Drilling and Boring Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic: Career Profile
Set up, operate, or tend drilling machines to drill, bore, ream, mill, or countersink metal or plastic work pieces.
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What Do Drilling and Boring Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic Do?
The core tasks performed by drilling and boring machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic include:
- Verify conformance of machined work to specifications, using measuring instruments, such as calipers, micrometers, or fixed or telescoping gauges.
- Study machining instructions, job orders, or blueprints to determine dimensional or finish specifications, sequences of operations, setups, or tooling requirements.
- Move machine controls to lower tools to workpieces and to engage automatic feeds.
- Verify that workpiece reference lines are parallel to the axis of table rotation, using dial indicators mounted in spindles.
- Establish zero reference points on workpieces, such as at the intersections of two edges or over hole locations.
- Change worn cutting tools, using wrenches.
- Select and set cutting speeds, feed rates, depths of cuts, and cutting tools, according to machining instructions or knowledge of metal properties.
- Position and secure workpieces on tables, using bolts, jigs, clamps, shims, or other holding devices.
Key Skills and Knowledge
Effective drilling and boring machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic draw on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Most Important Skills
These are the skills most central to this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Knowledge Areas
Related Job Titles
Common job titles for this role include:
- Automatic Driller and Reamer
- Automatic Drilling Machine Operator
- Barrel Driller
- Billet Driller
- Bore Mill Operator
- Borematic Machine Operator
- Borematic Operator
- Borer
Employment and Demand
The U.S. employs around 394,440 drilling and boring machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic working in the United States today. Employment is projected to grow by +10.8% over the projection horizon.
Drilling and Boring Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic Pay
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $46,318 |
| Hourly median | $22.27 |
| 10th percentile | $30,002 |
| 25th percentile | $38,160 |
| 75th percentile | $54,476 |
| 90th percentile | $62,634 |
Compensation varies based on experience, location, and industry.
Drilling and Boring Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic Salary by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| Washington | $99,720 |
| Missouri | $99,630 |
| Massachusetts | $74,680 |
| Florida | $62,400 |
| Pennsylvania | $58,200 |
| New Hampshire | $57,900 |
| New York | $57,180 |
| Georgia | $56,740 |
| Illinois | $56,200 |
| New Jersey | $53,700 |
| South Carolina | $50,400 |
| Ohio | $50,090 |
| Colorado | $49,920 |
| Oklahoma | $49,470 |
| Virginia | $49,180 |
| Mississippi | $48,420 |
| California | $48,220 |
| North Carolina | $47,640 |
| Iowa | $47,110 |
| Maine | $47,090 |
| Arizona | $46,630 |
| Tennessee | $46,590 |
| Minnesota | $44,830 |
| Michigan | $43,870 |
| Texas | $43,600 |
| Alabama | $40,030 |
| Indiana | $37,910 |
| Wisconsin | $37,870 |
| Nebraska | $37,160 |
| Nevada | $35,130 |
Where Drilling and Boring Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic Earn the Most
Compensation for drilling and boring machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic shift depending on where you work. The following regions pay the most:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| New England | $60,174 | 4.8% | 2.13 |
| Middle Atlantic | $57,996 | 4.6% | 0.64 |
| Rocky Mountains | $49,920 | 0.9% | 0.41 |
| Southeast | $48,750 | 30.5% | 4.14 |
| Great Lakes | $46,468 | 28.9% | 1.98 |
| Plains States | $44,943 | 7.2% | 1.93 |
| Far Western US | $44,007 | 18.0% | 1.07 |
| Southwest | $43,600 | 5.1% | 0.46 |
Top Metro Areas
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | MA | $77,720 | 60 |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | NC | $61,550 | 30 |
| Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA | IA | $58,890 | 50 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | NY | $56,410 | 160 |
| Tulsa, OK | OK | $54,660 | |
| Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | OH | $50,660 | 120 |
| Cleveland, OH | OH | $50,090 | 140 |
| Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH | OH | $49,760 | 40 |
Which Industries Hire Drilling and Boring Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
The bulk of drilling and boring machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic work in these industries:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 4,870 | $46,590 |
| Construction | 140 | $65,580 |
The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.
Software Drilling and Boring Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic Use
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- Enterprise resource planning ERP software: SAP software (hot technology)
Work Environment
Daily working conditions for drilling and boring machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic reflects the following characteristics:
- Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets
- Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
- Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Time Pressure
Getting Started in This Career
Most drilling and boring machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic positions require a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education. This career aligns with Some Preparation Needed (Job Zone 2), indicating the level of preparation typically expected.
Related Careers
Similar Occupations
- Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas (Supplemental)
- Industrial Machinery Mechanics (Supplemental)
- Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic (Supplemental)
- Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic (Supplemental)
- Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic (Supplemental)
- Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic (Primary-Long)
- Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic (Primary-Short)
- Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic (Primary-Short)
Degree Programs
Students preparing for drilling and boring machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic commonly pursue programs in:
Precision Production
1 programs across 1 majors
About the Data
Data on this page comes from the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 51-4032.00 (Drilling and Boring Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic).
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