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Plastics and Rubber Manufacturing
Berry Global, Amcor, Dart Container
Home / All Jobs / Trades / Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
These workers run machines that shape raw material into finished parts or products by extruding, pressing, compacting, or forming it. The job is hands-on and detail-heavy: you spend a lot of time watching gauges, making small adjustments, and checking output, because the tradeoff is always speed versus quality—push too hard and you get scrap, downtime, or off-spec product.
Also known as Machine OperatorProduction OperatorExtrusion OperatorPress OperatorMachine Tender
Median Salary
$45,130
Mean $47,040
U.S. Workforce
~57K
5.2K openings per year
10-Year Growth
+2%
57.3K to 58.4K
Entry Education
High school diploma or equivalent
+ None experience
What This Role Looks Like in Practice
Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders sits in the Trades category. In practical terms, this role combines day-to-day execution, cross-team coordination, and consistent decision-making under real business constraints.
U.S. employment is currently about ~57K workers, with a median annual pay of $45,130 and roughly 5.2K openings each year. Based on BLS projections, total employment is expected to grow from 57.3 K in 2024 to 58.4K in 2034.
Most hiring paths start with High school diploma or equivalent, and employers typically expect none of related experience. Many careers in this track begin around Production Helper and can progress toward Lead Operator or Shift Lead. High-value skills usually include Operation and Control, Operations Monitoring, and Monitoring, paired with soft skills such as Attention to Detail, Communication, and Teamwork.
Core Responsibilities
- Set up production machines and dial in the right speed, pressure, temperature, or feed rate for the job.
- Watch gauges, lights, and control panels during the run so you can spot jams, drifting settings, or other problems early.
- Clean dies, molds, and other machine parts to keep residue from ruining the next batch.
- Check samples with tools like calipers, micrometers, templates, or scales to make sure the pieces meet size and weight specs.
Keep exploring: more Trades careers or browse all job titles.
A Day in the Life
01 Set up production machines and dial in the right speed, pressure, temperature, or feed rate for the job.
02 Watch gauges, lights, and control panels during the run so you can spot jams, drifting settings, or other problems early.
03 Clean dies, molds, and other machine parts to keep residue from ruining the next batch.
04 Check samples with tools like calipers, micrometers, templates, or scales to make sure the pieces meet size and weight specs.
05 Move raw materials, supplies, and finished parts between storage, the machine area, and packing or shipping areas.
06 Tell a supervisor when output is out of spec and help correct the process before more defective product is made.
Industries That Hire
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Metal Stamping and Fabrication
Nucor, Magna International, Alcoa
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Pharmaceutical Manufacturing
Pfizer, Catalent, Johnson & Johnson
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Building Materials and Industrial Products
Owens Corning, Saint-Gobain, James Hardie
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Food Processing and Packaging
PepsiCo, Nestlé, Tyson Foods
Pros and Cons
Advantages
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You can get into the field with a high school diploma and moderate-term training, so the barrier to entry is lower than many skilled jobs.
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The pay is solid for an accessible manufacturing role, with a median annual wage of $45,130 and a mean of $47,040.
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There are about 5.2K annual openings, so people who are dependable and comfortable with plant work can find steady opportunities.
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The job builds practical experience with machine controls, quality checks, and process adjustments that can transfer to other production roles.
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The work is concrete and measurable: you can see right away whether your adjustments improved the output or reduced scrap.
Challenges
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Growth is only 2% over the 2024-2034 projection, so this is not a fast-expanding occupation.
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The pay ceiling is fairly modest; even the mean wage is under $50K, which can limit long-term earnings unless you move into lead or supervisory work.
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The job is repetitive and often physical, with regular lifting, cleaning, and material handling instead of desk-based work.
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Small errors can quickly turn into bad parts, wasted material, or downtime, so the pace can be stressful when a machine drifts out of spec.
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The role is vulnerable to automation and plant restructuring, because a factory that upgrades equipment or moves production can reduce headcount without much warning.
Career Progression
Production Helper
0-1 years
$30K-$35K
Starts with moving materials, cleaning equipment, and learning plant safety and basic machine routines.
Machine Operator
1-4 years
$36K-$43K
Runs simple production lines, watches output, and makes routine adjustments with close supervision.
Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setter, Operator, and Tender THIS ROLE
4-8 years
$44K-$50K
Owns a production machine or line, keeps settings in range, checks quality, and fixes small problems before they slow production.
Lead Operator or Shift Lead
8-12 years
$51K-$62K
Helps train newer workers, coordinates changeovers, and works with supervisors to keep multiple machines on target.
Education Paths
High school diploma or equivalent
The most common entry point, held by 78.21% of workers in this role.
Post-secondary certificate in manufacturing, machining, or industrial technology
A common alternative path, held by 9.07% of workers, especially for people who want more shop-floor training before applying.
Some college courses in manufacturing or industrial technology
Another alternative path, held by 7.77% of workers, often paired with hands-on plant experience.
Moderate-term on-the-job training
BLS lists this as the usual training route, so many workers learn the machine, quality checks, and safety routines directly on the job.
Key Skills
Technical
Operation and Control 69%
Operations Monitoring 69%
Monitoring 60%
Quality Control Analysis 50%
Calipers, Micrometers & Scales 50%
PLC Control Panels & Machine Interfaces 48%
Machine Setup, Changeovers & Process Adjustments 48%
Soft Skills
Attention to DetailCommunicationTeamworkProblem SolvingReliabilitySteady Concentration Job Outlook and Trends
+2%
Projected growth (2024-2034)
5.2K
Annual job openings
Employment is projected to rise from 57.3K to 58.4 K over the next decade, representing 2% growth. Around 5.2 K openings per year include both newly created roles and replacement hiring from turnover.
Remote availability is currently Rare. Demand remains strongest where employers need practical domain knowledge plus modern workflow and data skills.