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

Lowest scored
High Risk
Low High

Explore safer careers (4)

Lower estimated automation risk

Tool and Die Makers
55% automation risk | Moderate Risk
Pays better Higher growth
14 pts lower View career
Why it fits

Lathe, measuring, layout, and metal properties transfer, though die work requires deeper apprenticeship skills.

Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
61% automation risk | High Risk
Higher growth More jobs
7.9 pts lower View career
Why it fits

Builds directly on machine setup, tooling changes, inspection, and running related metal or plastic machines.

Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Programmers
62% automation risk | High Risk
Pays better Higher growth
7.2 pts lower View career
Why it fits

Uses machining process knowledge and print reading with added CNC programming and tooling-path training.

Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators
63% automation risk | High Risk
Higher growth More jobs
5.8 pts lower View career
Why it fits

Very direct upskill from manual lathe operation to CNC controls, setups, tooling, and part measurement.

Compare this job with others
or search for another job
Share your results with friends and family.

Occupation snapshot

What does this snowflake show?
The Snowflake is a visual summary of the five badges: Automation Risk (calculated), Risk (polled), Growth, Wages and Volume. It gives you an instant snapshot of an occupations profile. The colour of the Snowflake relates to its size. The better the occupation scores in relation to others, the larger and greener the Snowflake becomes.
JOB SCORE
1.8/10
What's this?
Job Score (higher is better):

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

69% (High 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.

Decision-making and problem solving

Very important
Why this matters
Analyze information, weigh tradeoffs, and choose the best solution—especially when situations are ambiguous, high-stakes, or have real-world consequences.
Jobs that also use this strength

Thinking creatively

Quite important
Why this matters
Coming up with original ideas and designs—creating new concepts, products, systems, or artistic work. This kind of open-ended invention and taste-based judgment is harder to automate end-to-end than routine, rule-based tasks.
Jobs that also use this strength

Coordinating others’ work

Quite important
Why this matters
Bringing people together, assigning tasks, and keeping a group aligned so work gets done.
Jobs that also use this strength

Developing objectives and strategies

Quite important
Why this matters
Sets long-term goals and chooses strategies and actions to reach them, weighing tradeoffs and adapting plans as conditions change.
Jobs that also use this strength

Education and training expertise

Quite important
Why this matters
Designing and delivering instruction—adapting lessons to different learners and measuring whether training actually works.
Jobs that also use this strength

What users think

Based on 16 votes

52% chance of full automation within the next two decades

Our visitors have voted they are unsure if this occupation will be automated. However, the automation risk level we have generated suggests a much higher chance of automation: 69% chance of automation.

What do you think the risk of automation is?

What is the likelihood that Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic will be replaced by robots or artificial intelligence within the next 20 years?

View sentiment trend

Pay & outlook

Wages

Low paid relative to other professions

In 2024, the median annual wage for Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic was $48,620 ($23 per hour).

The median annual wage for Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic was 1.8% lower than the national median annual wage, which stood at $49,500.

View wage trend

Wages over time

* Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics

Growth

Very slow growth relative to other professions.

The number of 'Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic' job openings is expected to decline 13.6% by 2034

View employment trend

Total employment, and estimated job openings

* Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics for the period between 2023 and 2033
Updated projections are due 09-2025.

Volume

Lower range of job opportunities compared to other professions

As of 2024 there were 18,970 people employed as 'Lathe and Turning Machine Tool 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 8 thousand people are employed as 'Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic'.

People also viewed

Actors Lawyers Computer Programmers Civil Engineers Web Developers

What people are saying (0)

Leave a reply about this occupation
0/8000

Job description

Set up, operate, or tend lathe and turning machines to turn, bore, thread, form, or face metal or plastic materials, such as wire, rod, or bar stock.

O*NET-SOC code: 51-4034.00