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Skilled Trades

Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

Set up, operate, or tend machines to saw, cut, shear, slit, punch, crimp, notch, bend, or straighten metal or plastic material.

Median salary (BLS)

$46,330

10th–90th percentile (BLS)

$36k – $66k

Job outlook

No separate BLS projection for this specific role

AI exposure

Plan a path to Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

Qualification costsStack incomeBest cities/statesSchool ROIJob-posting fitTailored resume

Education

Typical entry: No degree required

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How to qualify

EstimateLicense required

Cost to qualify

$100–$2,600

Time to qualify

3.1 yr

Renewal

$50/yr

  1. 1

    Registered apprenticeship (paid)

    Experience

    Earn-while-you-learn training — apprentices are paid during the program; fees are tools/books, not tuition.

    $0–$2,000 · 36 months · varies by state source

  2. 2

    Journeyman exam & state/local license

    License

    Most states and municipalities test and license journeyman-level trades workers.

    $100–$600 · 1 months · varies by state · renews every 2 yr source

Estimated typical U.S. route for "Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic" — built from BLS education requirements and College Board 2024–25 average published prices (public, in-state tuition + fees + books). Not yet verified against a specific state's licensing rules — confirm with your state licensing board or program.

Typical progression

  1. Junior Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

    Entry / Junior

    $35,760

    ~2 yrs to advance

  2. Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

    Established

    $46,330

    ~3 yrs to advance

  3. Senior Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

    Senior

    $55,920

Key skills

A typical day

  • •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.

Fields of study

Any field

Top colleges for Skilled Trades

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Reputation-based selection; stats shown are outcome data per school.