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Skilled Trades

Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

Set up, operate, or tend milling or planing machines to mill, plane, shape, groove, or profile metal or plastic work pieces.

Median salary (BLS)

$52,800

10th–90th percentile (BLS)

$38k – $81k

Job outlook

No separate BLS projection for this specific role

AI exposure

Plan a path to Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

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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 "Milling and Planing 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 Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

    Entry / Junior

    $37,840

    ~2 yrs to advance

  2. Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

    Established

    $52,800

    ~3 yrs to advance

  3. Senior Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

    Senior

    $66,915

Key skills

A typical day

  • •Remove workpieces from machines, and check to ensure that they conform to specifications, using measuring instruments such as microscopes, gauges, calipers, and micrometers.
  • •Verify alignment of workpieces on machines, using measuring instruments such as rules, gauges, or calipers.
  • •Move controls to set cutting specifications, to position cutting tools and workpieces in relation to each other, and to start machines.
  • •Observe milling or planing machine operation, and adjust controls to ensure conformance with specified tolerances.
  • •Select and install cutting tools and other accessories according to specifications, using hand tools or power tools.

Fields of study

Any field

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