Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders vs Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic: $54K vs $50K Median Pay

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

Consider Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders if you want to 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. Consider Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic if you would rather set up, operate, or tend machines to roll steel or plastic forming bends, beads, knurls, rolls, or plate, or to flatten, temper, or reduce gauge of material. Both list high school diploma or equivalent; compare training and prior experience separately.

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

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

Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

National median pay (2025): $50,140
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: Monitor machine cycles and mill operation to detect jamming and to ensure that products conform to specifications.
Annual openings (2025–2035): 1,900

Know before you choose

BLS projects employment to shrink 8.3% from 2025 to 2035. Openings can still occur when existing workers leave.

See the full Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic 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 -8.3% projected growth for Rolling Machine 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 $50,140 for Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic.

Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic has the edge on annual openings

Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic is at 1,900 annual openings, compared with 1,400 annual openings for Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders.

36/ 100

Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders

33.1/ 100

Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

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

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

Dimension	Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders	Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
Median pay (2025)	$54,430	$50,140
Pay percentile	39.2 percentile	32.9 percentile
Projected growth (2025–2035)	-2.9%	-8.3%
Annual openings (2025–2035)	1,400	1,900
2025 employment	16,800	25,300
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 Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders brief Read Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic brief

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

The facts most likely to affect your decision

Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders

Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

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

Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic has the edge on annual openings

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

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