Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
Explore safer careers (5)
Lower estimated automation risk
Why it fits
Plausible for operators strong in machine troubleshooting, preventive maintenance, mechanical systems, and repairs.
Why it fits
Applies precision machining, layouts, fixtures, gauges, dies, cutting tools, and close tolerance inspection.
Why it fits
Direct machining move using setups, feeds, speeds, measuring, tolerances, drawings, tool selection, and machine maintenance.
Why it fits
Strong move using machine setup, workholding, tool offsets, inspection, materials, and production documentation.
Why it fits
Uses machining process knowledge, tool paths, setup sheets, tolerances, fixtures, and CNC workflow with programming.
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
Very importantWhy this matters
Thinking creatively
Quite importantWhy this matters
Education and training expertise
Quite importantWhy this matters
What users think
Based on 22 votes
Our visitors have voted that it's very probable this occupation will be automated. This assessment is further supported by the calculated automation risk level, which estimates 86% chance of automation.
What do you think the risk of automation is?
What is the likelihood that Milling and Planing Machine 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 Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic was $48,310 ($23 per hour).
The median annual wage for Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic was 2.4% lower than the national median annual wage, which stood at $49,500.
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Wages over time
Growth
The number of 'Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic' job openings is expected to decline 14.4% by 2034
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Total employment, and estimated job openings
Updated projections are due 09-2025.
Volume
As of 2024 there were 13,810 people employed as 'Milling and Planing 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 11 thousand people are employed as 'Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic'.
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Job description
Set up, operate, or tend milling or planing machines to mill, plane, shape, groove, or profile metal or plastic work pieces.
O*NET-SOC code: 51-4035.00
What people are saying (1)
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