Set up, operate, or tend forging machines to taper, shape, or form metal or plastic parts.
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Licensing, certifications and working conditions
State licensing. CareerOneStop's licensing data records no state license for Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic, which usually means it is not a licensed occupation. Requirements can still vary by employer and state.
Working conditions. On average, workers stand or walk about 6.8 hours and sit about 1.4 hours per day. The typical heaviest weight lifted or carried is about 50.0 pounds. For 81.7% of workers the job requires medium strength. Shares of workers who interact with the general public (under 0.5%), have a consistently fast work pace (57.4%), and are exposed to the outdoors (3.5%). From the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Requirements Survey (2023 estimates); figures describe the occupation on average.
Sources: CareerOneStop (licenses and certifications), part of the CareerOneStop suite of web products, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor Employment and Training Administration; U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (working conditions, wages). MajorPays has reorganized this information; these agencies have not approved or endorsed it. See it interactively, with state-by-state detail →
More data on this career
Where the jobs are, and what they pay by industry. Nationwide, the industries that employ the most forging machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic are Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (37% of the jobs counted, median pay $48,410), Machine Shops; Turned Product; and Screw, Nut, and Bolt Manufacturing (14% of the jobs counted, median pay $58,020), Motor Vehicle Parts Manufacturing (12% of the jobs counted, median pay $44,460), Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (6% of the jobs counted, median pay $56,180) (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025). Among large industries, the highest median pay is in Machine Shops; Turned Product; and Screw, Nut, and Bolt Manufacturing ($58,020), Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing ($48,410), Motor Vehicle Parts Manufacturing ($44,460). Pay differs by industry for many reasons, including the mix of jobs and where employers are located.
Injury and illness rates. For the broader group "Metal workers and plastic workers", which includes this career (BLS did not publish enough cases for this exact occupation), employers reported 164.4 nonfatal injury and illness cases with days away from work per 10,000 full-time workers, compared with 94.6 for all U.S. workers; the median case kept the worker away 8 days (all workers: 8) (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2023-2024). Rates reflect the work setting as well as the occupation.
Union membership. In the broad group "Production", which includes this career, 11.9% of wage and salary workers belong to a union (all U.S. workers: 10.0%); median weekly pay is $1,161 for union members and $945 for workers not in a union (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Population Survey, 2025). This is a group figure, not specific to forging machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic.
Employer benefits. In the broad group "Production", which includes this career, 75% of civilian workers had access to an employer retirement plan, 80% had access to employer medical care benefits, and 77% had paid sick leave, 90% paid vacation and 92% paid holidays (all civilian workers: 75%, 74%, 83%, 77% and 79%) (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Compensation Survey, March 2026). This is a group figure, not specific to forging machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic, and having access to a benefit does not mean every worker uses it. The Bureau of Labor Statistics has not endorsed this presentation. Employers spent about $37.63 per hour worked on total compensation for the occupational group "Production" in June 2026 ($25.21 in wages and salaries and $12.42 in benefits, 33.0% of the total; all civilian workers: $49.46, with 31.6% in benefits) (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employer Costs for Employee Compensation).
Work environment. In O*NET's survey of workers in this occupation, the conditions most often placed at the two highest levels for forging machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic are: wear common protective or safety equipment such as safety shoes, glasses, gloves, hearing protection, hard hats, or life jackets (99%), spend time standing (98%), face-to-face discussions with individuals and within teams (97%), spend time using your hands to handle, control, or feel objects, tools, or controls (94%), freedom to make decisions (86%), exposed to sounds, noise levels that are distracting or uncomfortable (78%). Each percentage is the share of respondents choosing the top two levels for that condition (for example 'most of the time' or 'continually'), so it describes how common the condition is in the job, not how a particular workplace is (O*NET 31.0 Database, U.S. Dept. of Labor, ETA, CC BY 4.0).
Typical preparation. In O*NET's survey of workers in this occupation, for on-site or in-plant training, the most common answer (32% of 17 respondents) was "over 1 month, up to and including 3 months"; for on-the-job training, the most common answer (38% of 17 respondents) was "over 6 months, up to and including 1 year". These are what workers report is needed to do the job; employers' requirements and individual paths vary (O*NET 31.0 Database, U.S. Dept. of Labor, ETA, CC BY 4.0).
Related careers. O*NET lists these occupations as similar to forging machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic in the work done and the skills used: Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic, Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing, Tool and Die Makers, Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic, Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic, Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic, Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic, Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand (O*NET 31.0 Database, U.S. Dept. of Labor, ETA, CC BY 4.0).
Compare forging machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic with other careers (pay, growth, openings and education side by side).
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 PUMS (MajorPays' own estimates from the survey; Census is credited as the source of the original data and has not endorsed them); BLS Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses; BLS Current Population Survey; BLS National Compensation Survey (employee benefits); HRSA National Center for Health Workforce Analysis; U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Foreign Labor Certification (LCA disclosure data, FY2025). MajorPays has selected and reorganized these figures; these agencies have not approved or endorsed them. See it interactively →
Machine Tool Technology/Machinist
CIP 48.0501