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Salary comparison

Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic vs. Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators: Who Earns More?

Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastics out-earn Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricatorss by $2K a year at the national median, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastics land at $46,330 and Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricatorss at $44,650. The education gap is real: cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic programs typically require high school diploma or equivalent, while miscellaneous assemblers and fabricator programs require high school diploma or equivalent. Top-paying state for Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastics is Oregon ($53,680); for Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricatorss it's District of Columbia ($50,330).

Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators
Median salary
$46,330
$44,650
Hourly rate
$22.27/hr
$21.47/hr
Entry level (10th %)
$35,760
$33,280
Senior level (90th %)
$65,510
$64,880
Education required
High school diploma or equivalent
High school diploma or equivalent
U.S. employment
171,200
1,405,030
Job growth (10-year)
N/A
N/A
Category
Production & Manufacturing
Production & Manufacturing
Top-paying state
Oregon
District of Columbia

Pay by state

States where both occupations have BLS data, sorted by Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic median pay.

State
Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators
Oregon
$53,680
$46,910
Maine
$51,820
$45,970
Washington
$51,160
$48,260
Colorado
$50,790
$46,150
Minnesota
$49,770
$46,920
Alaska
$49,010
$49,390
California
$48,450
$47,720
North Dakota
$48,400
$47,250
Missouri
$48,310
$46,480
Iowa
$48,240
$48,920
New Hampshire
$48,110
$46,940
Nevada
$47,690
$49,050
Kentucky
$45,760
$47,950
Massachusetts
$45,760
$46,720
Ohio
$45,230
$45,720

Source: BLS OEWS May 2025. Highlighted value is higher in each row.

Common questions

Who earns more, Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastics or Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricatorss?

Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastics earn more nationally. The median is $46,330 for Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastics versus $44,650 for Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricatorss, a difference of $2K. Per BLS OEWS May 2025.

Which has better job growth, Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic or Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators?

BLS Employment Projections data is not available for one or both occupations. Check the individual career pages for current outlook figures.

Which requires more education, Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic or Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators?

Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic typically requires high school diploma or equivalent. Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators requires high school diploma or equivalent. Education requirements vary by employer and state licensing board.

Where do Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastics get paid the most?

Oregon is the top-paying state for Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastics at $53,680/year, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Major metro areas within that state typically pay even more than the state average.

How does Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic vs. Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators pay differ by state?

The gap varies significantly by state. In Oregon, Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastics earn $53,680 vs. $46,910 for Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricatorss. See the state comparison table on this page for the full picture.

Full Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic salary breakdownView →Full Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators salary breakdownView →Best cities for Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastics by take-home payExplore →Best cities for Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricatorss by take-home payExplore →How to become a cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plasticGuide →How to become a miscellaneous assemblers and fabricatorsGuide →