Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
Also called: Adjuster, Angle Shear Operator, Angle Shear Setup Operator, Arbor Press Operator, Automatic Punch Press Operator, Automatic Screwmaker, Automobile Bumper Straightener, Bander Operator
Set up, operate, or tend machines to saw, cut, shear, slit, punch, crimp, notch, bend, or straighten metal or plastic material.
What Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic do
Typical tasks
- Measure completed workpieces to verify conformance to specifications, using micrometers, gauges, calipers, templates, or rulers.
- Examine completed workpieces for defects, such as chipped edges or marred surfaces and sort defective pieces according to types of flaws.
- Read work orders or production schedules to determine specifications, such as materials to be used, locations of cutting lines, or dimensions and tolerances.
- Start machines, monitor their operations, and record operational data.
- Set up, operate, or tend machines to saw, cut, shear, slit, punch, crimp, notch, bend, or straighten metal or plastic material.
- Test and adjust machine speeds or actions, according to product specifications, using gauges and hand tools.
- Load workpieces, plastic material, or chemical solutions into machines.
- Turn controls to set cutting speeds, feed rates, or table angles for specified operations.
- Clean work area.
- Lubricate workpieces with oil.
- Install, align, and lock specified punches, dies, cutting blades, or other fixtures in rams or beds of machines, using gauges, templates, feelers, shims, and hand tools.
- Adjust ram strokes of presses to specified lengths, using hand tools.
Typical path into the job (BLS)
Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic salary
The median annual wage for Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic is $46,330 (BLS OEWS May 2025; BLS Employment Projections 2025–35, national). The lowest 10 percent earn less than $35,760 and the highest 10 percent earn more than $65,510. The mean annual wage is $48,430.
The mean hourly wage of $23.00 is 3.2× the federal minimum wage of $7.25. State minimums are higher in most large states. Minimum wage by state →
How does your pay compare with people your age?
Your numbers are not sent or stored. The comparison uses this occupation's BLS wage percentiles, adjusted for age with BLS median weekly earnings by age group (Q3 2026).
Pay by percentile
Annual wage percentiles from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). Percentiles are a good proxy for pay by experience.
Projected pay for Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic (3, 5 and 10 years)est.
Today $46,330 → in 3 years $49,600 → in 5 years $51,800 → in 10 years $58,000 (10-year range $49,900–$67,400). The model assumes pay growth of +2.3% per year.
What drives the annual growth rate
Projected pay = current pay × (1 + annual growth)^years. The annual growth rate starts from a base wage-growth rate and adds or subtracts labor demand (BLS projected employment growth), wage momentum and AI replacement risk for each occupation. Projections are not guarantees. How it is calculated →
Outlook score for Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
Each component is a percentile rank among all occupations in the same country (0–100). Weights: labor demand 25, wage momentum / openings 15, pay level 15, AI resistance 25, aging workforce 10 (Japan only), entry barrier 10.
Will AI replace Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic? AI replacement risk
How AI is changing this job
A written analysis for this occupation is being prepared.
AI replacement risk compares the parts of a job that are easy to hand to AI or software (processing information, documentation, repetitive computer work) with the parts that are hard to automate (physical work, working closely with people, judgment in unpredictable settings), using O*NET work activities, work context, skills and knowledge. The result is a relative position among all occupations in the country, scaled to 0–100%. Methodology →
Labor demand for Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
Employment projections are from the BLS Employment Projections program (2025–35). Annual openings include both new jobs and replacement of workers who leave the occupation.
The same job in Japan
| Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic United States | 金属プレス工 Japan | |
|---|---|---|
| Median / average pay | $46,330 | ¥4.58M ≈ $29,129 |
| Pay in 10 years (est.) | $58,000 | ¥5.72M |
| Outlook score | 28 | 45 |
| AI replacement risk | 50% Moderate | 56% Moderate |
| Workers | 171K | — |
Matched by occupation (SOC code). Yen converted at 157.25 JPY/USD for reference; Japanese figures are averages, U.S. figures are medians, and the surveys define occupations differently.
Skills, education and requirements for Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
Key skills
O*NET skill level ratings (0–7).
Key knowledge areas
What the work involves
Important abilities
Education of workers
Training before entry
Related work experience
Job Zone 2 — some preparation needed (O*NET)
Difficulty of entry: ★★☆☆☆ Fairly easy (from education, training, experience and Job Zone)
How to become Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
A step-by-step guide for this occupation is being prepared. The education, training and experience data above show the typical path.
Career path and how to earn more as Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
Career-path guidance is being prepared. Pay by percentile is shown in the Pay section.