Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
Set up, operate, or tend forging machines to taper, shape, or form metal or plastic parts.
Also called: Blacksmith · Cold Header Operator · Forge Operator · Forge Press Operator · Forger · Hammer Operator
Median pay (national)
$49,240
$35,150–$69,540 (10th–90th)
Employed (US)
8,760
BLS OEWS, May 2024
Outlook 2024–34
-18.9%
~600 openings/yr
Typical entry
High school diploma or equivalent
What the numbers say
Refit analysis ·Pay for forging machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic shows a broad range: the top 10% earn $69,540 versus $35,150 at the bottom 10% — 2.0x. The median of $49,240 leaves roughly 41% of headroom to the 90th percentile, which is where seniority, specialization, and the skills below tend to pay off.
Refit analysis ·Employment is projected to change -18.9% from 2024 to 2034 — a projected decline, against +3% across all occupations. Even so, BLS projects about 600 openings a year, mostly to replace workers who retire or change careers.
Refit analysis ·Where you work moves the number a lot. Across the 31 states with released data, New Jersey pays the most for this role (median $63,630, +29% vs the national median), while Tennessee sits lowest at $36,000 — a 77% spread for the same job title.
Refit analysis ·O*NET rates Reading Comprehension, Active Listening, Monitoring as the highest-importance skills here — so a resume aimed at this role should lead with evidence of those, not a generic skills list.
Tailor your resume to Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
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Top skills employers ask for
Ranked by O*NET importance for this occupation.
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Listening
- Monitoring
- Speaking
- Critical Thinking
- Writing
- Active Learning
- Learning Strategies
- Mathematics
- Science
What they actually do
Core O*NET tasks for this role.
- Measure and inspect machined parts to ensure conformance to product specifications.
- Set up, operate, or tend presses and forging machines to perform hot or cold forging by flattening, straightening, bending, cutting, piercing, or other operations to taper, shape, or form metal.
- Turn handles or knobs to set pressures and depths of ram strokes and to synchronize machine operations.
- Install, adjust, and remove dies, synchronizing cams, forging hammers, and stop guides, using overhead cranes or other hoisting devices, and hand tools.
- Start machines to produce sample workpieces, and observe operations to detect machine malfunctions and to verify that machine setups conform to specifications.
- Confer with other workers about machine setups and operational specifications.
- Remove dies from machines when production runs are finished.
- Read work orders or blueprints to determine specified tolerances and sequences of operations for machine setup.
- Position and move metal wires or workpieces through a series of dies that compress and shape stock to form die impressions.
- Trim and compress finished forgings to specified tolerances.
Tools & technology
- Inventory tracking software
- Machine control software
- Email software
Knowledge areas
- Production and Processing
- Mathematics
- Education and Training
- Mechanical
- Engineering and Technology
- Design
- English Language
- Computers and Electronics