Explore national salary, projected growth, education requirements, and career opportunities across the United States.
A concise view of this occupation’s national scale, compensation, and projected demand.
National median annual wage for this occupation.
Estimated jobs currently supported nationwide.
Projected employment change through 2034.
Estimated openings created each year.
The typical education, prior experience, and on-the-job training associated with entry into this career.
High school diploma or equivalent
None
Moderate-term on-the-job training
These are the highest-rated capabilities associated with success in this occupation. Scores are derived from occupational skill analysis and are measured on a 100-point scale.
Based on skills, knowledge, and work activities, these occupations are the closest match to your current career.
Explore the states and metropolitan areas offering the strongest combination of salary, employment, demand, and long-term opportunity.
Discover metro markets where compensation, hiring demand, and long-term momentum align.
Understand the salary, outlook, education, and geographic opportunities shaping this career.
Extruding, forming, pressing, and compacting machine setters, operators, and tenders work in a specialized production role that combines mechanical know-how, physical stamina, and attention to detail. Nationally, about 57,000 people are employed in this occupation, with a projected employment growth of 2.0%. This field offers around 5,000 annual openings, which can create ongoing entry points for new workers and advancement opportunities for those already in the role. The national median annual salary is $45,130, with some states and metro areas offering higher typical pay. Success in this career draws on mechanical skills, fine motor abilities, physical strength and stamina, and comfort with science, mathematics, and computers. Detail orientation, critical and analytical thinking, creativity and innovation, and leadership skills also play an important part. For individuals who meet the typical education level of a high school diploma or equivalent and who enjoy hands-on, mechanically focused work, this occupation can offer stable employment prospects and multiple geographic options.
The national median annual salary for extruding, forming, pressing, and compacting machine setters, operators, and tenders is $45,130, but earnings vary by location. Among the top states by CareerGPS opportunity score, median salaries range from $44,510 in Washington to $49,100 in Colorado. California and Massachusetts are close, at $47,300 and $47,220 respectively, while New York stands at $44,660. At the metro level, pay differences are even more pronounced. The San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA metro shows a median salary of $55,780, notably higher than the national median. The Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro reports $51,360, and Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH offers $47,730. In contrast, the New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ metro has a median salary of $39,680 despite a strong opportunity score. These figures suggest that workers can potentially improve earnings by targeting higher-paying metros or states when possible.
This occupation employs about 57,000 workers nationally, indicating a moderate-sized workforce for those interested in production careers. Projected employment growth is 2.0%, providing a measured expansion over the forecast period. In addition to growth, there are about 5,000 annual openings, which reflect both new positions and the need to replace workers who leave the occupation. Together, the employment level, projected growth, and annual openings suggest an occupation with ongoing hiring activity. The 2.0% growth projection appears consistently across the highlighted states and metro areas, from California and New York to Colorado and Washington, as well as metros such as New York-Newark-Jersey City and San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont. For job seekers, this combination of an established employment base and steady projected growth means there will likely be continuous opportunities to enter the field or move between employers and locations over time.
Several states and metro areas stand out for this occupation based on CareerGPS opportunity scores, which combine salary, employment, and growth information. Among states, California ranks highest with an opportunity score of 67.38, a median salary of $47,300, and employment of 4,210. Massachusetts and New York follow closely with scores above 65 and median salaries just under or slightly above the national median. Colorado and Washington show somewhat lower opportunity scores in the mid-50s but include a relatively high median salary in Colorado at $49,100. At the metro level, the New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ area has the highest opportunity score at 77.27, with 2,420 employed, though its median salary of $39,680 is below the national median. The San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA metro balances a strong opportunity score of 68.75 with the highest listed median salary of $55,780. Washington-Arlington-Alexandria and Boston-Cambridge-Newton also provide solid combinations of pay and opportunity scores, giving workers multiple strong regional options.
The typical education level for extruding, forming, pressing, and compacting machine setters, operators, and tenders is a high school diploma or equivalent. This makes the field accessible to individuals who may not have completed postsecondary education but are ready to build technical and practical skills. Success in this occupation is strongly tied to its skill profile. Mechanical skills, physical strength and stamina, and fine motor abilities support the hands-on nature of the work. Science and mathematics skills contribute to understanding processes and measurements. Being detail oriented and using critical and analytical thinking help workers monitor quality and solve problems. Leadership abilities can be important for guiding tasks or coordinating with others, while creativity and innovation support improvements in how work is done. Comfort with computers and information technology rounds out the profile, as modern production environments often involve digital tools. Together, these skills complement the high school–level education requirement and shape the day-to-day demands of the role.
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