Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

Lowest scored
High Risk
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Explore safer careers (5)

Lower estimated automation risk

First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers
38% automation risk | Low Risk
Pays better Higher growth
37.1 pts lower View career
Why it fits

Experienced operators can coordinate line safety, production, quality checks, chemical handling, and operator training.

Industrial Machinery Mechanics
41% automation risk | Moderate Risk
Pays better Higher growth
34.2 pts lower View career
Why it fits

Plating-line troubleshooting can transfer to pumps, tanks, conveyors, hoists, controls, and preventive maintenance.

Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders
62% automation risk | High Risk
Pays better Higher growth
12.7 pts lower View career
Why it fits

Plating bath chemistry, tanks, process timing, hazards, logs, and reaction controls transfer to chemical equipment.

Chemical Plant and System Operators
64% automation risk | High Risk
Pays better Higher growth
11.5 pts lower View career
Why it fits

Reuses solution control, valves, tanks, safety procedures, sampling, troubleshooting, and shift documentation.

Quality Control Analysts
58% automation risk | Moderate Risk
Pays better Higher growth
17.4 pts lower View career
Why it fits

Uses process samples, coating specifications, test records, defect analysis, and corrective-action habits.

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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
2.1/10
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

75% (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

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 10 votes

What do you think the risk of automation is?

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

Pay & outlook

Wages

Very low paid relative to other professions

In 2024, the median annual wage for Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic was $41,600 ($20 per hour).

The median annual wage for Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic was 16.0% 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 'Plating Machine 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 31,510 people employed as 'Plating 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 4 thousand people are employed as 'Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic'.

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Job description

Set up, operate, or tend plating machines to coat metal or plastic products with chromium, zinc, copper, cadmium, nickel, or other metal to protect or decorate surfaces. Typically, the product being coated is immersed in molten metal or an electrolytic solution.

O*NET-SOC code: 51-4193.00