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Skilled Trades

Drilling and Boring Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

Set up, operate, or tend drilling machines to drill, bore, ream, mill, or countersink metal or plastic work pieces.

Median salary (BLS)

$49,080

10th–90th percentile (BLS)

$36k – $68k

Job outlook

No separate BLS projection for this specific role

AI exposure

Plan a path to Drilling and Boring Machine Tool 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 "Drilling and Boring Machine Tool 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 Drilling and Boring Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

    Entry / Junior

    $36,300

    ~2 yrs to advance

  2. Drilling and Boring Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

    Established

    $49,080

    ~3 yrs to advance

  3. Senior Drilling and Boring Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

    Senior

    $58,745

Key skills

A typical day

  • •Verify conformance of machined work to specifications, using measuring instruments, such as calipers, micrometers, or fixed or telescoping gauges.
  • •Study machining instructions, job orders, or blueprints to determine dimensional or finish specifications, sequences of operations, setups, or tooling requirements.
  • •Move machine controls to lower tools to workpieces and to engage automatic feeds.
  • •Verify that workpiece reference lines are parallel to the axis of table rotation, using dial indicators mounted in spindles.
  • •Establish zero reference points on workpieces, such as at the intersections of two edges or over hole locations.

Fields of study

Any field

Top colleges for Skilled Trades

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