Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
Explore safer careers (5)
Lower estimated automation risk
Why it fits
Fits experienced operators using schedules, setup issues, safety, quality checks, and worker coaching.
Why it fits
Fits operators with precision focus using dimensions, materials, tooling, machines, and quality checks.
Why it fits
Transfers setup procedures, machine monitoring, tolerances, production records, and defect response.
Why it fits
Uses forming equipment, setup changes, material behavior, machine monitoring, defects, and safety procedures.
Why it fits
Applies material flow, molds, setup adjustments, surface defects, machine tending, and quality control.
Occupation snapshot
What does this snowflake show?
What's this?
We rate jobs using four factors. These are:
- Chance of being automated
- Job growth
- Wages
- Volume of available positions
These are some key things to think about when job hunting.
Risk & user votes
Calculated automation risk
Imminent Risk (81-100%): This occupation appears highly exposed to end-to-end replacement by AI, software, robotics, or other computer-controlled systems. Roles in this range often involve predictable, repeatable, or rules-based work with limited need for human judgement, trust, creativity, or adaptation to messy real-world conditions. This does not mean every job will disappear immediately, but it is a strong signal to consider safer alternatives or start building more resilient skills.
More information on what this score is, and how it is calculated is available here.
Human strengths important in this job
These are human abilities and work contexts that are important in this occupation. They may help explain why parts of the role are harder to replace end-to-end, but they are not the only inputs into the automation score.
Decision-making and problem solving
Quite importantWhy this matters
Coordinating others’ work
Quite importantWhy this matters
What users think
Based on 15 votes
What do you think the risk of automation is?
What is the likelihood that Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic will be replaced by robots or artificial intelligence within the next 20 years?
Pay & outlook
Wages
In 2024, the median annual wage for Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic was $46,980 ($23 per hour).
The median annual wage for Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic was 5.1% lower than the national median annual wage, which stood at $49,500.
View wage trend
Wages over time
Growth
The number of 'Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic' job openings is expected to rise 1.2% by 2034
View employment trend
Total employment, and estimated job openings
Updated projections are due 09-2025.
Volume
As of 2024 there were 65,700 people employed as 'Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic' within the United States.
This represents around < 0.001% of the employed workforce across the country
Put another way, around 1 in 2 thousand people are employed as 'Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic'.
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Job description
Set up, operate, or tend machines to extrude or draw thermoplastic or metal materials into tubes, rods, hoses, wire, bars, or structural shapes.
O*NET-SOC code: 51-4021.00
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