Skilled Trades
Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
Set up, operate, or tend plating machines to coat metal or plastic products with chromium, zinc, copper, cadmium, nickel, or other metal to protect or decorate surfaces. Typically, the product being coated is immersed in molten metal or an electrolytic solution.
Median salary
$41,600
Typical range
$32k – $58k
Job outlook
See national outlook
AI exposure
Plan a path to Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
Education
Typical entry: No degree required
Plan my path to this →Typical progression
Junior Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
Entry / Junior
$31,940
~2 yrs to advance
Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
Established
$41,600
~3 yrs to advance
Senior Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
Senior
$49,960
Key skills
A typical day
- •Immerse workpieces in coating solutions or liquid metal or plastic for specified times.
- •Adjust dials to regulate flow of current and voltage supplied to terminals to control plating processes.
- •Inspect coated or plated areas for defects, such as air bubbles or uneven coverage.
- •Set up, operate, or tend plating or coating machines to coat metal or plastic products with chromium, zinc, copper, cadmium, nickel, or other metal to protect or decorate surfaces.
- •Observe gauges to ensure that machines are operating properly, making adjustments or stopping machines when problems occur.
Fields of study
Any field
Top colleges for Skilled Trades
Explore all- Purdue University50% admit · $78,000 grad pay
- Ohio State University53% admit · $68,000 grad pay
- Pennsylvania State University55% admit · $70,000 grad pay
Reputation-based selection; stats shown are outcome data per school.