← All careers

Skilled Trades

Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

Set up, operate, or tend lathe and turning machines to turn, bore, thread, form, or face metal or plastic materials, such as wire, rod, or bar stock.

Median salary (BLS)

$50,620

10th–90th percentile (BLS)

$37k – $70k

Job outlook

No separate BLS projection for this specific role

AI exposure

Plan a path to Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

Qualification costsStack incomeBest cities/statesSchool ROIJob-posting fitTailored resume

Education

Typical entry: No degree required

Plan my path to this →

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 "Lathe and Turning 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 Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

    Entry / Junior

    $36,670

    ~2 yrs to advance

  2. Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

    Established

    $50,620

    ~3 yrs to advance

  3. Senior Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

    Senior

    $60,160

Key skills

A typical day

  • •Adjust machine controls and change tool settings to keep dimensions within specified tolerances.
  • •Move controls to set cutting speeds and depths and feed rates, and to position tools in relation to workpieces.
  • •Study blueprints, layouts or charts, and job orders for information on specifications and tooling instructions, and to determine material requirements and operational sequences.
  • •Inspect sample workpieces to verify conformance with specifications, using instruments such as gauges, micrometers, and dial indicators.
  • •Replace worn tools, and sharpen dull cutting tools and dies, using bench grinders or cutter-grinding machines.

Fields of study

Any field

Top colleges for Skilled Trades

Explore all

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