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Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic in Washington
Want to work as a Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic in Washington? Here’s what you need to know. 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 Washington?
The cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic working in Washington, the median annual wage is $49,590 per year (or roughly $23.84/hour).Annual wages span from $39,940 at the 10th percentile to $68,380 at the 90th percentile.
| Wage Statistic | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $39,940 | $19.20 |
| 25th percentile | $45,110 | $21.69 |
| Median (50th) | $49,590 | $23.84 |
| 75th percentile | $60,010 | $28.85 |
| 90th percentile | $68,380 | $32.88 |
Location quotient — how concentrated this career is in Washington compared to the national average — is 0.53, 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), above the Washington median.
Employment Outlook
There are roughly 285,971 cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic nationwide. In Washington alone, about 2,120 people work in this role. That’s higher than the typical state, which employs around 1,920 cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic.
Top Washington 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 Washington.
| Metro Area | Number Employed | Annual Median Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 1,260 | $54,170 |
| Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA | 320 | $46,680 |
| Yakima, WA | 110 | $45,600 |
| Longview-Kelso, WA | 60 | $47,930 |
| Bellingham, WA | 40 | $53,630 |
| Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA | 30 | $56,460 |
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
Top cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic skills, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Knowledge Areas
Important 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
Common tasks include:
- 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
Common tools and software used in this occupation include: Hot technologies: Autodesk AutoCAD
What Major Will Prepare You For This Career?
Several college majors map to this occupation:
Related Careers
Other careers like 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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