SOC 51-4021.00

    Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

    Set up, operate, or tend machines to extrude or draw thermoplastic or metal materials into tubes, rods, hoses, wire, bars, or structural shapes.

    Median pay
    $47,720
    Growth
    +0.7%
    Little or no change
    Openings a year
    5,400
    Typical education
    High school diploma

    Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition

    Source: BLS 2025 wages · 2025–35 projections

    See the pathway

    Annual pay range

    Lowest 10% earn less than
    $36,700
    Median
    $47,720
    Highest 10% earn more than
    $63,710
    National wages for all workers in this occupation. BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.

    60,840 people work in this occupation.

    In short

    These operators set up and run machinery that shapes metal and plastic into items like tubes, rods, and wire. The position offers a median annual pay of $47,720.

    Written with AI from the BLS, O*NET and CareerOneStop data on this page. Every figure is checked against that data before it is published.

    What extruding and drawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic do

    Job Zone 2: Some preparation

    Set up, operate, or tend machines to extrude or draw thermoplastic or metal materials into tubes, rods, hoses, wire, bars, or structural shapes.

    Usually a high school diploma; some on-the-job training or experience.

    What the work is like

    Workers in this field set up, run, and tend machines that extrude or draw thermoplastic and metal materials. On a daily basis, they control machines and processes to create structural shapes, hoses, bars, and other products. This hands-on role matches people with strong realistic interests who enjoy physical activities and handling objects.

    To keep production running smoothly, operators monitor processes and materials, inspect equipment, and perform routine maintenance and repairs. They must judge the quality of the finished products and use critical thinking to solve problems when machinery malfunctions. The job requires close attention to detail, dependability, and cautiousness to maintain safety standards. Operators also spend time communicating with supervisors and peers, getting information, and training others on the production floor. Success in this role relies on mechanical knowledge, production processing techniques, and public safety principles.

    How to get there

    Entering this career typically requires a high school diploma. Because this occupation is classified under moderate preparation, most workers need some on-the-job training or previous work experience to become proficient.

    While a high school education is the standard entry requirement, individuals can also prepare by studying related college majors. Programs in precision metal working provide highly relevant background knowledge. No specific certifications, licenses, or professional associations are reported as requirements for this occupation.

    Pay and outlook explained

    In 2025, the median annual pay for these machine operators was $47,720. Earnings can vary based on experience and location, with the lowest 10% earning less than $36,700 and the highest 10% earning more than $63,710.

    There are 60,840 people employed in this field. Between 2025 and 2035, employment is projected to grow by 0.7%, which represents little or no change. Despite this flat growth, about 5,400 job openings are projected to become available each year.

    Interest profile

    Realistic (R) · strongest
    95 / 100
    Investigative (I)
    21 / 100
    Artistic (A)
    7 / 100
    Social (S)
    1 / 100
    Enterprising (E)
    0 / 100
    Conventional (C)
    55 / 100
    How strongly each interest area describes the work, from O*NET (scores rescaled to 0–100). The interest code lists the strongest areas in order.

    Interest code RCI. Compare it with yours

    What you'd do

    Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
    84
    Handling and Moving Objects
    80
    Judging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or People
    75
    Controlling Machines and Processes
    73
    Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials
    72
    Getting Information
    72
    Making Decisions and Solving Problems
    70
    Performing General Physical Activities
    65
    Training and Teaching Others
    64
    Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings
    63
    Work activities rated by importance for this occupation, O*NET (0–100).

    Skills and strengths

    Skills

    • Operations Monitoring
    • Operation and Control
    • Monitoring
    • Quality Control Analysis
    • Coordination
    • Critical Thinking
    • Equipment Maintenance
    • Judgment and Decision Making
    • Repairing
    • Speaking

    Knowledge

    • Production and Processing
    • Public Safety and Security
    • Mechanical
    • English Language
    • Education and Training
    • Administration and Management
    • Customer and Personal Service
    • Engineering and Technology
    • Chemistry
    • Computers and Electronics

    Abilities

    • Control Precision
    • Manual Dexterity
    • Multilimb Coordination
    • Reaction Time
    • Near Vision
    • Rate Control
    • Arm-Hand Steadiness
    • Problem Sensitivity
    • Trunk Strength
    • Finger Dexterity

    Work styles

    • Attention to Detail
    • Dependability
    • Cautiousness
    • Achievement Orientation
    • Stress Tolerance
    • Perseverance
    • Integrity
    • Adaptability
    • Self-Control
    • Self-Confidence

    Also called

    Draw Machine Operator · Drawbench Operator · Equipment Technician (Equipment Tech) · Extruder Operator · Extruding Press Operator · Extrusion Line Operator · Extrusion Machine Operator · Extrusion Operator · Extrusion Press Operator · Injection Machine Operator

    Career pathway

    From your interests to extruding and drawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic

    Interests that fit the work, the career, majors that lead there and colleges whose graduates in those majors earn the most. Hover or focus a step to follow one path.

    1. Interests

    2. This career

      • Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$47,720 median pay

    3. Majors

    4. Colleges

    College Scorecard program outcomes

    Colleges with strong outcomes

    Programs that lead to this career, ranked by what their graduates earn four years after finishing. Earnings are for graduates who received federal aid.

    1. 1Ferris State University logo
      Ferris State University

      Big Rapids, MI · Precision Metal Working · Associate

      1 yr after
      Not reported
      4 yrs after
      $86,941
      Median debt
      $12,000
    2. 2Del Mar College logo
      Del Mar College

      Corpus Christi, TX · Precision Metal Working · Associate

      1 yr after
      $41,304
      4 yrs after
      $79,303
      Median debt
      Not reported
    3. 3Hennepin Technical College logo
      Hennepin Technical College

      Brooklyn Park, MN · Precision Metal Working · Associate

      1 yr after
      $68,632
      4 yrs after
      $76,020
      Median debt
      $11,033
    4. 4
      Des Moines Area Community College

      Ankeny, IA · Precision Metal Working · Associate

      1 yr after
      $65,355
      4 yrs after
      $75,145
      Median debt
      Not reported
    5. 5
      Ivy Tech Community College

      Indianapolis, IN · Precision Metal Working · Associate

      1 yr after
      $69,427
      4 yrs after
      $75,002
      Median debt
      $5,900
    6. 6Dunwoody College of Technology logo
      Dunwoody College of Technology

      Minneapolis, MN · Precision Metal Working · Associate

      1 yr after
      $60,388
      4 yrs after
      $70,886
      Median debt
      $12,000
    7. 7
      Pennsylvania College of Technology

      Williamsport, PA · Precision Metal Working · Associate

      1 yr after
      $63,054
      4 yrs after
      $70,298
      Median debt
      $19,500
    8. 8Austin Community College District logo
      Austin Community College District

      Austin, TX · Precision Metal Working · Associate

      1 yr after
      $46,036
      4 yrs after
      $69,185
      Median debt
      Not reported

    Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard field-of-study data, 2025. Programs with few graduates are not listed.

    NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk

    Majors that lead here

    Related programs by four-digit CIP code. They are common routes in, not the only ones.

    CareerOneStop

    Certifications, licenses and pay by state

    What extruding and drawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic may need beyond a degree, where a license is required, and what the work pays in each state.

    Training

    Programs of study that prepare people for this work.

    • Machine Tool Technology/Machinist

    Find training near you on CareerOneStop

    Data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor (Employment and Training Administration, with the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development). Retrieved November 9, 2026.

    Your plan

    Build my pathway plan

    Courses, majors, colleges, scholarships and a timeline for this career, built from your profile.

    Related careers

    Careers with similar work, interests or skills.

    All careers

    Questions about extruding and drawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic

    Written with AI from the BLS, O*NET and CareerOneStop data on this page. Every figure is checked against that data before it is published.

    What are some common alternative job titles for this career?

    People in this occupation are often called extruder operators, extrusion press operators, drawbench operators, or equipment technicians. Other common titles include draw machine operators and injection machine operators.

    What kind of education or training is expected for this job?

    A high school diploma is the typical education needed to enter the field. New workers generally receive on-the-job training to learn how to operate the specific machinery.

    How many job openings are expected in the coming years?

    There are projected to be 5,400 openings each year. This is despite a projected employment growth rate of 0.7% from 2025 to 2035, which indicates little or no change in the overall size of the workforce.

    Sources and attribution

    Every figure on this page comes from these public datasets. Missing values are shown as not reported, never estimated.

    O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. CollegesRef has modified all or some of this information.

    Data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor (Employment and Training Administration, with the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development). Retrieved November 9, 2026.

    Page data updated November 5, 2026.