Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders vs Etchers and Engravers: $47K vs $43K Median Pay

Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders vs Etchers and Engravers: what changes?

Consider Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders if you want to set up, operate, or tend machines that cut or slice materials, such as glass, stone, cork, rubber, tobacco, food, paper, or insulating material. Consider Etchers and Engravers if you would rather engrave or etch metal, wood, rubber, or other materials. Both list high school diploma or equivalent; compare training and prior experience separately.

Try this next: Compare three local entry-level postings for Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders and Etchers and Engravers. List the duties, credentials, prior experience, and paid training each employer actually asks for. Try a supervised class or sample project from each field before choosing a program.

BLS 2025 wages and 2025–2035 projections. National medians are not starting offers. Occupation size is not a count of vacancies. View the BLS data.

Compare the practical differences

Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders

National median pay (2025): $46,570
Route into the job: High school diploma or equivalent; More than one month and up to 12 months of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing
Prior related experience: No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.
Training and licensing: More than one month and up to 12 months of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing.
Work to investigate: Set up, operate, or tend machines that cut or slice materials, such as glass, stone, cork, rubber, tobacco, food, paper, or insulating material.
Annual openings (2025–2035): 5,400

Know before you choose

BLS projects employment to shrink 0.9% from 2025 to 2035. Openings can still occur when existing workers leave.

See the full Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders brief

Etchers and Engravers

National median pay (2025): $43,310
Route into the job: High school diploma or equivalent; More than one month and up to 12 months of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing
Prior related experience: No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.
Training and licensing: More than one month and up to 12 months of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing.
Work to investigate: Inspect etched work for depth of etching, uniformity, and defects, using calibrated microscopes, gauges, fingers, or magnifying lenses.
Annual openings (2025–2035): 800

Know before you choose

BLS projects employment to shrink 0.7% from 2025 to 2035. Openings can still occur when existing workers leave.

See the full Etchers and Engravers brief

How the national numbers differ

Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders has the edge on annual openings

Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders is at 5,400 annual openings, compared with 800 annual openings for Etchers and Engravers.

Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders has the edge on median pay

Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders is at $46,570, compared with $43,310 for Etchers and Engravers.

Etchers and Engravers has the edge on projected growth

Etchers and Engravers is at -0.7% projected growth, compared with -0.9% projected growth for Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders.

40.9/ 100

Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders

27.2/ 100

Etchers and Engravers

Each available metric is ranked from 0 to 100 against the careers on ChooseField. The weighted average uses this profile: pay 30%, growth 25%, openings 30%, preparation level 15%. Missing values are not scored as zero; their weights are redistributed across available metrics. Occupation size has zero weight: employment is not accessible vacancies. Preparation categories do not measure admission difficulty or years without earnings. The score summarizes national measures; local opportunities and personal fit still need separate consideration.

Detailed evidence

Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders vs Etchers and Engravers

Dimension	Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders	Etchers and Engravers
Median pay (2025)	$46,570	$43,310
Pay percentile	22.2 percentile	15.3 percentile
Projected growth (2025–2035)	-0.9%	-0.7%
Annual openings (2025–2035)	5,400	800
2025 employment	45,900	8,900
How you qualify	High school diploma or equivalent; More than one month and up to 12 months of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing	High school diploma or equivalent; More than one month and up to 12 months of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing
O*NET preparation group	Job Zone 2	Job Zone 2
Related work experience	No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.	No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.
On-the-job training	More than one month and up to 12 months of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing.	More than one month and up to 12 months of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing.

The table reports national benchmarks and reviewed work descriptions. It does not rate personal suitability, job security, or physical safety.

Read Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders brief Read Etchers and Engravers brief

Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders vs Etchers and Engravers: what changes?

The facts most likely to affect your decision

Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders

Etchers and Engravers

How the national numbers differ

Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders has the edge on annual openings

Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders has the edge on median pay

Etchers and Engravers has the edge on projected growth

Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders vs Etchers and Engravers

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