How to become a plating machine setter, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic

Q: How do I become a plating 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 a plating machine setter, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic make?

The median pay in the United States is $43,960 a year (BLS OEWS May 2025).

Set up, operate, or tend plating machines to coat metal or plastic products with chromium, zinc, copper, cadmium, nickel, or other metal to protect or decorate surfaces. Typically, the product being coated is immersed in molten metal or an electrolytic solution.

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

$43,960Median 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 plating machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic do

Set up, operate, or tend plating or coating machines to coat metal or plastic products with chromium, zinc, copper, cadmium, nickel, or other metal to protect or decorate surfaces.
Remove objects from solutions at periodic intervals and observe objects to verify conformance to specifications.
Remove excess materials or impurities from objects, using air hoses or grinding machines.
Rinse coated objects in cleansing liquids and dry them with cloths, centrifugal driers, or by tumbling in sawdust-filled barrels.
Examine completed objects to determine thicknesses of metal deposits, or measure thicknesses by using instruments such as micrometers.
Immerse workpieces in coating solutions or liquid metal or plastic for specified times.

Skills that matter most

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

Is plating 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 14% 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

Iowa $70,910
Washington $58,000
Mississippi $52,090
Arkansas $51,140
Oklahoma $49,330

Plating 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.