Metal Workers and Plastic Workers, All Other Salary - BLS OEWS Wage Benchmarks
SOC 51-4199 · National · May 2025 OEWS Data
Median Annual Salary
$45,947
$22.09/hr
Verified BLS OEWS data · Updated May 18, 2026
Source: BLS OEWS · Published May 15, 2026
Next refresh: May 2027
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The national median salary for Metal Workers and Plastic Workers, All Other is $45,947 per year ($22.09/hr) according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025. The middle 50% of earners make between $39,187 and $54,101 annually. Top earners at the 90th percentile reach $65,520 per year. There are approximately 15,900 metal workers and plastic workers, all other employed in the United States.
About This Role
BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018
All metal workers and plastic workers not listed separately.
Career Outlook
BLS Employment Projections · 2024-2034
10-year growth
-9.5%
Much slower than average
Annual openings
2K
per year, on avg
Workforce today
20K
as of 2024
Why those openings exist
0% from new growth100% from people leaving the role
Most openings come from replacement, not growth. Retention matters more than recruiting here.
Typical entry requirements
Education
High school diploma or equivalent
Experience
None
On-the-job training
Moderate-term on-the-job training
Industry Wage Breakdown
Top 5 industries by employment · median annual wage, sector-specific
Industry
Workforce
Median Pay
Plastics Product Manufacturing
NAICS 326100
3K
$43,860
Employment Services
NAICS 561300
3K
$42,990
Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (3321, 3322, 3325, 3326, and 3329 only)
NAICS 3320A1
2K
$44,580
Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (3323 and 3324 only)
Manufacturing openings ticked up to 462K (+19K) in March, with the rate at 3.5%. Hires rose to 310K. The sector has stabilized after late-2025 softening.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average metal workers and plastic workers, all other salary?
The national median salary for Metal Workers and Plastic Workers, All Other is $45,947 per year ($22.09/hr) according to BLS OEWS May 2025 data. The middle 50% earn between $39,187 and $54,101 annually.
How much do top-earning metal workers and plastic workers, all other make?
The 90th percentile salary for Metal Workers and Plastic Workers, All Other is $65,520 per year ($31.50/hr). The 75th percentile is $54,101 per year.
What is the entry-level salary for metal workers and plastic workers, all other?
Entry-level Metal Workers and Plastic Workers, All Other (10th percentile) earn approximately $35,339 per year ($16.99/hr). The 25th percentile is $39,187 per year.
Wage figures on this page come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025 release. OEWS surveys roughly 1.1 million establishments annually. It is the most comprehensive employer-reported wage dataset in the United States.
P10 through P90 percentiles represent the wage distribution across all surveyed employers (not self-reported by workers). Geographic adjustments use BLS-derived cost multipliers calibrated from regional wage variation.
Wages are estimates. Individual compensation depends on experience, education, employer size, industry, and negotiation. Use this as benchmark context, not absolute ground truth.
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