# 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.

- Edition: Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition
- Page: https://www.collegesref.com/careers/extruding-and-drawing-machine-setters-operators-and-tenders-metal-and-plastic
- SOC code: 51-4021.00
- Career family: Production
- Median annual pay: $47,720 (10th percentile $36,700, 90th percentile $63,710)
- Projected growth: Little or no change, +0.7%
- Openings a year: 5,400
- Typical entry education: High school diploma
- Bright outlook: no
- Data years: BLS 2025 wages · 2025–35 projections

## Interest profile (code RCI)

| Interest area | Score (0–100) |
| --- | ---: |
| Realistic (R) | 95 |
| Investigative (I) | 21 |
| Artistic (A) | 7 |
| Social (S) | 1 |
| Enterprising (E) | 0 |
| Conventional (C) | 55 |

## What you'd do

- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates (importance 84/100)
- Handling and Moving Objects (importance 80/100)
- Judging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or People (importance 75/100)
- Controlling Machines and Processes (importance 73/100)
- Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials (importance 72/100)
- Getting Information (importance 72/100)
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems (importance 70/100)
- Performing General Physical Activities (importance 65/100)
- Training and Teaching Others (importance 64/100)
- Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings (importance 63/100)

## 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

## 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

## Majors that lead here (NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk, 4-digit CIP)

- [Precision Metal Working](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/4805) (CIP 4805, 746 colleges)

## Colleges with strong outcomes (College Scorecard, 2025)

| College | Program | Earnings 1 yr | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt |
| --- | --- | ---: | ---: | ---: |
| [Ferris State University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/ferris-state-university-949) | Precision Metal Working | not reported | $86,941 | $12,000 |
| [Del Mar College](https://www.collegesref.com/college/del-mar-college-782) | Precision Metal Working | $41,304 | $79,303 | not reported |
| [Hennepin Technical College](https://www.collegesref.com/college/hennepin-technical-college-1182) | Precision Metal Working | $68,632 | $76,020 | $11,033 |
| [Des Moines Area Community College](https://www.collegesref.com/college/des-moines-area-community-college-797) | Precision Metal Working | $65,355 | $75,145 | not reported |
| [Ivy Tech Community College](https://www.collegesref.com/college/ivy-tech-community-college-1314) | Precision Metal Working | $69,427 | $75,002 | $5,900 |
| [Dunwoody College of Technology](https://www.collegesref.com/college/dunwoody-college-of-technology-838) | Precision Metal Working | $60,388 | $70,886 | $12,000 |
| [Pennsylvania College of Technology](https://www.collegesref.com/college/pennsylvania-college-of-technology-2096) | Precision Metal Working | $63,054 | $70,298 | $19,500 |
| [Austin Community College District](https://www.collegesref.com/college/austin-community-college-district-152) | Precision Metal Working | $46,036 | $69,185 | not reported |

## Related careers

- [Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Synthetic and Glass Fibers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/extruding-and-forming-machine-setters-operators-and-tenders-synthetic-and-glass-fibers): $46,350 median pay
- [Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/molding-coremaking-and-casting-machine-setters-operators-and-tenders-metal-and-plastic): $44,350 median pay
- [Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/cutting-punching-and-press-machine-setters-operators-and-tenders-metal-and-plastic): $46,330 median pay
- [Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/multiple-machine-tool-setters-operators-and-tenders-metal-and-plastic): $47,180 median pay
- [Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/extruding-forming-pressing-and-compacting-machine-setters-operators-and-tenders): $45,760 median pay
- [Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/cutting-and-slicing-machine-setters-operators-and-tenders): $46,570 median pay

## Sources

- [O*NET Database](https://www.onetcenter.org/database.html), version 31.0 (CC BY 4.0)
- [BLS Employment Projections](https://www.bls.gov/emp/tables.htm), version 2025-35, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics](https://www.bls.gov/oes/tables.htm), version 2025, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk](https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/cipcode/resources.aspx?y=56), version 2020, data year 2020 (Public domain (U.S. government work))

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.