How to become an extruding and drawing machine setter, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic

Q: How do I become an extruding and drawing machine setter, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic?

The typical entry-level education is usually requires a high school diploma or ged, though some occupations may not..

Q: How much does an extruding and drawing machine setter, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic make?

The median pay in the United States is $47,720 a year (BLS OEWS May 2025).

Set up, operate, or tend machines to extrude or draw thermoplastic or metal materials into tubes, rods, hoses, wire, bars, or structural shapes.

Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.Typical entry-level education

$47,720Median pay a year

Steps to get there

Most employers expect usually requires a high school diploma or ged, though some occupations may not..Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training.

What extruding and drawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic do

Measure and examine extruded products to locate defects and to check for conformance to specifications, adjusting controls as necessary to alter products.
Start machines and set controls to regulate vacuum, air pressure, sizing rings, and temperature, and to synchronize speed of extrusion.
Determine setup procedures and select machine dies and parts, according to specifications.
Troubleshoot, maintain, and make minor repairs to equipment.
Change dies on extruding machines, according to production line changes.
Install dies, machine screws, and sizing rings on machines that extrude thermoplastic or metal materials.

Skills that matter most

Monitoring
Speaking
Critical Thinking
Active Listening
Reading Comprehension
Active Learning
Writing
Mathematics

Is extruding and drawing machine setter, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic a good career?

On the numbers, this job is close to the average across occupations. Median pay is 6% below the all-occupation median. Whether it fits you depends on the work itself, the schooling you are willing to do and where you want to live.

Where it pays most

Rhode Island $61,350
Vermont $59,220
North Carolina $53,330
Nebraska $52,360
Minnesota $51,830

Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic salary by state and city

Sources: O*NET® 31.0 (CC BY 4.0, USDOL/ETA) and BLS Employment Projections 2025–35. Pay: BLS OEWS May 2025.