Plan the job from the drawing
Go through the upcoming job order, pulling sizes, tools and the order of machines from its drawing.
Career profile
Multiple Machine Tool Operator
Machine tool setters run different cutting and forming machines that shape metal or plastic parts.
One shift can move you from a lathe to a grinder, and you make sure each machining step leaves the part ready for what follows.
A day in the life
Set up tooling and stock
Mount the tooling, align the guides and clamp the stock firmly before you start a run.
Measure the finished part
Measure the finished part by micrometer or digital caliper, then review the process if a size is off.
Log what happened
Type up the run in the plant's computer system so whoever takes over knows what went on.
Spot trouble and clean up
Inspect the machines for early signs of trouble, and clean them regularly to head off stoppages.
Quick facts
High school + workplace training
United States · 2025
$47,180 a year
United States · May 2025
Little employment change
United States · 2025–2035
Quick orientation
Preparation, pay & outlook
Preparation
High school + workplace trainingA high school diploma or equivalent is typical; you learn the equipment on the job.
Pay
$47,180 a yearNational median pay, equivalent to $22.68 an hour.
Outlook
Little employment changeEmployment is projected to grow 0.6% from 2025 to 2035.
Fit, tradeoffs & changing tools
You might like this if…
- You enjoy figuring out how moving parts work together.
- You can stay attentive while repeating a precise task.
Things to weigh
- Long stretches of standing and machine noise can wear on you.
- Some plants need evening, weekend, or overtime work.
Where AI may help
In some bearing plants, computers control machining and gauges check part dimensions.
What people still lead
Operators still investigate bad results and decide what needs correcting.
What we can’t predict yet
How much checking becomes automatic, and how much troubleshooting stays with you, will vary with the equipment a plant adopts.
Pay in context
Earnings
Use the national median as a reference when comparing actual job offers.
The middle of the pay range
The median is $47,180 a year, or $22.68 an hour. Half of workers earn more and half earn less; this is not a starting-pay promise.
Openings despite little growth
About 11,600 openings are projected annually during 2025–2035, alongside 0.6% employment growth. Openings include replacement needs, not just newly created jobs.
The national spread
In May 2025, the 10th-percentile wage was $17.20 an hour and the 90th-percentile wage was $35.79. These are wage percentiles, not starting and experienced pay rates.
Pay across factory settings
In May 2023, workers in this occupation averaged $20.12 an hour in plastics product manufacturing and $22.03 in motor vehicle parts manufacturing. These are historical industry averages, not current offers.
Getting started
Learn in an operator trainee job
- What the route involves
- Watch and help an experienced operator, then practice feeding material and running machines under supervision.
- What it can lead to
- You build toward checking finished parts and making machine adjustments.
Complete a machine-tool certificate
- What the route involves
- Take classes and shop labs in print reading, measurement, and machine operation. Piedmont Technical College in South Carolina offers this route.
- What it can lead to
- You gain practice making parts to a drawing; Piedmont's certificate courses can also count toward its diploma or associate degree.
Workplace training is the usual starting point. A machining program is another way to build the basics.
After entry
Career paths
This starts where the entry routes leave off: early work, growing capability, and advancement or specialization.
Get consistent
Learn the machine's operating routine and check finished parts reliably.
Handle adjustments
Learn to replace tools and adjust cutting speed and material feed as your skills develop.
Move into setup
Build toward preparing machines for new jobs, with responsibility for tooling and settings.
- With further skills and experience, move toward machinery maintenance.
Where you can work
Bearing production plants
You may work across computerized rolling, turning, and grinding equipment, using automated gauges to track the dimensions of bearings.
- Indoors
- Safety-sensitive
Aircraft-parts fabrication shops
The equipment mix can include lathes, mills, shears, and forming presses. You check parts against drawings and record their progress toward assembly.
- Indoors
- Safety-sensitive
Try it
See whether the job clicks before you commit to the path.
Draw a flat bracket with two holes and a bend. On paper, plan its trip through a cutting machine, drill, and forming press. Mark where you would check dimensions. Notice whether planning the sequence and catching errors appeals to you.
Stay safe: Keep this a paper exercise; operating shop machinery requires hands-on safety training.
Sources
- O*NET OnLine. 51-4081.00 — Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic. Accessed 2026-10-03.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Occupational projections and worker characteristics, 2025–2035. Accessed 2026-10-03.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Metal and Plastic Machine Workers. Accessed 2026-10-03.
- Timken. CNC Operator — Randleman, North Carolina. Accessed 2026-10-03.
- Piedmont Technical College. Machine Tool Operator, Certificate. Accessed 2026-10-03.
- Parker Hannifin. Machine Operator — Airway Heights, Washington. Accessed 2026-10-03.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2023 — 51-4081. Accessed 2026-10-03.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. May 2025 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, national estimates. Accessed 2026-09-29.