Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic is $46,330, or $22.27 per hour. About 171,200 people work in this occupation nationwide. Wages vary substantially by state — from $53,680 in Oregon to $39,430 in New Mexico.
Wage distribution nationwide
Earnings spread across all U.S. workers in this occupation.
Salary by state
All 49 states with published data, ranked by median annual wage.
| # | State | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oregon | $53,680 | $25.81 | 1,180 | 0.55 |
| 2 | Maine | $51,820 | $24.92 | 180 | 0.25 |
| 3 | Washington | $51,160 | $24.60 | 1,750 | 0.45 |
| 4 | Colorado | $50,790 | $24.42 | 1,400 | 0.44 |
| 5 | Minnesota | $49,770 | $23.93 | 6,130 | 1.89 |
| 6 | Wisconsin | $49,270 | $23.69 | 7,960 | 2.46 |
| 7 | Alaska | $49,010 | $23.56 | 80 | 0.21 |
| 8 | Illinois | $48,990 | $23.55 | 8,060 | 1.20 |
| 9 | Nebraska | $48,690 | $23.41 | 1,320 | 1.17 |
| 10 | Montana | $48,490 | $23.31 | 130 | 0.23 |
| 11 | California | $48,450 | $23.29 | 7,710 | 0.38 |
| 12 | North Dakota | $48,400 | $23.27 | 230 | 0.49 |
| 13 | Missouri | $48,310 | $23.23 | 3,240 | 1.00 |
| 14 | Iowa | $48,240 | $23.19 | 2,030 | 1.18 |
| 15 | Rhode Island | $48,170 | $23.16 | 470 | 0.85 |
| 16 | New Hampshire | $48,110 | $23.13 | 600 | 0.80 |
| 17 | Pennsylvania | $47,860 | $23.01 | 8,890 | 1.33 |
| 18 | Nevada | $47,690 | $22.93 | 580 | 0.34 |
| 19 | Maryland | $47,320 | $22.75 | 270 | 0.09 |
| 20 | Virginia | $47,300 | $22.74 | 1,790 | 0.39 |
| 21 | Indiana | $46,980 | $22.59 | 9,680 | 2.75 |
| 22 | New York | $46,930 | $22.56 | 3,340 | 0.31 |
| 23 | Wyoming | $46,890 | $22.54 | 60 | 0.19 |
| 24 | Kansas | $46,840 | $22.52 | 1,900 | 1.20 |
| 25 | Utah | $46,670 | $22.44 | 1,050 | 0.55 |
| 26 | Arizona | $46,610 | $22.41 | 1,100 | 0.31 |
| 27 | Connecticut | $46,280 | $22.25 | 2,030 | 1.08 |
| 28 | Michigan | $46,120 | $22.17 | 22,060 | 4.55 |
| 29 | South Dakota | $46,060 | $22.15 | 490 | 0.97 |
| 30 | Massachusetts | $45,760 | $22.00 | 2,590 | 0.65 |
| 31 | Kentucky | $45,760 | $22.00 | 7,290 | 3.31 |
| 32 | New Jersey | $45,680 | $21.96 | 1,950 | 0.41 |
| 33 | Arkansas | $45,580 | $21.91 | 3,020 | 2.11 |
| 34 | Ohio | $45,230 | $21.75 | 13,350 | 2.18 |
| 35 | Georgia | $45,080 | $21.67 | 5,260 | 0.98 |
| 36 | Tennessee | $44,780 | $21.53 | 5,380 | 1.49 |
| 37 | South Carolina | $44,420 | $21.35 | 4,100 | 1.62 |
| 38 | Alabama | $43,830 | $21.07 | 6,000 | 2.58 |
| 39 | Vermont | $43,560 | $20.94 | 70 | 0.21 |
| 40 | North Carolina | $43,400 | $20.86 | 3,940 | 0.72 |
| 41 | West Virginia | $43,070 | $20.71 | 290 | 0.38 |
| 42 | Texas | $42,720 | $20.54 | 13,290 | 0.86 |
| 43 | Delaware | $41,640 | $20.02 | 240 | 0.45 |
| 44 | Oklahoma | $40,930 | $19.68 | 2,480 | 1.32 |
| 45 | Louisiana | $40,870 | $19.65 | 760 | 0.36 |
| 46 | Mississippi | $40,650 | $19.55 | 1,700 | 1.33 |
| 47 | Idaho | $39,580 | $19.03 | 720 | 0.77 |
| 48 | Florida | $39,440 | $18.96 | 2,740 | 0.25 |
| 49 | New Mexico | $39,430 | $18.96 | 220 | 0.23 |
Related occupations
Same job family, ranked by national employment.
Frequently asked questions
How much do cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic make?
The median annual wage for cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic in the United States is $46,330, or $22.27 per hour. Entry-level workers (10th percentile) earn $35,760, and the top 10% earn $65,510.
How many cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic are employed in the U.S.?
About 171,200 people work as cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic nationwide.
Which state pays cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic the most?
Oregon pays the most at a median of $53,680, followed by Maine ($51,820) and Washington ($51,160).
Which state pays cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic the least?
New Mexico has the lowest median at $39,430.
Where are cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic jobs most concentrated?
The location quotient measures employment concentration relative to the national average. The highest is Michigan at 4.55×.