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

Typical education: High school diplomaHigh pressure

What they do

Set up, operate, or tend machines to extrude or draw thermoplastic or metal materials into tubes, rods, hoses, wire, bars, or structural shapes.

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.

High 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 $47,720 Median per year · $22.94/hr Most earn $36,700–$63,710

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2025.

What you might do

  • Troubleshoot, maintain, and make minor repairs to equipment.
  • Operate shearing mechanisms to cut rods to specified lengths.
  • Weigh and mix pelletized, granular, or powdered thermoplastic materials and coloring pigments.
  • Weigh and mix pelletized, granular, or powdered thermoplastic materials and coloring pigments.
  • Select nozzles, spacers, and wire guides, according to diameters and lengths of rods.
  • Clean work areas.

Job outlook

United States
1% more jobs by 2035, slower than average · about 5,400 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

  • Plastics product manufacturing49.2%
  • Nonferrous metal (except aluminum) production and processing10.0%
  • Other electrical equipment and component manufacturing7.6%
  • Fabricated metal product manufacturing7.4%
  • Alumina and aluminum production and processing5.6%

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 is an entry-level job. Most people start with a high school diploma and get in after about 1 to 2 years of related factory or machine work.

  1. High school diploma

    4 years

    Finish school with strong math, shop, and science classes. These skills help you read measurements, specs, and machine settings later.

  2. Production Helper

    6 months to 1 year

    Start on a plant floor doing basic tasks like loading materials, moving parts, and keeping work areas clean. You learn how a production line runs and how to work safely around machines.

  3. Extrusion Machine Operator

    6 months to 1 year

    Learn to run and watch extrusion equipment that shapes plastic or metal, and to spot problems like jams or uneven output. Supervisors begin trusting you with setup and adjustments.

  4. Extruding and Drawing Machine Operator

    Ongoing

    Set up, operate, and tend machines that make tubes, rods, hoses, wire, or structural shapes. You check quality, make small adjustments, and keep production on schedule.

Where it can lead

  1. Production Supervisor

    2-4 years of experience first

    You guide a team of operators, set daily schedules, and make sure safety and quality standards are met. It takes good communication and a strong record of reliable work on the machines.

  2. Industrial Production Manager

    5-10 years of experience first

    You oversee whole production areas or plants, including budgets, staffing, and process improvements. Many employers prefer a bachelor's degree in engineering, manufacturing, or business for this step.

What you can do now

Ideas for high school and college students.

In high school

  • Take math and shop or technology classesAlgebra, geometry, and hands-on shop classes build the measurement and machine skills used every day in this job.
  • Take a chemistry or physics classUnderstanding how heat, pressure, and materials behave helps you make sense of how extrusion and drawing machines work.
  • Get a part-time or summer job in a warehouse, factory, or lumber yardAny job that involves following procedures, working with equipment, and keeping a steady pace shows employers you're ready for plant work.
  • Join a robotics, engineering, or CTE clubBuilding and troubleshooting machines in a team setting gives you practice with tools, teamwork, and problem-solving.
  • Learn workplace safety basicsMany schools offer safety or OSHA-style training. Knowing it early makes you a stronger job candidate.

In college

  • Take courses in manufacturing, plastics, or materials scienceThese classes explain how metals and plastics are shaped and tested, which helps you understand extrusion and drawing processes.
  • Look for a campus job or internship at a manufacturing siteHands-on time on a production floor gives you real experience that employers look for in machine operators.
  • Earn a safety or machine-operation certificateCertificates in workplace safety or equipment operation show you can work responsibly with industrial machines. Many community colleges offer these.
  • Join a technical or engineering student groupGroups like a manufacturing or engineering club build teamwork and give you practice solving real production problems.
  • Learn basic computer skills for process monitoringMany modern machines use digital controls and data screens, so comfort with computers and spreadsheets is a real advantage.

Tips for getting started

  • Ask a plant or factory near you whether they hire production helpers or summer workers. Getting inside a plant is the most common way to start.
  • Learn basic machine safety, such as lockout/tagout and how to use protective gear. Employers value people who take safety seriously from day one.
  • Get comfortable with measuring tools and simple math, since operators check dimensions and adjust machine settings often.

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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