Heat Treating Equipment Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
Explore safer careers (3)
Lower estimated automation risk
Why it fits
Uses furnace and production equipment troubleshooting exposure with maintenance training.
Why it fits
Applies routine equipment care and process-machine familiarity to machinery upkeep.
Why it fits
Transfers setup, machine monitoring, and production discipline to broader machine tools.
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
High Risk (61-80%): This occupation shows a significant risk of end-to-end replacement by automation. Many core parts of the role may be structured, repeatable, software-driven, or physically predictable enough for AI, machines, or robotic systems to take over. If you work in this area, it may be worth exploring safer related careers or moving towards more human-centred responsibilities.
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.
Critical thinking
Quite importantWhy this matters
What users think
Based on 16 votes
Our visitors have voted that it's probable this occupation will be automated. This assessment is further supported by the calculated automation risk level, which estimates 71% chance of automation.
What do you think the risk of automation is?
What is the likelihood that Heat Treating Equipment Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic will be replaced by robots or artificial intelligence within the next 20 years?
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Pay & outlook
Wages
In 2024, the median annual wage for Heat Treating Equipment Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic was $47,450 ($23 per hour).
The median annual wage for Heat Treating Equipment Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic was 4.1% lower than the national median annual wage, which stood at $49,500.
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Wages over time
Growth
The number of 'Heat Treating Equipment Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic' job openings is expected to decline 12.8% by 2034
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Total employment, and estimated job openings
Updated projections are due 09-2025.
Volume
As of 2024 there were 14,590 people employed as 'Heat Treating Equipment 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 10 thousand people are employed as 'Heat Treating Equipment Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic'.
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Job description
Set up, operate, or tend heating equipment, such as heat-treating furnaces, flame-hardening machines, induction machines, soaking pits, or vacuum equipment to temper, harden, anneal, or heat treat metal or plastic objects.
O*NET-SOC code: 51-4191.00
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