Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Synthetic and Glass Fibers Salary - BLS OEWS Wage Benchmarks
SOC 51-6091 · National · May 2025 OEWS Data
Median Annual Salary
$46,363
$22.29/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 Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Synthetic and Glass Fibers is $46,363 per year ($22.29/hr) according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025. The middle 50% of earners make between $39,354 and $57,283 annually. Top earners at the 90th percentile reach $63,918 per year. There are approximately 12,850 extruding and forming machine setters, operators, and tenders, synthetic and glass fibers employed in the United States.
About This Role
BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018
Set up, operate, or tend machines that extrude and form continuous filaments from synthetic materials, such as liquid polymer, rayon, and fiberglass.
Career Outlook
BLS Employment Projections · 2024-2034
10-year growth
-1.1%
Slower than average
Annual openings
2K
per year, on avg
Workforce today
15K
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
Chemical Manufacturing (3251, 3252, 3253, and 3259 only)
NAICS 3250A1
3K
$45,460
Nonmetallic Mineral Product Manufacturing
NAICS 327000
3K
$57,200
Fabric Mills
NAICS 313200
2K
$40,090
Fiber, Yarn, and Thread Mills
NAICS 313100
2K
$43,380
Plastics Product Manufacturing
NAICS 326100
530
$44,370
Wage range across top 5 industries: $40,090 to $57,200 (43% spread)
Wage Percentiles
Hourly & annualized (2,080 hours)
Percentile
Hourly Rate
Annual Salary
P10
$17.26
$35,901
P25
$18.92
$39,354
P50MEDIAN
$22.29
$46,363
P75
$27.54
$57,283
P90
$30.73
$63,918
Market Context Signal
JOLTS · manufacturing sector
Stable
Openings Rate
3.5%
Quits Rate
1.4%
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 extruding and forming machine setters, operators, and tenders, synthetic and glass fibers salary?
The national median salary for Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Synthetic and Glass Fibers is $46,363 per year ($22.29/hr) according to BLS OEWS May 2025 data. The middle 50% earn between $39,354 and $57,283 annually.
How much do top-earning extruding and forming machine setters, operators, and tenders, synthetic and glass fibers make?
The 90th percentile salary for Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Synthetic and Glass Fibers is $63,918 per year ($30.73/hr). The 75th percentile is $57,283 per year.
What is the entry-level salary for extruding and forming machine setters, operators, and tenders, synthetic and glass fibers?
Entry-level Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Synthetic and Glass Fibers (10th percentile) earn approximately $35,901 per year ($17.26/hr). The 25th percentile is $39,354 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.
CompSignal is a free labor market intelligence tool built for HR, compensation, and talent acquisition teams. We make BLS data, the same primary source Mercer and Radford cross-reference in their paid surveys, searchable and actionable without an enterprise subscription.
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