Career profile · 51-4199
Metal Workers and Plastic Workers, All Other
All metal workers and plastic workers not listed separately.
What the work can involve
Use the full O*NET occupation profile to investigate tasks and work activities for this role.
Selected core tasks from O*NET 31.0. Responsibilities vary by employer, specialization and experience.
Training subjects to investigate
The federal education-to-occupation crosswalk connects this role to the subjects below. These links do not endorse a school or guarantee that any particular award qualifies a graduate for the job.
Pay & employment outlook
Salary estimates for metal workers and plastic workers, all other
The median divides workers into two equally sized groups by pay. It is not a starting salary, a school’s graduate outcome or a promise of employment. Lower percentiles are not automatically new graduates.
National outlook: 2025–2035
- Typical education for entry
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Related work experience
- None
- Typical on-the-job training
- Moderate-term on-the-job training
BLS national employment projections, 2025–2035. Openings include people leaving occupations or the labor force; these are not advertised vacancies. Education categories describe typical entry, not legal eligibility or a guarantee that any specific program is sufficient.
Compare wages across 38 state/DC estimates
| State | Annual median | Hourly median | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $54,360 | $26.13 | 80 |
| Arizona | $47,050 | $22.62 | 100 |
| Arkansas | $40,570 | $19.51 | 180 |
| California | $47,380 | $22.78 | 1,970 |
| Colorado | $52,430 | $25.21 | 400 |
| Connecticut | $40,260 | $19.36 | 350 |
| Florida | $36,040 | $17.33 | 490 |
| Georgia | $42,030 | $20.21 | 1,730 |
| Hawaii | $78,000 | $37.50 | 30 |
| Illinois | $49,570 | $23.83 | 170 |
| Indiana | $54,890 | $26.39 | 250 |
| Iowa | $46,570 | $22.39 | 40 |
| Kentucky | $61,320 | $29.48 | 200 |
| Louisiana | $45,680 | $21.96 | 210 |
| Maine | $41,600 | $20.00 | 60 |
| Maryland | $50,280 | $24.17 | 510 |
| Massachusetts | $47,060 | $22.63 | 30 |
| Michigan | $40,110 | $19.28 | 530 |
| Minnesota | $51,990 | $25.00 | 110 |
| Missouri | $48,920 | $23.52 | 210 |
| Montana | $56,740 | $27.28 | 110 |
| Nevada | $46,440 | $22.33 | 210 |
| New Hampshire | $47,830 | $23.00 | 790 |
| New Jersey | $33,790 | $16.25 | Not published |
| New Mexico | $53,080 | $25.52 | 40 |
| New York | $60,740 | $29.20 | 150 |
| North Carolina | $45,190 | $21.73 | 470 |
| Ohio | $45,180 | $21.72 | 790 |
| Oklahoma | $65,040 | $31.27 | 180 |
| Oregon | $49,510 | $23.80 | 570 |
| Pennsylvania | $45,350 | $21.80 | 800 |
| South Carolina | $46,470 | $22.34 | 400 |
| Tennessee | $36,770 | $17.68 | 980 |
| Texas | $45,560 | $21.91 | 1,410 |
| Utah | $54,940 | $26.42 | 30 |
| Virginia | $51,690 | $24.85 | 130 |
| Washington | $65,760 | $31.62 | 360 |
| Wisconsin | $45,100 | $21.68 | 470 |
Metropolitan and nonmetropolitan wages
Search the 86 published local-area estimates for this occupation. Metropolitan areas can cross state lines; a city’s postal name is not necessarily the statistical area’s name.
Sources: BLS May 2025 OEWS public downloads and 2025–2035 employment projections, retrieved September 9, 2026. Unpublished estimates stay unavailable. “+” means BLS’s upper reporting threshold ($239,200 annually or $115 hourly). Wages exclude self-employment and nonwage benefits. How to interpret these figures.
Compare the route and prepare for work
Questions to test the fit
- What does an entry-level working day look like, and how does it differ from the experienced role described here?
- Which tasks, work environments and schedules would I enjoy or find difficult?
- What education, supervised practice and credentials do local employers actually request?
- Can I speak with someone in the occupation or arrange a suitable workplace visit?
- How does the complete training cost compare with my realistic budget and available routes?
Related occupations to compare
- Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators→
- Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic→
- Drilling and Boring Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic→
- Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic→
- Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic→
- Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic→
- Heat Treating Equipment Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic→
- Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic→
Related through shared training-subject mappings. Entry requirements can differ substantially.
Sources and attribution
This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under CC BY 4.0. Trade School Guides selects and organizes the material and adds explanatory guidance. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed or tested these modifications. Occupation code: 51-4199.00.
Training connections: CIP 2020–SOC 2018 crosswalk. Snapshot: September 8, 2026. See the methodology.