apprenticeships on Apprenticeship.gov (opens in a new tab) ↗

Career path

How people usually get into this career, from school to their first job and beyond.

Typical education: High school diplomaExperience before this job: 1 to 2 years

This job is reachable with a high school diploma, but most people first spend about 1 to 2 years in entry-level machine work before they set up and run drilling machines on their own. It's a hands-on job where you learn by doing and by watching experienced workers.

  1. High school diploma

    4 years

    Finish school with solid math, shop, and computer skills, since machines use measurements and simple programming. This gives you the basic credential most employers ask for.

  2. Multiple Machine Tool Operator

    6 months to 1 year

    Start by tending several metal or plastic machines, loading parts, checking them with measuring tools, and learning safety rules. This builds the hands-on skills you need before setting up a drilling machine.

  3. Drilling Machine Tool Setter, Operator, or Tender

    Ongoing

    After about 1 to 2 years of machine experience, you set up drilling machines, read blueprints, choose tools, and make sure holes are the right size and place. Most people reach this role after they've shown they can work accurately and safely.

Where it can lead

  1. Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operator

    1-2 years of experience first

    You move from manual machines to computer-controlled ones, where you load and run programs that cut parts automatically. Learning basic programming and reading CNC code is the main step up.

  2. Tool and Die Maker

    2-4 years of experience first

    You build the precision tools, molds, and dies that other machines use to make products. This usually takes an apprenticeship or formal training, plus strong skills in measuring and machining.

What you can do now

Ideas for high school and college students.

In high school

  • Take shop, drafting, or manufacturing classesHands-on shop classes teach you how to use tools safely and how to read technical drawings, both of which are used every day in drilling work.
  • Build math skillsGeometry, trigonometry, and measurement help you calculate hole sizes, depths, and tolerances accurately.
  • Join a career or technical student organizationGroups focused on skilled trades or technology often run competitions and workshops where you can practice machining and teamwork.
  • Look for a summer or part-time job at a manufacturing plant or machine shopEven a basic job like material handling or packing shows you how a production floor works and builds a work history that employers look for.
  • Take an introductory computer or coding classBasic programming logic makes it easier to understand CNC machines and digital controls later on.

In college

  • Take courses in machining, CNC programming, or manufacturing technologyCommunity college or technical school courses teach the exact machine skills and safety knowledge employers look for in drilling and machining jobs.
  • Get a part-time job or internship at a machine shop or manufacturerWorking around real machines lets you build experience that often counts toward the 1 to 2 years of prior work this job usually requires.
  • Earn a machining or CNC certificate if your school offers oneA short certificate shows employers you have trained skills, which can help you get hired or move up faster.
  • Join a skills or engineering clubClubs that build or compete with machines help you practice teamwork, problem-solving, and using measuring tools.
  • Ask about apprenticeship programsMany trade apprenticeships pay you to learn on the job while you earn classroom credit, which is a common route into skilled machining.

Tips for getting started

  • Ask a shop supervisor or experienced machinist if you can shadow them, and learn to read blueprints and measure with calipers and micrometers.
  • Get comfortable with basic computer skills, since most modern shops use computer-controlled machines and digital measuring tools.
  • Pay close attention to safety training and show up on time and ready to work; employers often hire and promote people who are reliable and careful.

Related jobs that often lead here

Related jobs a step up

Education, experience and related careers: U.S. Department of Labor. The step-by-step path, where it can lead and what you can do now were written by AI as typical examples; many people take other ways.

College majors that lead here

Majors: U.S. Department of Education and BLS (CIP–SOC crosswalk). Earnings and debt: College Scorecard, typical across U.S. colleges.

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