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Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

Typical education: High school diplomaModerate pressure

What they do

Set up, operate, or tend more than one type of cutting or forming machine tool or robot.

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 $47,180 Median per year · $22.68/hr Most earn $35,780–$74,450

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2025.

What you might do

  • Start machines and turn handwheels or valves to engage feeding, cooling, and lubricating mechanisms.
  • Remove burrs, sharp edges, rust, or scale from workpieces, using files, hand grinders, wire brushes, or power tools.
  • Instruct other workers in machine set-up and operation.
  • Make minor electrical and mechanical repairs and adjustments to machines and notify supervisors when major service is required.
  • Move controls or mount gears, cams, or templates in machines to set feed rates and cutting speeds, depths, and angles.
  • Compute data, such as gear dimensions or machine settings, applying knowledge of shop mathematics.

Job outlook

United States
1% more jobs by 2035, slower than average · about 11,600 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 manufacturing13.9%
  • Motor vehicle parts manufacturing10.6%
  • Temporary help services9.4%
  • Plastics product manufacturing9.0%
  • Machinery manufacturing7.1%

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

Experience before this job: 6 months to 1 year

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: 6 months to 1 year

This is an entry-level job. Most people start with a high school diploma and learn on the job, and it usually takes about 6 months to a year of related work before you're doing this job on your own.

  1. High school diploma

    4 years

    Finish school with strong math and shop or technical classes, since reading measurements and blueprints is a big part of this work.

  2. Machine Operator Trainee

    6 months to 1 year

    Work in a factory or machine shop helping experienced operators, learning to load materials, read gauges, check parts, and run basic machines safely.

  3. Multiple Machine Tool Setter, Operator, and Tender, Metal and Plastic

    Ongoing

    Set up and run more than one type of cutting or forming machine or robot, checking that the parts meet the required specifications.

Where it can lead

  1. Milling Machine Setter

    2-4 years of experience first

    You become an expert at setting up and running one type of machine, such as a milling machine, and take on more complex setups and problem solving.

  2. Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operator

    1-2 years of experience first

    You learn to program and run computer-controlled machines, which is a common move for people who enjoy the technical side of the work.

  3. Industrial Machinery Mechanic

    1-2 years of experience first

    You shift from running machines to keeping them in good repair, usually by completing an apprenticeship or formal training in machine repair.

What you can do now

Ideas for high school and college students.

In high school

  • Take shop, drafting, or engineering classesThese teach you to read blueprints and work with tools, which is the foundation for running machines.
  • Take the most math you canAlgebra, geometry, and trigonometry help you understand measurements, tolerances, and machine settings.
  • Join a technical or robotics clubBuilding and fixing things in a team teaches hands-on skills and problem solving.
  • Look for a summer or part-time job at a manufacturer or machine shopEven a short job helps you learn the shop environment and shows future employers you can work hard.
  • Learn basic shop safetyKnowing how to work safely around machines is one of the first things employers look for.

In college

  • Take manufacturing, machining, or industrial technology coursesCommunity college courses in machining or CNC give you hands-on practice that many employers value.
  • Earn a basic machining or CNC certificateA short certificate shows employers you already know shop safety and machine basics, which can help you get hired.
  • Work a campus job in a lab, makerspace, or machine shopWorking with tools and equipment builds practical experience you can describe in job interviews.
  • Do a manufacturing internship or co-opHands-on work at a real plant lets you see how setup and production fit together and can lead to a job offer.
  • Join a skills or engineering student groupGroups like these offer hands-on projects, teamwork, and connections with local employers.

Tips for getting started

  • Ask a local machine shop, manufacturer, or staffing agency whether they hire entry-level production or machine helpers, and ask what training they offer.
  • Get comfortable with basic math, such as fractions, decimals, and measuring with a ruler, caliper, or micrometer, since you'll use these every day.
  • Show reliability: come on time, follow safety rules, and keep your work area clean. Employers in shops value this as much as technical skill.

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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