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Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic in California
Considering working as a Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic in California? Below are the key facts. Set up, operate, or tend machines to saw, cut, shear, slit, punch, crimp, notch, bend, or straighten metal or plastic material.
What do Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic Make in California?
The cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic working in California, the median annual wage is $47,100 per year (or about $22.64/hour).Annual wages span from $37,010 at the 10th percentile to $61,210 at the 90th percentile.
| Wage Statistic | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $37,010 | $17.79 |
| 25th percentile | $41,240 | $19.83 |
| Median (50th) | $47,100 | $22.64 |
| 75th percentile | $54,560 | $26.23 |
| 90th percentile | $61,210 | $29.43 |
Location quotient — how concentrated this career is in California nationwide is 0.36, suggesting fewer cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic per worker than the national average.
National Wage Comparison
Nationally, cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic earn a median of $31,166 per year ($14.98/hour), exceeding the California median.
Employment Outlook
There are roughly 285,971 cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic in the U.S.. In California alone, approximately 7,340 people work in this role. That puts the state above the typical state, which employs around 1,920 cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic.
Top California Metros for Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
The metro areas below employ the most cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic in California.
| Metro Area | Number Employed | Annual Median Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 3,140 | $46,530 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | 1,160 | $45,190 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 540 | $50,680 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | 450 | $58,590 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | 390 | $46,550 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | 270 | $49,730 |
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | 230 | $48,020 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | 220 | $46,580 |
| Fresno, CA | 200 | $45,040 |
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | 80 | $49,040 |
| Modesto, CA | 80 | $48,560 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | 70 | $44,770 |
| Visalia, CA | 70 | $42,600 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | 60 | $50,320 |
| Vallejo, CA | 60 | $48,230 |
| Merced, CA | 30 | $43,640 |
Top States for Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic Employment
View the states that employ the most cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic work.
| State | Number Employed |
|---|---|
| Michigan | 21,760 |
| Ohio | 14,770 |
| Texas | 12,260 |
| Indiana | 11,470 |
| Wisconsin | 9,110 |
| Illinois | 8,350 |
| Pennsylvania | 8,020 |
| California | 7,340 |
| Kentucky | 6,610 |
| Alabama | 6,020 |
| Tennessee | 5,910 |
| Georgia | 5,580 |
| Minnesota | 5,570 |
| North Carolina | 3,940 |
| New York | 3,790 |
| Missouri | 3,640 |
| South Carolina | 3,620 |
| Massachusetts | 3,350 |
| Arkansas | 3,200 |
| Florida | 2,730 |
Highest-Paying States for Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
Where cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic earn the most: cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic.
| State | Annual Median Salary |
|---|---|
| West Virginia | $53,460 |
| Oregon | $51,810 |
| Minnesota | $50,960 |
| Maine | $50,180 |
| Washington | $49,590 |
| Wisconsin | $48,730 |
| Colorado | $48,680 |
| Montana | $48,290 |
| Maryland | $48,210 |
| Kentucky | $48,170 |
Skills
Key cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic skills, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Knowledge Areas
Key knowledge areas for this occupation, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Abilities
Key abilities for cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Daily Tasks
Day-to-day, cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic typically:
- Measure completed workpieces to verify conformance to specifications, using micrometers, gauges, calipers, templates, or rulers.
- Examine completed workpieces for defects, such as chipped edges or marred surfaces and sort defective pieces according to types of flaws.
- Read work orders or production schedules to determine specifications, such as materials to be used, locations of cutting lines, or dimensions and tolerances.
- Start machines, monitor their operations, and record operational data.
- Set up, operate, or tend machines to saw, cut, shear, slit, punch, crimp, notch, bend, or straighten metal or plastic material.
- Test and adjust machine speeds or actions, according to product specifications, using gauges and hand tools.
- Load workpieces, plastic material, or chemical solutions into machines.
- Turn controls to set cutting speeds, feed rates, or table angles for specified operations.
- Clean work area.
- Lubricate workpieces with oil.
- Install, align, and lock specified punches, dies, cutting blades, or other fixtures in rams or beds of machines, using gauges, templates, feelers, shims, and hand tools.
- Adjust ram strokes of presses to specified lengths, using hand tools.
Work Activities
- Handling and Moving Objects
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems
- Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
- Controlling Machines and Processes
- Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials
- Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings
- Getting Information
- Performing General Physical Activities
- Documenting/Recording Information
- Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
- Judging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or People
Tools & Technology
Technologies frequently used: Hot technologies: Autodesk AutoCAD
What Major Will Prepare You For This Career?
Related college programs include:
Related Careers
Careers similar to cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic include:
- Industrial Machinery Mechanics
- Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
- Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
- Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
- Drilling and Boring Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
- Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
Also Known As
Adjuster, Angle Shear Operator, Angle Shear Setup Operator, Arbor Press Operator, Automatic Punch Press Operator, Automatic Screwmaker, Automobile Bumper Straightener, Bander Operator, Banding Machine Operator, Bench Shear Operator, Bender Machine Operator, Bending Machine Setup Operator, Bending Roll Operator, Beveler, Billet Cutter.
References
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — https://www.bls.gov/oes/
- O*NET Online — https://www.onetonline.org/
- BLS Employment Projections — https://www.bls.gov/emp/
- O*NET-SOC code: 51-4031.00
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