Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic Salary: How Much Do They Make? (2026)

Median pay, hourly rates, salary ranges, and best-paying states for Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic — from official U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data.

Official BLS wage data · Unknown vintage
Median Salary
$52,800
per year, national
Hourly Rate
$25.38
based on 2,080 hrs/yr
Top 10% Earn
$81,030
entry level starts ~$37,840
Pay Grade
C+
modest pay · 12,000 employed

How much do Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic make?

Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic earn a median annual salary of $52,800 in the United States, which works out to roughly $25.38 per hour for full-time work. Most earn between $37,840 at the entry level and $81,030 at the senior end, with the middle 50% taking home between $45,210 and $64,900 a year.

That is $8,590 less than the median across all occupations in BLS data ($61,390).

Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic salary range by percentile

Half of all Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic earn between $45,210 and $64,900 a year.

Pay levelAnnual salaryHourly rate
10th percentile (entry level)$37,840$18.19
25th percentile (early career)$45,210$21.74
50th percentile (median)$52,800$25.38
75th percentile (experienced)$64,900$31.20
90th percentile (top earners)$81,030$38.96

Highest-paying states for Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

Where you work matters more than almost anything else. Washington leads the country for Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic pay at $86,460 a year, followed by Connecticut ($79,300) and Kentucky ($66,440). At the other end, Alabama posts the lowest median at $35,760 — a gap of $50,700 for the same job, driven by local demand, industry mix, and cost of living.

#StateMedian salaryHourlyvs national
1Washington$86,460$41.57+64%
2Connecticut$79,300$38.13+50%
3Kentucky$66,440$31.94+26%
4Illinois$63,360$30.46+20%
5Massachusetts$62,380$29.99+18%

Workforce and education

About 12,000 people work as Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic in the United States. The mean (average) wage is $56,740 — above the median, which means high earners pull the average up. On qualifications: a high school diploma is typically enough, with most skills learned on the job, per O*NET occupation data.

Frequently asked questions

How much do Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic make in the United States?
The median Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic salary in the United States is $52,800 per year, or about $25.38 per hour, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates. Entry-level pay (10th percentile) starts around $37,840, while the top 10% of earners make $81,030 or more.
How does Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic pay compare to other jobs?
With a pay grade of C+ (modest pay), the Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic median of $52,800 is below the national median across all occupations tracked in BLS data ($61,390).
Which state pays Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic the most?
Washington is the highest-paying state for Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic, with a median salary of $86,460 per year, based on official state-level BLS wage estimates.
What education do Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic need?
For most positions, a high school diploma is typically enough, with most skills learned on the job, according to O*NET occupation data from the U.S. Department of Labor.
How many Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic work in the United States?
About 12,000 people were employed as Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic in the United States in the latest BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics estimates.

Related salaries

Other manufacturing & production roles with similar pay.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), Unknown vintage. Education requirements: O*NET (U.S. Department of Labor). Percentiles, employment, and state figures are official BLS estimates; hourly figures assume 2,080 hours/year. Individual pay varies by employer, experience, and location.