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Forming machine setter: pay, job outlook and how to become one

Updated October 29, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET data. Published by Humblebee.

$46,350median pay per year, or $22.29 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $35,890lowest 10% earn less
  2. $39,36025th percentile
  3. $46,350median
  4. $57,28075th percentile
  5. $63,910top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[4]Median for all US jobs, $50,980[2]

Forming machine setters, operators, and tenders for synthetic and glass fibers had median pay of $46,350 a year, a bit below the median for all occupations[1][2]. Jobs in this field are projected to shrink slightly over the next decade[3].

Job growth, 2025–35
-3.3%[3]
Openings per year
1,100[5]
Typical entry education
High school diploma or equivalent[6]

How much do forming machine setters make?

The median pay for this job was $46,350 a year, or $22.29 an hour, in May 2025[1]. Half of workers earned more and half earned less[1]. The average was $48,580 a year, or $23.36 an hour[7]. For all occupations, the median annual wage was $50,980, so this job's median sat a little below that[1][2].

Here is how pay was spread out across the job:

Point in the range Annual wage Hourly wage
Lowest-paid 10% earned less than[4][8] $35,890 $17.26
Lowest-paid 25% earned less than[4][8] $39,360 $18.92
Median[1] $46,350 $22.29
Highest-paid 25% earned more than[4][8] $57,280 $27.54
Highest-paid 10% earned more than[4][8] $63,910 $30.73

A percentile wage is a boundary line between groups of workers. BLS does not publish a starting salary for this job[9]. These figures cover people paid a wage or salary. They leave out the self-employed, nonproduction bonuses and the cost of benefits such as health insurance[10].

Pay by state and city

BLS published state medians for 24 states[11]. Ohio was listed first at $61,440 a year, followed by Alabama at $60,100 and Indiana at $57,200[11]. Kentucky was listed last at $33,330[11]. The top-paying states do not have the most jobs. Ohio had 380 jobs and Indiana had 390[11].

The states with the most jobs were Georgia (2,530), North Carolina (1,980), South Carolina (1,080), Alabama (930) and Florida (620)[12].

Among metro areas with at least 100 jobs, Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA was listed first at $71,610, followed by Mobile, AL at $63,900 and Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX at $59,330[13]. The metro areas with the most jobs were Dalton, GA (860), Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA (590) and Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC (580)[14].

Show median pay in 24 states
StateMedian per yearJobs
Ohio[11]$61,440380
Alabama$60,100930
Indiana$57,200390
Pennsylvania$55,960490
Minnesota$52,600410
Maryland$50,790n/a
Kansas$50,320320
Michigan$49,180180
Missouri$48,81070
Iowa$48,400100
Arkansas$47,77090
Texas$46,970520
Tennessee$46,200320
Georgia$45,3602,530
California$45,290330
New York$44,120210
Florida$43,520620
South Carolina$43,3801,080
Wisconsin$41,980180
Virginia$40,770540
North Carolina$40,0901,980
Utah$38,570100
Nebraska$37,63050
Kentucky$33,330120

How to become a forming machine setter

BLS describes the usual path in three parts[6]:

BLS does not say in these facts how many months that training takes. O*NET puts the job in a group where some jobs need little or no previous experience and others need several months to a year[15].

In an O*NET survey of 23 workers, 74% said a high school diploma or equivalent is required, 19% said less than a high school diploma, and 6% said a post-secondary certificate[16]. That is a small survey, so treat it as a rough picture. The facts we have do not list a license or exam for this job.

What forming machine setters do

These workers set up, run or tend machines that turn materials such as liquid polymer, rayon and fiberglass into continuous filaments[17]. Job titles that workers report include extruder operator, extrusion line operator and pelletizer operator[18]. Typical tasks include:

Job outlook

BLS projects employment in this job to decline 3.3% from 2025 to 2035, from about 13,500 jobs to 13,000, a change of 400 jobs[3]. For all occupations, BLS projects growth of 3.5% over the same years[20]. These projection counts include self-employed workers, and 3.5% of workers in this job were self-employed in 2025[3][21]. The OEWS wage survey counted about 12,850 wage and salary jobs in May 2025, and it does not count the self-employed[22].

Even with fewer jobs, openings still come up. BLS projects about 1,100 openings a year on average from 2025 to 2035[5]. Openings include jobs that come open when people retire or switch occupations, not only new jobs[5]. Each year, 3.9% of workers leave the labor force and 4.5% move to a different occupation[23].

Is it a good fit?

The entry path is short on paperwork. It asks for a high school diploma or equivalent, no related experience, and on-the-job training[6]. Median pay is a little under the all-occupations median, and pay varies by state and metro area[1][2][11]. Jobs are projected to decline slightly, but openings from retirements and job changes are still expected each year[3][5]. If you live near Georgia or the Carolinas, those states had the most jobs[12].

Related occupations from O*NET, with BLS median pay and projected growth[24].

Frequently asked questions

How much does a forming machine setter make an hour?
The median was $22.29 an hour in May 2025, and the average was $23.36 an hour[1][7].
What education do you need to be a forming machine setter?
BLS lists a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry education, with no related work experience and moderate-term on-the-job training[6].
Is forming machine setter work in demand?
BLS projects employment to decline 3.3% from 2025 to 2035[3], compared with 3.5% growth for all occupations[20]. About 1,100 openings a year are still projected[5].
What is the highest paying state for forming machine setters?
Ohio was listed first, with a median of $61,440 a year, followed by Alabama at $60,100[11].

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Synthetic and Glass Fibers in the US was $46,350 per year and $22.29 per hour. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  2. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in the US was $50,980. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  3. BLS Employment Projections: employment of Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Synthetic and Glass Fibers is projected to decline 3.3% from 2025 to 2035, from about 13,500 to 13,000 jobs (a change of -400). These counts include self-employed workers. BLS Employment Projections
  4. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Synthetic and Glass Fibers: 10th percentile $35,890, 25th percentile $39,360, 75th percentile $57,280, 90th percentile $63,910. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS Employment Projections: about 1,100 openings for Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Synthetic and Glass Fibers are projected each year, on average, from 2025 to 2035. Openings include jobs that open when workers retire or move to other occupations, not only new jobs. BLS Employment Projections
  6. BLS Employment Projections, typical path into Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Synthetic and Glass Fibers: education needed for entry: High school diploma or equivalent; work experience in a related occupation: None; typical on-the-job training: Moderate-term on-the-job training. BLS Employment Projections
  7. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Synthetic and Glass Fibers was $48,580 per year and $23.36 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  8. BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Synthetic and Glass Fibers: 10th percentile $17.26, 25th percentile $18.92, 75th percentile $27.54, 90th percentile $30.73. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. BLS OEWS FAQ: a percentile wage is a boundary. The median (50th percentile) separates the highest-paid 50% from the lowest-paid 50% of workers in the occupation. OEWS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. BLS OEWS FAQ: OEWS covers part-time and full-time workers paid a wage or salary. It does not cover the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, household workers or unpaid family workers. OEWS wages do not include nonproduction bonuses or employer costs of benefits such as health insurance or retirement contributions. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  11. Median annual wage for Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Synthetic and Glass Fibers in every state with published data, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  12. BLS OEWS, May 2025, states with the most Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Synthetic and Glass Fibers jobs: Georgia 2,530; North Carolina 1,980; South Carolina 1,080; Alabama 930; Florida 620. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  13. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the highest median annual wage for Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Synthetic and Glass Fibers (areas with at least 100 jobs): Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA $71,610; Mobile, AL $63,900; Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX $59,330; Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA $58,980; Chattanooga, TN-GA $48,900; Spartanburg, SC $48,100; Dalton, GA $45,610; Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA $44,350. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  14. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the most Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Synthetic and Glass Fibers jobs: Dalton, GA 860 (median $45,610); Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA 590 (median $58,980); Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC 580 (median $40,310); Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC 500 (median $42,380); Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 220 (median $59,330); Wilmington, NC 210. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  15. O*NET 51-6091.00: Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed. Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training. O*NET OnLine
  16. O*NET 51-6091.00 survey of workers (23 respondents), education level they say is required: High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) 74%, Less than a High School Diploma 19%, Post-Secondary Certificate 6% (levels under 5% not listed). O*NET OnLine
  17. O*NET description of Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Synthetic and Glass Fibers. O*NET OnLine
  18. O*NET 51-6091.00 sample job titles reported by workers: Extruder, Extruder Operator, Extrusion Line Operator, Extrusion Operator, Granulator, Hot End Operator, Pelletizer Operator, Pot Tipper. O*NET OnLine
  19. O*NET task list for Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Synthetic and Glass Fibers. O*NET OnLine
  20. BLS Employment Projections: employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% from 2025 to 2035. BLS Employment Projections
  21. BLS Employment Projections: 3.5% of Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Synthetic and Glass Fibers were self-employed in 2025. BLS Employment Projections
  22. BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 12,850 people were employed as Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Synthetic and Glass Fibers in the US (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  23. BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35 annual average for Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Synthetic and Glass Fibers: 3.9% of workers leave the labor force each year and 4.5% move to a different occupation. BLS Employment Projections
  24. Related occupations (O*NET) with BLS pay, growth and entry education. O*NET OnLine

Notes are for reading the data only. They are not facts and cannot be cited: use the wage_scope and percentile_meaning facts instead. OEWS employment (jobs in May 2025) and Employment Projections employment (2025, includes self-employed) are different measures and can differ. O*NET education shares come from a small survey of workers in the occupation, not from all workers.

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerFacts has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.