Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders Salary - BLS OEWS Wage Benchmarks
SOC 51-9041 · National · May 2025 OEWS Data
Median Annual Salary
$45,760
$22.00/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, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders is $45,760 per year ($22.00/hr) according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025. The middle 50% of earners make between $38,355 and $52,582 annually. Top earners at the 90th percentile reach $63,461 per year. There are approximately 58,770 extruding, forming, pressing, and compacting machine setters, operators, and tenders employed in the United States.
About This Role
BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018
Set up, operate, or tend machines, such as glass-forming machines, plodder machines, and tuber machines, to shape and form products such as glassware, food, rubber, soap, brick, tile, clay, wax, tobacco, or cosmetics.
Career Outlook
BLS Employment Projections · 2024-2034
10-year growth
+2.0%
About as fast as average
Annual openings
5K
per year, on avg
Workforce today
57K
as of 2024
Why those openings exist
2% from new growth98% 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
Rubber Product Manufacturing
NAICS 326200
18K
$45,300
Nonmetallic Mineral Product Manufacturing
NAICS 327000
11K
$46,370
Plastics Product Manufacturing
NAICS 326100
6K
$43,400
Converted Paper Product Manufacturing
NAICS 322200
2K
$53,430
Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing
NAICS 325400
2K
$44,470
Wage range across top 5 industries: $43,400 to $53,430 (23% spread)
Wage Percentiles
Hourly & annualized (2,080 hours)
Percentile
Hourly Rate
Annual Salary
P10
$16.65
$34,632
P25
$18.44
$38,355
P50MEDIAN
$22.00
$45,760
P75
$25.28
$52,582
P90
$30.51
$63,461
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, forming, pressing, and compacting machine setters, operators, and tenders salary?
The national median salary for Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders is $45,760 per year ($22.00/hr) according to BLS OEWS May 2025 data. The middle 50% earn between $38,355 and $52,582 annually.
How much do top-earning extruding, forming, pressing, and compacting machine setters, operators, and tenders make?
The 90th percentile salary for Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders is $63,461 per year ($30.51/hr). The 75th percentile is $52,582 per year.
What is the entry-level salary for extruding, forming, pressing, and compacting machine setters, operators, and tenders?
Entry-level Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders (10th percentile) earn approximately $34,632 per year ($16.65/hr). The 25th percentile is $38,355 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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