Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
SOC code 51-4021 · O*NET-SOC 51-4021.00 · Little to some preparation needed · Manufacturing and production
Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic pay
U.S. national figures, May 2025 BLS survey · How we got this number
Median pay
$47,720
a year
Hourly
$22.94
per hour
The solid band is the middle 50% of workers; the bar spans the 10th to 90th percentile.
Average pay
$49,480
$23.79 per hour
Middle 50%
$40,450 – $56,840
25th to 75th percentile
Full spread
$36,700 – $63,710
10th to 90th percentile
People employed
60,840
nationwide
National U.S. figure, May 2025. Local pay can be higher or lower.
- 10th percentile
- $36,700
- $17.65/hr
- 25th percentile
- $40,450
- $19.45/hr
- Median percentile
- $47,720
- $22.94/hr
- 75th percentile
- $56,840
- $27.33/hr
- 90th percentile
- $63,710
- $30.63/hr
What do extruding and drawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic do?
Set up, operate, or tend machines to extrude or draw thermoplastic or metal materials into tubes, rods, hoses, wire, bars, or structural shapes.
The tasks that matter most day to day
- Reel extruded products into rolls of specified lengths and weights.
- Measure and examine extruded products to locate defects and to check for conformance to specifications, adjusting controls as necessary to alter products.
- Start machines and set controls to regulate vacuum, air pressure, sizing rings, and temperature, and to synchronize speed of extrusion.
- Weigh and mix pelletized, granular, or powdered thermoplastic materials and coloring pigments.
- Determine setup procedures and select machine dies and parts, according to specifications.
- Troubleshoot, maintain, and make minor repairs to equipment.
- Change dies on extruding machines, according to production line changes.
- Load machine hoppers with mixed materials, using augers, or stuff rolls of plastic dough into machine cylinders.
How to qualify for this work
Preparation level: zone 2 — Little to some preparation needed
- Education
- Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
- Experience
- Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training.
- Training
- Ranges from a few days to one year of on-the-job training.
The federal survey did not capture education levels for this specific occupation, so the preparation-level card above is the best guide to the entry route.
Common questions
How much does an extruding and drawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic earn?
The national median is $47,720 a year. The full range runs from $36,700 at the 10th percentile to $63,710 at the 90th — entry pay sits closer to the lower figure, and experience, licensing and specialisation move you up the range.
Can you become an extruding and drawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic without a degree?
Yes — this occupation sits in preparation zone 2, meaning the typical entry route is usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not. A four-year degree is not the standard requirement, though licensing or certification may still apply.
Skills and knowledge you need
Core skills
- Monitoring3.3/5
- Speaking3.0/5
- Critical Thinking3.0/5
Knowledge areas
- Production and Processing4.3/5
- Public Safety and Security3.9/5
- Mechanical3.8/5
- English Language3.1/5
- Education and Training3.0/5
- Administration and Management2.9/5
- Customer and Personal Service2.7/5
- Engineering and Technology2.7/5
Transferable strengths: Operations Monitoring, Operation and Control, Quality Control Analysis, Coordination, Equipment Maintenance, Troubleshooting.