Life As a Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setter, Operator, or Tender
Position Description Set up, operate, or tend machines to coat or paint any of a wide variety of products, including glassware, cloth, ceramics, metal, plastic, paper, or wood, with lacquer, silver, copper, rubber, varnish, glaze, enamel, oil, or rust-proofing materials.
Daily Life Of a Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Operator
- Weigh or measure chemicals, coatings, or paints before adding them to machines.
- Examine, measure, weigh, or test sample products to ensure conformance to specifications.
- Attach hoses or nozzles to machines, using wrenches and pliers, and make adjustments to obtain the proper dispersion of spray.
- Hold or position spray guns to direct spray onto articles.
- Operate auxiliary machines or equipment used in coating or painting processes.
- Start pumps to mix solutions and fill tanks.
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Skills Needed to be a Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Operator
When polled, Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders say the following skills are most frequently used in their jobs:
Operation Monitoring: Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
Quality Control Analysis: Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Complex Problem Solving: Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
Judgment and Decision Making: Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Related Job Titles
- Glazing Machine Operator
- Carbon Coater Machine Operator
- Knife Machine Operator
- Laminating Press Operator
- Sizing Machine Operator
Is There Job Demand for Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders?
In the United States, there were 89,900 jobs for Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setter, Operator, or Tender in 2016. There is little to no growth in job opportunities for Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setter, Operator, or Tender. Due to new job openings and attrition, there will be an average of 9,300 job openings in this field each year.

The states with the most job growth for Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Operator are North Dakota, Wyoming, and Utah. Watch out if you plan on working in Delaware, Maine, or Vermont. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Operator Salary
The salary for Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders ranges between about $23,860 and $52,240 a year.

Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders who work in Maine, Alaska, or Minnesota, make the highest salaries.
How much do Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders make in each U.S. state?
State | Annual Mean Salary |
---|---|
Alabama | $32,610 |
Alaska | $47,450 |
Arizona | $34,520 |
Arkansas | $33,070 |
California | $37,350 |
Colorado | $34,710 |
Connecticut | $39,970 |
Delaware | $43,380 |
Florida | $34,640 |
Georgia | $31,840 |
Hawaii | $31,400 |
Idaho | $30,910 |
Illinois | $36,780 |
Indiana | $34,730 |
Iowa | $38,400 |
Kansas | $35,000 |
Kentucky | $34,880 |
Louisiana | $39,840 |
Maine | $53,390 |
Maryland | $37,910 |
Massachusetts | $38,280 |
Michigan | $31,820 |
Minnesota | $41,810 |
Mississippi | $32,150 |
Missouri | $35,540 |
Montana | $35,120 |
Nebraska | $38,300 |
Nevada | $30,340 |
New Hampshire | $37,230 |
New Jersey | $40,130 |
New Mexico | $28,240 |
New York | $36,170 |
North Carolina | $33,710 |
North Dakota | $36,670 |
Ohio | $36,630 |
Oklahoma | $34,490 |
Oregon | $36,920 |
Pennsylvania | $35,840 |
Rhode Island | $33,810 |
South Carolina | $36,110 |
South Dakota | $36,460 |
Tennessee | $33,560 |
Texas | $39,970 |
Utah | $34,320 |
Vermont | $38,800 |
Virginia | $36,730 |
Washington | $38,120 |
West Virginia | $44,890 |
Wisconsin | $38,700 |
Wyoming | $40,080 |
What Tools do Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders Use?
Below is a list of the types of tools and technologies that Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders may use on a daily basis:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Data entry software
- Materials requirement planning MRP software
How to Become a Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Operator
Learn what Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setter, Operator, or Tender education requirements there are.

How many years of work experience do I need?

Where do Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders Work?

The table below shows the approximate number of Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders employed by various industries.

Similar Careers
Those interested in being a Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setter, Operator, or Tender may also be interested in:
Career changers with experience as a Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setter, Operator, or Tender sometimes find work in one of the following fields:
- Helpers–Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers
- Plating and Coating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
- Computer-Controlled Machine Tool Operators, Metal and Plastic
References:
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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