SOC 51-4034 · Production Occupations

Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025United States, all industries

U.S. median annual wage$50,620

U.S. median hourly wage$24.34

U.S. employment16,710

Nationally, lathe and turning machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic earned a median of $50,620 per year as of the May 2025 OEWS estimates, across 16,710 jobs. Pay varies substantially by area — look up a specific state or metro below.

National pay distribution

Pay by state

Every state and territory with a published May 2025 estimate. “Not published” means BLS suppressed the value — it never means zero. Higher medians often track higher living costs; this is not a ranking of where the job is “best”.

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Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic: pay and employment by state
State
Colorado	$71,670	$34.46	150	0.1
Maine	$64,800	$31.15	80	0.1
Minnesota	$61,000	$29.33	150	0.1
Massachusetts	$60,870	$29.27	690	0.2
California	$60,180	$28.93	2,600	0.1
Alabama	$58,490	$28.12	100	0.0
Nevada	$58,240	$28.00	60	0.0
Pennsylvania	$57,020	$27.41	580	0.1
Arizona	$55,840	$26.85	110	0.0
Illinois	$54,930	$26.41	1,260	0.2
Maryland	$54,860	$26.38	60	0.0
North Carolina	$53,840	$25.89	310	0.1
West Virginia	$53,660	$25.80	50	0.1
Wisconsin	$51,020	$24.53	340	0.1
New York	$50,760	$24.40	530	0.1
Louisiana	$50,560	$24.31	90	0.0
Iowa	$50,370	$24.21	180	0.1
Georgia	$50,180	$24.13	100	0.0
Ohio	$49,880	$23.98	1,180	0.2
South Carolina	$49,490	$23.79	370	0.2
Indiana	$49,420	$23.76	710	0.2
Connecticut	$49,380	$23.74	690	0.4
New Hampshire	$48,980	$23.55	150	0.2
Missouri	$48,950	$23.53	160	0.1
Virginia	$48,920	$23.52	210	0.1
New Jersey	$48,180	$23.17	190	0.0
Texas	$48,020	$23.09	2,150	0.2
Nebraska	$47,350	$22.76	120	0.1
Kansas	$47,310	$22.75	90	0.1
Kentucky	$47,060	$22.62	250	0.1
Michigan	$46,680	$22.44	1,540	0.4
Florida	$44,710	$21.49	140	0.0
Oklahoma	$43,680	$21.00	240	0.1
Oregon	$41,640	$20.02	40	0.0
Tennessee	$40,730	$19.58	700	0.2
Arkansas	$39,060	$18.78	190	0.1

Pay by metro area

All 61 metro areas where BLS publishes this occupation. Sort by median wage, employment, or local concentration — or see the highest-paying metros ranked.

Each dot is one metro area with a published median — hover any dot for the name and figure. Metros without published estimates are not drawn.

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Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic: pay and employment by metro area
Metro area
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA	$74,420	$35.78	360	0.3
Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT	$66,980	$32.20	80	0.2
Pittsburgh, PA	$66,500	$31.97	220	0.2
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI	$64,950	$31.23	130	0.1
Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO	$64,790	$31.15	60	0.0
Spartanburg, SC	$61,940	$29.78	90	0.5
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH	$61,890	$29.75	510	0.2
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA	$61,050	$29.35	240	0.2
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA	$60,190	$28.94	30	0.0
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA	$60,110	$28.90	1,280	0.2
Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT	$59,740	$28.72	180	0.3
Springfield, MA	$59,030	$28.38	100	0.5
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA	$57,990	$27.88	230	0.1
Peoria, IL	$57,330	$27.56	190	1.1
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA	$57,010	$27.41	210	0.1
New Haven, CT	$56,160	$27.00	30	0.1
Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ	$55,850	$26.85	90	0.0
Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD	$54,850	$26.37	50	0.0
Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC	$53,840	$25.89	130	0.1
Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH	$53,660	$25.80	40	0.3
Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN	$52,570	$25.27	130	0.1
Worcester, MA	$52,440	$25.21	80	0.2
Canton-Massillon, OH	$52,330	$25.16	90	0.5
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX	$52,070	$25.04	170	0.0
South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI	$52,000	$25.00	40	0.3
Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY	$51,940	$24.97	70	0.1
Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN	$51,900	$24.95	100	0.1
Youngstown-Warren, OH	$51,890	$24.95	50	0.3
Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN	$51,850	$24.93	150	0.1
Cleveland, OH	$51,340	$24.68	350	0.3
Toledo, OH	$51,290	$24.66	30	0.1
Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI	$50,870	$24.46	80	0.1
Rochester, NY	$50,760	$24.40	120	0.2
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ	$50,700	$24.37	270	0.0
Baton Rouge, LA	$50,550	$24.31	40	0.1
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA	$50,180	$24.13	60	0.0
St. Louis, MO-IL	$50,080	$24.08	100	0.1
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN	$49,980	$24.03	590	0.1
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD	$49,940	$24.01	110	0.0
Akron, OH	$49,530	$23.81	60	0.2
Fort Wayne, IN	$49,340	$23.72	80	0.3
Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI	$49,210	$23.66	740	0.4
Omaha, NE-IA	$48,400	$23.27	40	0.1
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA	$48,320	$23.23	90	0.3
Tulsa, OK	$48,090	$23.12	90	0.2
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX	$47,900	$23.03	1,020	0.3
Providence-Warwick, RI-MA	$47,700	$22.93	30	0.0
Rockford, IL	$47,690	$22.93	170	1.2
Terre Haute, IN	$47,600	$22.89	30	0.5
Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN	$47,330	$22.76	180	0.2
Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH	$46,330	$22.28	120	0.3
Flint, MI	$45,880	$22.06	40	0.3
Columbia, SC	$45,040	$21.65	70	0.2
Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI	$44,820	$21.55	170	0.3
Syracuse, NY	$43,490	$20.91	40	0.1
Erie, PA	$43,140	$20.74	40	0.3
Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL	$42,460	$20.41	30	0.2
Oklahoma City, OK	$40,080	$19.27	100	0.2
Chattanooga, TN-GA	$39,720	$19.10	30	0.1
Jackson, MI	$38,800	$18.65	110	1.9
Waterbury-Shelton, CT	$36,770	$17.68	280	1.7

About this data. Estimates are from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, May 2025 release, retrieved from bls.gov/oes/tables.htm on July 24, 2026. OEWS estimates describe metropolitan/nonmetropolitan areas and states — not city limits — and are not designed for year-over-year comparisons. See BLS methodology, our plain-English methodology, and sources. CitySalaryData is independent and not affiliated with BLS.