Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
Set up, operate, or tend machines to roll steel or plastic forming bends, beads, knurls, rolls, or plate, or to flatten, temper, or reduce gauge of material.
Also called: Breakdown Mill Operator · Calender Operator · Cold Mill Operator · Machine Operator · Mill Operator · Rolling Mill Operator
Median pay (national)
$48,630
$37,090–$67,500 (10th–90th)
Employed (US)
22,350
BLS OEWS, May 2024
Outlook 2024–34
-8.3%
~1,900 openings/yr
Typical entry
High school diploma or equivalent
What the numbers say
Refit analysis ·Pay for rolling machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic shows a broad range: the top 10% earn $67,500 versus $37,090 at the bottom 10% — 1.8x. The median of $48,630 leaves roughly 39% 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 -8.3% from 2024 to 2034 — a projected decline, against +3% across all occupations. Even so, BLS projects about 1,900 openings a year, mostly to replace workers who retire or change careers.
Refit analysis ·Where you work moves the number a lot. Across the 40 states with released data, Louisiana pays the most for this role (median $64,010, +32% vs the national median), while Puerto Rico sits lowest at $22,470 — a 185% spread for the same job title.
Refit analysis ·O*NET rates Monitoring, Speaking, Active Listening 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 Rolling 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.
- Monitoring
- Speaking
- Active Listening
- Critical Thinking
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Learning
- Learning Strategies
- Writing
- Mathematics
- Science
What they actually do
Core O*NET tasks for this role.
- Monitor machine cycles and mill operation to detect jamming and to ensure that products conform to specifications.
- Adjust and correct machine set-ups to reduce thicknesses, reshape products, and eliminate product defects.
- Start operation of rolling and milling machines to flatten, temper, form, and reduce sheet metal sections and to produce steel strips.
- Examine, inspect, and measure raw materials and finished products to verify conformance to specifications.
- Read rolling orders, blueprints, and mill schedules to determine setup specifications, work sequences, product dimensions, and installation procedures.
- Manipulate controls and observe dial indicators to monitor, adjust, and regulate speeds of machine mechanisms.
- Set distance points between rolls, guides, meters, and stops, according to specifications.
- Position, align, and secure arbors, spindles, coils, mandrels, dies, and slitting knives.
- Fill oil cups, adjust valves, and observe gauges to control flow of metal coolants and lubricants onto workpieces.
- Signal and assist other workers to remove and position equipment, fill hoppers, and feed materials into machines.
Tools & technology
- Web browser software
- Email software
Knowledge areas
- Mechanical
- Production and Processing
- English Language
- Education and Training
- Administration and Management
- Customer and Personal Service
- Engineering and Technology
- Mathematics