SOC 51-6091.00

    Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Synthetic and Glass Fibers

    Set up, operate, or tend machines that extrude and form continuous filaments from synthetic materials, such as liquid polymer, rayon, and fiberglass.

    Median pay
    $46,350
    Growth
    -3.3%
    Decline
    Openings a year
    1,100
    Typical education
    High school diploma

    Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition

    Source: BLS 2025 wages · 2025–35 projections

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    Annual pay range

    Lowest 10% earn less than
    $35,890
    Median
    $46,350
    Highest 10% earn more than
    $63,910
    National wages for all workers in this occupation. BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.

    12,850 people work in this occupation.

    What extruding and forming machine setters, operators, and tenders, synthetic and glass fibers do

    Job Zone 2: Some preparation

    Set up, operate, or tend machines that extrude and form continuous filaments from synthetic materials, such as liquid polymer, rayon, and fiberglass.

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

    Interest profile

    Realistic (R) · strongest
    92 / 100
    Investigative (I)
    20 / 100
    Artistic (A)
    5 / 100
    Social (S)
    4 / 100
    Enterprising (E)
    7 / 100
    Conventional (C)
    51 / 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

    Getting Information
    86
    Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings
    85
    Controlling Machines and Processes
    85
    Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
    79
    Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials
    79
    Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment
    77
    Handling and Moving Objects
    72
    Making Decisions and Solving Problems
    72
    Judging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or People
    71
    Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
    70
    Work activities rated by importance for this occupation, O*NET (0–100).

    Skills and strengths

    Skills

    • Operations Monitoring
    • Operation and Control
    • Monitoring
    • Active Listening
    • Complex Problem Solving
    • Coordination
    • Judgment and Decision Making
    • Quality Control Analysis
    • Speaking
    • Time Management

    Knowledge

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

    Abilities

    • Control Precision
    • Problem Sensitivity
    • Near Vision
    • Arm-Hand Steadiness
    • Finger Dexterity
    • Oral Comprehension
    • Manual Dexterity
    • Multilimb Coordination
    • Reaction Time
    • Deductive Reasoning

    Work styles

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

    Also called

    Beamer Operator · Beaming Machine Operator · Blown Film Extrusion Operator · Box Spinner · Drawbench Operator · Extruder · Extruder Operator · Extrusion Line Operator · Extrusion Machine Operator · Extrusion Operator

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    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.

    Page data updated November 5, 2026.