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Skilled Trades

Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

Set up, operate, or tend forging machines to taper, shape, or form metal or plastic parts.

Median salary (BLS)

$49,030

10th–90th percentile (BLS)

$37k – $69k

Job outlook

No separate BLS projection for this specific role

AI exposure

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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 "Forging 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 Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

    Entry / Junior

    $36,800

    ~2 yrs to advance

  2. Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

    Established

    $49,030

    ~3 yrs to advance

  3. Senior Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

    Senior

    $58,875

Key skills

A typical day

  • •Read work orders or blueprints to determine specified tolerances and sequences of operations for machine setup.
  • •Position and move metal wires or workpieces through a series of dies that compress and shape stock to form die impressions.
  • •Measure and inspect machined parts to ensure conformance to product specifications.
  • •Set up, operate, or tend presses and forging machines to perform hot or cold forging by flattening, straightening, bending, cutting, piercing, or other operations to taper, shape, or form metal.
  • •Turn handles or knobs to set pressures and depths of ram strokes and to synchronize machine operations.

Fields of study

Any field

Top colleges for Skilled Trades

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