Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic vs Helpers--Production Workers: $46K vs $39K Median Pay

Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic vs Helpers--Production Workers: what changes?

Consider Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic if you want to set up, operate, or tend machines to saw, cut, shear, slit, punch, crimp, notch, bend, or straighten metal or plastic material. Consider Helpers--Production Workers if you would rather help production workers by performing duties requiring less skill. Both list high school diploma or equivalent; compare training and prior experience separately.

Try this next: Compare three local entry-level postings for Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic and Helpers--Production Workers. 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, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

National median pay (2025): $46,330
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: Measure completed workpieces to verify conformance to specifications, using micrometers, gauges, calipers, templates, or rulers.
Annual openings (2025–2035): 13,200

Know before you choose

BLS projects employment to shrink 10.5% from 2025 to 2035. Openings can still occur when existing workers leave.

See the full Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic brief

Helpers--Production Workers

National median pay (2025): $39,070
Route into the job: High school diploma or equivalent; One month or less 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: One month or less of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing.
Work to investigate: Load and unload items from machines, conveyors, and conveyances.
Annual openings (2025–2035): 20,900

Know before you choose

BLS projects employment to shrink 8.2% from 2025 to 2035. Openings can still occur when existing workers leave.

See the full Helpers--Production Workers brief

How the national numbers differ

Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic has the edge on median pay

Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic is at $46,330, compared with $39,070 for Helpers--Production Workers.

Helpers--Production Workers has the edge on annual openings

Helpers--Production Workers is at 20,900 annual openings, compared with 13,200 annual openings for Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic.

Helpers--Production Workers has the edge on projected growth

Helpers--Production Workers is at -8.2% projected growth, compared with -10.5% projected growth for Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic.

40.8/ 100

Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

40.4/ 100

Helpers--Production Workers

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, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic vs Helpers--Production Workers

Dimension	Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic	Helpers--Production Workers
Median pay (2025)	$46,330	$39,070
Pay percentile	21 percentile	9.9 percentile
Projected growth (2025–2035)	-10.5%	-8.2%
Annual openings (2025–2035)	13,200	20,900
2025 employment	171,000	167,400
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; One month or less 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.	One month or less 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, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic brief Read Helpers--Production Workers brief

Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic vs Helpers--Production Workers: what changes?

The facts most likely to affect your decision

Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

Helpers--Production Workers

How the national numbers differ

Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic has the edge on median pay

Helpers--Production Workers has the edge on annual openings

Helpers--Production Workers has the edge on projected growth

Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic vs Helpers--Production Workers

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