How much does a metal machine operator make?
a year · about $23 an hour
A typical metal machine operator in the United States makes $47,720 a year, about $23 an hour, about the same as a typical US worker (median, May 2025, US Bureau of Labor Statistics).
What do they do?
They pick dies and adjust machine controls, then tend the line as metal is drawn into a set shape and size. They wind finished material into rolls, clean the work area, and make small equipment repairs.
Did you know? Some steel wire is made as thin as 0.001 inch across and can be drawn through diamond dies.
Is that a lot?
Compared with jobs you knowIf 100 people had this job
Most earn between $36,700 and $63,710How do you become one?
In the US, most new operators have a high school diploma or GED and learn the machines on the job. Training may last from a few days to a year, and an aluminum-extrusion press operator apprenticeship is another route.
School needed: High school plus some training
Good for people who like building and doing and keeping things organized
Why does pay differ?
In the US, experienced operators and people with useful skills or credentials may earn more. Pay also differs by factory type and location, and overtime or night-shift extra pay can matter too.
Where does it pay most?
Highest in North Carolina ($53,330), lowest in Florida ($39,730).
See every state
Top 5 and bottom 3 states, typical (median) yearly pay.
Jobs like this
Data table and sources
| Lower earner (10th from bottom) | Typical person (median) | Higher earner (10th from top) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|---|
| $36,700 | $47,720 | $63,710 | about 61,000 |
| State | Typical person (median) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|
| North Carolina | $53,330 | about 3,000 |
| Nebraska | $52,360 | about 510 |
| Minnesota | $51,830 | about 900 |
| New Jersey | $51,180 | about 750 |
| Pennsylvania | $51,150 | about 3,000 |
Official definition: Set up, operate, or tend machines to extrude or draw thermoplastic or metal materials into tubes, rods, hoses, wire, bars, or structural shapes.
Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025 (bls.gov); descriptions and related jobs from O*NET 31.0. Figures as of May 2025, full-time yearly pay (hourly × 2,080 hours). bls.gov/oes · O*NET OnLine
Pages used for the text
- www.onetonline.org/link/summary/51-4021.00
- www.bls.gov/oes/2023/may/oes514021.htm
- www.bls.gov/careeroutlook/2015/article/wage-differences.htm
- kids.britannica.com/students/article/wire/277766
Data: US BLS OEWS, May 2025 · 1 USD = 150 JPY