Explore This Path

Metal & Plastic Forging Machine Operator

💰 Earn $46K-$78K

📚 High School Diploma or GED

⏱️ 6–12 Month Training

📈 -17.2% Job Growth

Perfect for hands-on creators who love shaping raw materials into precise parts.
Essential in manufacturing, ensuring metal and plastic parts meet exact specifications.
Unique role in crafting components that are vital to countless industries.

What Metal & Plastic Forging Machine Operators DoSet up, operate, or tend forging machines to taper, shape, or form metal or plastic parts.

Read work orders or blueprints to determine specified tolerances and sequences of operations for machine setup.
Position and move metal wires or workpieces through a series of dies that compress and shape stock to form die impressions.
Measure and inspect machined parts to ensure conformance to product specifications.
Set up, operate, or tend presses and forging machines to perform hot or cold forging by flattening, straightening, bending, cutting, piercing, or other operations to taper, shape, or form metal.
Turn handles or knobs to set pressures and depths of ram strokes and to synchronize machine operations.

Metal & Plastic Forging Machine Operators Education, Salary, and Growth

Minimum EducationHigh School Diploma or GED

Career ProspectsRisky (Decreasing by 5% or more)

Training Time6 months to 1 year

Job Openings600 Annually

Median earnings

California Median

$59,250

Most earn within this range

median ▾

$46K25th percentile

$78K75th percentile

National Median

$49,030

Most earn within this range

median ▾

$42K25th percentile

$60K75th percentile

Only you can decide how much you need to earn — but knowing what it actually costs to live in your area can help. The Family Budget Calculator can guide you.

Is This Career Right For You?

YOU Like

Thinking and problem solving
Using data or completing tasks
Working with my hands

you value

Having support
Job security
Personal relationships

you are skilled in

Operations Monitoring
Monitoring
Critical Thinking
Judgment and Decision Making
Time Management
Quality Control Analysis

Go Deeper: Metal & Plastic Forging Machine Operators Explained

Metal & Plastic Forging Machine OperatorExplore career pathways, key skills, and what each role has to offer.

How Do You Train for This Career?

Learn about the education and training paths that can lead to this career — and what to expect from each one.

Vocational SchoolA vocational school typically equips students with specialized skills and practical training in specific trades or occupations, enhancing their employability and providing direct pathways to relevant careers.

🎓 Skills-Focused

⏱️ Finish in 6 months - 2 years

Associate's DegreeAn associate's degree typically provides graduates with foundational knowledge and skills for entry-level jobs in the graduate's industry, or serves as a stepping stone towards further education.

🎓 College

⏱️ Finish in 2-3 years

Bachelor's DegreeA bachelor's degree typically results in increased knowledge about a variety of academic subjects, specialized knowledge in a focused field of study, and is considered the foundational qualification for many careers.

🎓 College

⏱️ Finish in 4-5+ years

Technology BootcampA technology bootcamp typically offers intensive training in specific tech skills, preparing participants for entry-level roles in the tech industry in a relatively short period of time.

🎓 Skills-Focused

⏱️ Finish in Less than a year

ApprenticeshipAn apprenticeship typically offers a combination of hands-on training and classroom instruction, leading to practical skills, industry-specific knowledge, and the potential for long-term employment in a specific trade or profession.

🎓 Paid Work

⏱️ Finish in 2-5 years

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