Heat Treating Equipment Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

SOC code 51-4191 · O*NET-SOC 51-4191.00 · Little to some preparation needed · Manufacturing and production

Heat Treating Equipment Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic pay

U.S. national figures, May 2025 BLS survey · How we got this number

Median pay

$48,750

a year

Hourly

$23.44

per hour

10th$35,180Median$48,75090th$66,350

The solid band is the middle 50% of workers; the bar spans the 10th to 90th percentile.

Average pay

$50,450

$24.26 per hour

Middle 50%

$40,660 – $58,400

25th to 75th percentile

Full spread

$35,180 – $66,350

10th to 90th percentile

People employed

14,000

nationwide

National U.S. figure, May 2025. Local pay can be higher or lower.

10th percentile: $35,180; $16.92/hr
25th percentile: $40,660; $19.55/hr
Median percentile: $48,750; $23.44/hr
75th percentile: $58,400; $28.08/hr
90th percentile: $66,350; $31.90/hr

What do heat treating equipment setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic do?

Set up, operate, or tend heating equipment, such as heat-treating furnaces, flame-hardening machines, induction machines, soaking pits, or vacuum equipment to temper, harden, anneal, or heat treat metal or plastic objects.

The tasks that matter most day to day

Read production schedules and work orders to determine processing sequences, furnace temperatures, and heat cycle requirements for objects to be heat-treated.
Determine flame temperatures, current frequencies, heating cycles, and induction heating coils needed, based on degree of hardness required and properties of stock to be treated.
Record times that parts are removed from furnaces to document that objects have attained specified temperatures for specified times.
Determine types and temperatures of baths and quenching media needed to attain specified part hardness, toughness, and ductility, using heat-treating charts and knowledge of methods, equipment, and metals.
Examine parts to ensure metal shades and colors conform to specifications, using knowledge of metal heat-treating.
Adjust controls to maintain temperatures and heating times, using thermal instruments and charts, dials and gauges of furnaces, and color of stock in furnaces to make setting determinations.
Set and adjust speeds of reels and conveyors for prescribed time cycles to pass parts through continuous furnaces.
Start conveyors and open furnace doors to load stock, or signal crane operators to uncover soaking pits and lower ingots into them.

How to qualify for this work

Most people in this role hold high school diploma or the equivalent (such as a ged) — 70% of workers surveyed reported it as their level of education.

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.

See all zone 2 occupations →

Education reported by people doing this job

High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)70%
Less than a High School Diploma20%
Post-Secondary Certificate10%
Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree0%

Common questions

How much does a heat treating equipment setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic earn?

The national median is $48,750 a year. The full range runs from $35,180 at the 10th percentile to $66,350 at the 90th — entry pay sits closer to the lower figure, and experience, licensing and specialisation move you up the range.

Can you become a heat treating equipment 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

Active Listening3.1/5
Speaking3.1/5
Monitoring3.1/5
Critical Thinking3.0/5
Reading Comprehension2.9/5

Knowledge areas

Production and Processing3.9/5
Mathematics3.3/5
Education and Training2.9/5
Administration and Management2.8/5
Chemistry2.7/5
Mechanical2.6/5
Customer and Personal Service2.6/5
Engineering and Technology2.6/5

Transferable strengths: Operations Monitoring, Operation and Control, Quality Control Analysis, Equipment Maintenance, Judgment and Decision Making.