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Machine technician (multiple machine tool setter): pay, outlook and entry

Updated October 28, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET data. Published by Humblebee.

$47,180median pay per year, or $22.68 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $35,780lowest 10% earn less
  2. $39,42025th percentile
  3. $47,180median
  4. $57,80075th percentile
  5. $74,450top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[3]Median for all US jobs, $50,980[4]

Multiple machine tool setters, operators and tenders had a median pay of $47,180 a year in May 2025[1]. Jobs are projected to grow 0.6% from 2025 to 2035[2].

Job growth, 2025–35
+0.6%[2]
Openings per year
11,600[5]
Typical entry education
High school diploma or equivalent[6]

How much do machine technicians make?

The BLS category is Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic. The median was $47,180 a year, or $22.68 an hour[1]. The all-occupations median was $50,980[4]. The average was $50,030 a year, or $24.05 an hour[7].

Point in the range Annual wage Fact
Lowest-paid 10% earned less than[3] $35,780
Lowest-paid 25% earned less than[3] $39,420
Median[1] $47,180
Highest-paid 25% earned more than[3] $57,800
Highest-paid 10% earned more than[3] $74,450

BLS publishes percentiles, not a starting salary[8]. These wages cover wage and salary workers, without bonuses or benefits[9]. About 124,590 people held these jobs in May 2025[10].

Pay by state and city

Of 45 states with published data, West Virginia had the highest median at $76,080, then Kentucky at $54,960 and Missouri at $53,160[11]. Mississippi was lowest at $36,330[11].

The states with the most jobs were Ohio (11,170), Texas (10,540), Michigan (9,350), Pennsylvania (7,960) and Indiana (7,480)[12].

Among metro areas with at least 100 jobs, Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX had the highest median at $80,110, followed by Saginaw, MI at $65,610[13]. Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN had the most jobs at 5,460, just ahead of Dallas-Fort Worth at 5,440[14].

Show median pay in 45 states
StateMedian per yearJobs
West Virginia[11]$76,0801,920
Kentucky$54,9605,510
Missouri$53,1607,220
Maryland$51,780400
Nebraska$50,9601,250
Virginia$50,6001,030
Washington$50,540830
Vermont$50,450110
Idaho$50,410480
New York$49,8903,660
North Dakota$49,190490
Texas$49,05010,540
Minnesota$48,9802,540
Iowa$48,9104,460
Kansas$48,450290
Massachusetts$48,2301,390
Pennsylvania$48,0707,960
Wisconsin$47,7003,570
Oregon$47,4701,120
North Carolina$47,3203,200
California$46,8103,190
Maine$46,710300
Oklahoma$46,4702,180
Ohio$46,42011,170
Louisiana$46,210900
Colorado$46,160220
Michigan$45,9209,350
South Carolina$45,7404,520
New Hampshire$45,710600
Indiana$45,1007,480
South Dakota$44,700120
Illinois$44,3506,090
Arkansas$44,0801,570
Alabama$43,8001,680
Tennessee$43,630930
Utah$43,5501,340
Arizona$43,0901,760
Connecticut$42,5802,150
New Jersey$41,3903,090
Florida$41,2202,530
Nevada$40,310n/a
Wyoming$40,000110
Georgia$38,8102,980
Rhode Island$38,720680
Mississippi$36,3301,070

How to become a machine technician

BLS describes the usual path this way[6]:

The handbook text comes from a profile covering a wider group of metal and plastic machine jobs[15]. For that group, training usually starts by watching and helping experienced workers, then moves to harder tasks[16]. Some operators learn basic machine work in a few months, and CNC operators may train for up to 1 year[17]. Community colleges and other schools may offer certificate courses[18]. Certification can show skill and help with advancement[19].

In an O*NET survey of 19 workers, 82% said a high school diploma was required, 8% said a post-secondary certificate and 6% said some college courses[20].

What machine technicians do

O*NET describes the work as setting up, operating or tending more than one type of cutting or forming machine tool or robot[21]. Tasks include[22]:

Workers report titles such as Machine Operator, CNC Machine Setter and Injection Molding Technician[23].

Where they work

This part describes the wider metal and plastic machine worker group[15]. Fabricated metal product manufacturing was the largest employer group at 25%[24]. Most are full time, and evening and weekend work is common[25]. The machines can be dangerous, so safety gear such as glasses, earplugs and steel-toed boots is usual[26].

Job outlook

BLS projects growth of 0.6% from 2025 to 2035, from about 127,100 to 127,900 jobs[2]. All occupations are projected to grow 3.5%[27]. About 11,600 openings a year are projected, and they include jobs left by people who retire or change occupations[5]. Each year, 3.5% of workers leave the labor force and 5.6% move to a different occupation[28]. In 2025, 2.7% were self-employed[29].

Is it a good fit?

Entry needs a high school diploma and on-the-job training[6]. The median is a little under the all-occupations median, and growth is slower than average[1][4][2][27]. Pay varies by place, from $36,330 to $76,080 across states[11]. Openings from turnover are large compared with the growth[5].

Related occupations from O*NET, with BLS median pay and projected growth[30].

Frequently asked questions

How much does a machine technician make an hour?
For this BLS category, the median was $22.68 an hour in May 2025[1].
What is the highest paying state for machine tool setters and operators?
West Virginia, with a median of $76,080 a year[11].
What education do you need?
BLS lists a high school diploma or equivalent with moderate-term on-the-job training[6].
Is this job in demand?
BLS projects 0.6% growth from 2025 to 2035 and about 11,600 openings a year[2][5].

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic in the US was $47,180 per year and $22.68 per hour. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  2. BLS Employment Projections: employment of Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic is projected to grow 0.6% from 2025 to 2035, from about 127,100 to 127,900 jobs (a change of +800). These counts include self-employed workers. BLS Employment Projections
  3. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic: 10th percentile $35,780, 25th percentile $39,420, 75th percentile $57,800, 90th percentile $74,450. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  4. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in the US was $50,980. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS Employment Projections: about 11,600 openings for Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic 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 Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic: 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 Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic was $50,030 per year and $24.05 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  8. 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
  9. 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
  10. BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 124,590 people were employed as Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic in the US (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  11. Median annual wage for Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic 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 Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic jobs: Ohio 11,170; Texas 10,540; Michigan 9,350; Pennsylvania 7,960; Indiana 7,480. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  13. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the highest median annual wage for Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic (areas with at least 100 jobs): Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX $80,110; Saginaw, MI $65,610; Oshkosh-Neenah, WI $63,060; Athens-Clarke County, GA $62,600; St. Louis, MO-IL $62,090; Ann Arbor, MI $61,320; Rochester, NY $55,700; Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR $54,390. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  14. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the most Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic jobs: Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN 5,460 (median $45,030); Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 5,440 (median $80,110); St. Louis, MO-IL 4,480 (median $62,090); Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI 4,310 (median $51,210); New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ 2,720 (median $45,350); Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX 2,320 (median $42,050). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  15. The BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile "Metal and Plastic Machine Workers" covers Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic together with other related occupations, so its text describes the wider group. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  16. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Training. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  17. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Training. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  18. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Education. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  19. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  20. O*NET 51-4081.00 survey of workers (19 respondents), education level they say is required: High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) 82%, Post-Secondary Certificate 8%, Some College Courses 6% (levels under 5% not listed). O*NET OnLine
  21. O*NET description of Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic. O*NET OnLine
  22. O*NET task list for Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic. O*NET OnLine
  23. O*NET 51-4081.00 sample job titles reported by workers: Cell Technician, CNC Machine Setter (Computer Numerically Controlled Machine Setter), Fabrication Set-Up Person, Injection Molding Technician, Machine Operator, Machine Technician, Mold Setter, Production Operator. O*NET OnLine
  24. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, largest employers of metal and plastic machine workers in 2025: Fabricated metal product manufacturing 25%. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  25. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment: Work Schedules. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  26. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment: Injuries and Illnesses. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  27. BLS Employment Projections: employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% from 2025 to 2035. BLS Employment Projections
  28. BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35 annual average for Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic: 3.5% of workers leave the labor force each year and 5.6% move to a different occupation. BLS Employment Projections
  29. BLS Employment Projections: 2.7% of Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic were self-employed in 2025. BLS Employment Projections
  30. 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. The Occupational Outlook Handbook text covers a wider group of occupations than this page.

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.