Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic: Salary, Job Outlook & How to Become One (2026 Parent Guide)

Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic fall under the Production category in the U.S. occupational classification. Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic earn a median salary of $49,030 per year, ranking in the top 69% of all U.S. occupations. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects -17.2% job growth through 2035, projected to lose jobs through 2035. Entry into this field typically requires an apprenticeship, technical certification, or postsecondary training, with specific licensing or certification depending on the state and employer. For parents whose teenager is exploring this path, the most actionable step is mapping the education requirements to specific colleges and majors before junior year — not waiting until application season.

What do forging machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic earn?

The median annual wage for forging machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic is $49,030. That puts forging machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic at #573 on the BLS ranked list of all U.S. occupations by median pay. This salary is around or below the U.S. median for individual workers, so career growth often depends on advancement into supervisory roles, specialization, or additional credentials. Actual pay varies meaningfully by state, employer type, and years of experience — entry-level salaries are typically 30–40% below the median, while top-decile earners often exceed it by 50% or more.

Is forging machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic a growing career?

The 10-year outlook for forging machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic is -17.2%, projected to lose jobs through 2035. Employment is projected to move from approximately 8K positions in 2024 to 7K in 2034, a net change of <1K. A declining outlook does not mean the field is disappearing; it means automation, demographics, or substitution effects are shrinking the pool of openings. Students entering a declining field should plan for adjacent skills that transfer to growing roles.

What do forging machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic do every day?

According to O*NET task surveys of working forging machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic, these are the core responsibilities most professionals perform. This is what your teen would actually be doing in this role.

1. 1.Measure and inspect machined parts to ensure conformance to product specifications.
2. 2.Trim and compress finished forgings to specified tolerances.
3. 3.Confer with other workers about machine setups and operational specifications.
4. 4.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.
5. 5.Start machines to produce sample workpieces, and observe operations to detect machine malfunctions and to verify that machine setups conform to specifications.
6. 6.Turn handles or knobs to set pressures and depths of ram strokes and to synchronize machine operations.
7. 7.Read work orders or blueprints to determine specified tolerances and sequences of operations for machine setup.

Top skills for forging machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic

O*NET ranks these as the most important skills for this occupation, on a 1–5 importance scale derived from worker surveys.

What education does my child need to become forging machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic?

Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic typically enter the field through a formal apprenticeship, technical certification, or vocational training program — a strong fit for teens who prefer hands-on learning over traditional college. For parents helping a teen prepare, the highest-leverage step before junior year is identifying colleges and programs that feed reliably into this occupation — Solyo's college search lets parents filter by major and admissions data side by side.

Related careers your child might also consider

• Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
  $48,990 median
• Heat Treating Equipment Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
  $48,750 median
• Prepress Technicians and Workers
  $48,690 median
• Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers
  $48,570 median
• Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
  $48,540 median
• Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
  $48,250 median

Common questions parents ask about forging machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic