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Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic in Tennessee
Considering working as a Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic in Tennessee? Here’s what the data says. 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 Tennessee?
For a cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic working in Tennessee, the typical annual salary is $44,080 per year (or roughly $21.19/hour).Pay can range from $32,660 at the 10th percentile to $52,400 at the 90th percentile.
| Wage Statistic | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $32,660 | $15.70 |
| 25th percentile | $37,180 | $17.88 |
| Median (50th) | $44,080 | $21.19 |
| 75th percentile | $48,370 | $23.25 |
| 90th percentile | $52,400 | $25.19 |
The location quotient — a measure of how concentrated this occupation is in Tennessee compared to the national average — is 1.59, indicating that cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic are more concentrated here 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 Tennessee median.
Employment Outlook
National employment for 285,971 cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic across the United States. In Tennessee alone, about 5,910 people work in this role. That’s more than the typical state, which employs around 1,920 cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic.
Top Tennessee Metros for Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
The largest metro-area employers of cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic in Tennessee.
| Metro Area | Number Employed | Annual Median Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro–Franklin, TN | 1,310 | $45,990 |
| Knoxville, TN | 740 | $47,130 |
| Memphis, TN-MS-AR | 500 | $39,560 |
| Chattanooga, TN-GA | 430 | $44,030 |
| Jackson, TN | 380 | $40,870 |
| Morristown, TN | 350 | $38,710 |
| Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA | 330 | $41,530 |
| Clarksville, TN-KY | 270 | $44,080 |
| Johnson City, TN | 150 | $38,460 |
| Cleveland, TN | 60 | $39,310 |
Top States for Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic Employment
The table below shows the states where 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
These states pay the most for 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
Core knowledge areas for this occupation, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Abilities
The abilities that matter most 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
Software and systems commonly involved: Hot technologies: Autodesk AutoCAD
What Major Will Prepare You For This Career?
Several college majors map to this occupation:
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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