SOC 51-4022 · Production

Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic Salary by City

Forging machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic earn the most in San Francisco, CA (average $72,070 a year), followed by Boston, MA ($62,630) and Los Angeles, CA ($61,970), among the 31 metro areas we cover. Nationwide the average is $51,680 and the median $49,030, for 8,930 workers (May 2025).

$51,680U.S. average
$72Khighest: San Francisco, CA
$39Klowest: Houston, TX
31metro areas
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Top 15 cities for this job by average salary

San Francisco, CA$72,070
Boston, MA$62,630
Los Angeles, CA$61,970
Denver, CO$60,360
Philadelphia, PA$59,440
Milwaukee, WI$58,430
Pittsburgh, PA$58,210
Canton, OH$58,060
Cleveland, OH$56,740
Detroit, MI$56,550
Erie, PA$54,710
Riverside, CA$54,270
Chicago, IL$53,610
Richmond, VA$52,780
Phoenix, AZ$52,780
Average annual wage, BLS OEWS May 2025.

Map: Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic salary by metro area

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Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic salary by state

Oregon pays forging machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic the most statewide, $71,820 a year on average. Statewide columns cover every employer in the state; city columns cover the metro areas we publish.

StateStatewide averageStatewide medianJobsMetrosHighest city averageLowest city average
Oregon$71,820$69,210300n/an/a
California$61,470$59,2507503$72,070$54,270
Nebraska$61,420$60,4602000n/an/a
Massachusetts$59,820$51,7703101$62,630$62,630
Michigan$57,080$61,6206201$56,550$56,550
Oklahoma$56,820$61,720n/a0n/an/a
Wisconsin$56,810$60,310801$58,430$58,430
Colorado$56,220$57,9701401$60,360$60,360
Ohio$55,940$56,8705002$58,060$56,740
New York$55,410$56,3502602$47,300$46,840
Pennsylvania$54,500$50,2805503$59,440$54,710
Virginia$53,590$54,2305602$52,780$51,320
Arizona$52,630$48,730301$52,780$52,780
Indiana$52,600$53,5504502$52,110$52,060
Alabama$52,460$46,970700n/an/a
Illinois$51,970$49,7502301$53,610$53,610
Maryland$51,710$49,920301$45,110$45,110
Kansas$51,620$51,1201301$52,420$52,420
Missouri$51,610$55,210600n/an/a
South Carolina$51,540$49,610800n/an/a
Georgia$50,660$46,4903801$47,440$47,440
Nevada$49,320$45,040400n/an/a
Rhode Islandn/an/an/a1$48,590$48,590
Iowa$48,280$47,010n/a1$51,180$51,180
Tennessee$44,810$43,8101,1403$46,510$41,810
Connecticut$44,650$45,1201100n/an/a
Florida$44,180$40,480801$39,880$39,880
New Jersey$43,450$35,630n/a0n/an/a
West Virginia$42,910$37,390n/a0n/an/a
Arkansas$42,850$38,1201400n/an/a
Kentucky$40,810$36,110n/a0n/an/a
Mississippi$39,810$39,550700n/an/a
Texas$39,210$37,3907202$44,690$39,350
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Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic salary in every city we cover

Sort by any column. Each city links to its pay range, take-home pay and cost of living.

Metro areaAverageMedianHourlyJobs
San Francisco, CA$72,070$67,230$34.6540
Boston, MA$62,630$58,980$30.1180
Los Angeles, CA$61,970$59,320$29.79510
Denver, CO$60,360$60,090$29.0290
Philadelphia, PA$59,440$63,880$28.58190
Milwaukee, WI$58,430$60,500$28.0960
Pittsburgh, PA$58,210$61,480$27.99n/a
Canton, OH$58,060$55,430$27.9240
Cleveland, OH$56,740$59,670$27.28100
Detroit, MI$56,550$61,980$27.19380
Erie, PA$54,710$55,250$26.3150
Riverside, CA$54,270$49,180$26.0990
Chicago, IL$53,610$49,700$25.77100
Richmond, VA$52,780$54,230$25.3870
Phoenix, AZ$52,780$48,730$25.3830
Wichita, KS$52,420$51,800$25.20n/a
Columbus, IN$52,110$52,060$25.05140
Indianapolis, IN$52,060$57,740$25.03120
Virginia Beach, VA$51,320$48,320$24.67n/a
Davenport, IA$51,180$49,750$24.6130
Providence, RI$48,590$43,740$23.3670
Atlanta, GA$47,440$45,710$22.8190
Rochester, NY$47,300$46,190$22.7460
New York, NY$46,840$38,580$22.52200
Memphis, TN$46,510$44,860$22.3650
Hagerstown, MD$45,110$40,080$21.69n/a
Nashville, TN$45,000$44,460$21.64240
Dallas, TX$44,690$44,900$21.48180
Kingsport, TN$41,810$40,990$20.1080
Miami, FL$39,880$27,750$19.1730
Houston, TX$39,350$36,730$18.92230

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Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic salary: questions

Where do forging machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic make the most money?

In San Francisco, CA, with an average of $72,070 a year, among the 31 metro areas we cover.

What is the average forging machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic salary in the U.S.?

$51,680 a year nationwide (BLS OEWS national estimates, May 2025); the median is $49,030, so half of forging machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic earn more than that and half less.

What salary should forging machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic ask for?

Start from the figures for your city: the middle half of forging machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic nationwide earn between $42,440 (25th percentile) and $60,130 (75th percentile). Newer workers usually start near the 25th percentile and experienced ones can ask for the 75th; each city page shows the local range. See how to read salary percentiles.

Which state pays forging machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic the most?

Oregon, with a statewide average of $71,820 a year (BLS state estimates, May 2025).

Where is forging machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic pay the lowest?

Houston, TX, at $39,350 a year on average. Lower pay often comes with lower prices: check the cost of living on each city page.

Sources and how to read this page

Read the full methodology. Spotted an error? Tell us.