Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic vs Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders: $51K vs $54K Median Pay

Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic vs Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders: what changes?

Consider Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic if you want to set up, operate, or tend lathe and turning machines to turn, bore, thread, form, or face metal or plastic materials, such as wire, rod, or bar stock. Consider Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders if you would rather operate or tend furnaces, such as gas, oil, coal, electric-arc or electric induction, open-hearth, or oxygen furnaces, to melt and refine metal before casting or to produce specified types of steel. Both list high school diploma or equivalent; compare training and prior experience separately.

Try this next: Compare three local entry-level postings for Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic and Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders. 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

Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

National median pay (2025): $50,620
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: Adjust machine controls and change tool settings to keep dimensions within specified tolerances.
Annual openings (2025–2035): 1,400

Know before you choose

BLS projects employment to shrink 11.3% from 2025 to 2035. Openings can still occur when existing workers leave.

See the full Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic brief

Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders

National median pay (2025): $54,430
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: Regulate supplies of fuel and air, or control flow of electric current and water coolant to heat furnaces and adjust temperatures.
Annual openings (2025–2035): 1,400

Know before you choose

BLS projects employment to shrink 2.9% from 2025 to 2035. Openings can still occur when existing workers leave.

See the full Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders brief

How the national numbers differ

Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders has the edge on projected growth

Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders is at -2.9% projected growth, compared with -11.3% projected growth for Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic.

Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders has the edge on median pay

Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders is at $54,430, compared with $50,620 for Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic.

31.1/ 100

Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

36/ 100

Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders

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

Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic vs Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders

Dimension	Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic	Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders
Median pay (2025)	$50,620	$54,430
Pay percentile	34.3 percentile	39.2 percentile
Projected growth (2025–2035)	-11.3%	-2.9%
Annual openings (2025–2035)	1,400	1,400
2025 employment	16,700	16,800
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 Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic brief Read Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders brief

Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic vs Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders: what changes?

The facts most likely to affect your decision

Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders

How the national numbers differ

Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders has the edge on projected growth

Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders has the edge on median pay

Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic vs Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders

Try another comparison

Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic vs Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders vs Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic