Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
Also called: CNC Lathe Operator (Computer Numerical Control Lathe Operator), Lathe Operator, Machine Operator, Setup OperatorSet 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.
On a phone, press and hold a picture to save it to Photos.
opens your phone's share sheet, where you can save both to Photos
What the data says: AI could halve the time on 1 of its 16 rated tasks, and jobs are projected to shrink 11.3% by 2035. How to think about this →
About this projection
BLS builds AI into its projections where the research supports it: “BLS generally applies adjustments based on this research conservatively, where there is convincing evidence for a change.”
It also notes a limit: “BLS projection methods are not designed to capture extremely rapid technological change.”
On its AI exposure groups, BLS says exposure “does not imply job loss.”
Recent conditions
- In 2024, 3.5% of people in this work were unemployed, against 3.8% across all occupations Census ACS 2024, all workers in the Census group “Other metal workers and plastic workers”
- From Sep 2025 to Aug 2026, 5.4 hires for every 10 job openings in durable goods manufacturing, which employs about 95% of people in this work, against 7.3 across all industries BLS JOLTS
One box per opening, filled for each hire; hires beyond the openings are added in a lighter shade. Higher can mean openings get filled, or that people leave often; lower, that jobs go unfilled, or hiring is slow.5.4 this industry7.3 all industries
Median pay by state BLS OEWS May 2025, state estimates
Tap a state for its figures.
Median pay in every state
| State | Median | Middle half earn | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $58,490 | $48,250 to $61,620 | 100 |
| Arizona | $55,840 | $54,300 to $63,040 | 110 |
| Arkansas | $39,060 | $31,860 to $43,250 | 190 |
| California | $60,180 | $48,130 to $68,740 | 2,600 |
| Colorado | $71,670 | $60,600 to $78,970 | 150 |
| Connecticut | $49,380 | $38,730 to $65,910 | 690 |
| Florida | $44,710 | $39,350 to $50,320 | 140 |
| Georgia | $50,180 | $44,170 to $58,460 | 100 |
| Illinois | $54,930 | $44,550 to $57,330 | 1,260 |
| Indiana | $49,420 | $47,380 to $59,090 | 710 |
| Iowa | $50,370 | $48,860 to $58,390 | 180 |
| Kansas | $47,310 | $42,620 to $65,700 | 90 |
| Kentucky | $47,060 | $39,730 to $52,050 | 250 |
| Louisiana | $50,560 | $43,890 to $64,630 | 90 |
| Maine | $64,800 | $45,830 to $66,510 | 80 |
| Maryland | $54,860 | $51,410 to $63,560 | 60 |
| Massachusetts | $60,870 | $48,520 to $68,930 | 690 |
| Michigan | $46,680 | $39,190 to $59,450 | 1,540 |
| Minnesota | $61,000 | $48,760 to $64,960 | 150 |
| Missouri | $48,950 | $44,950 to $57,240 | 160 |
| Nebraska | $47,350 | $44,690 to $59,860 | 120 |
| Nevada | $58,240 | $48,560 to $69,910 | 60 |
| New Hampshire | $48,980 | $46,650 to $54,390 | 150 |
| New Jersey | $48,180 | $41,480 to $62,610 | 190 |
| New York | $50,760 | $45,090 to $61,740 | 530 |
| North Carolina | $53,840 | $44,780 to $61,360 | 310 |
| Ohio | $49,880 | $44,730 to $60,840 | 1,180 |
| Oklahoma | $43,680 | $36,670 to $52,220 | 240 |
| Oregon | $41,640 | $38,860 to $57,430 | 40 |
| Pennsylvania | $57,020 | $47,180 to $66,500 | 580 |
| South Carolina | $49,490 | $44,820 to $61,960 | 370 |
| Tennessee | $40,730 | $37,770 to $55,850 | 700 |
| Texas | $48,020 | $32,210 to $55,460 | 2,150 |
| Virginia | $48,920 | $41,360 to $58,410 | 210 |
| West Virginia | $53,660 | $52,380 to $61,190 | 50 |
| Wisconsin | $51,020 | $44,980 to $60,440 | 340 |
Nationally: $50,620. Shades run from the lowest state median to the highest; a territory below that range takes the lightest. How to read this
How AI touches the work
What AI could speed up, task by task, and where people already use it.
AI could halve the time on 1 of its 16 rated tasks
| AI rating | Its main tasks | Share of Claude conversations May 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Not much | Adjust machine controls and change tool settings to keep dimensions within specified tolerances. | Not published |
| Not much | Replace worn tools, and sharpen dull cutting tools and dies, using bench grinders or cutter-grinding machines. | Not published |
| Not much | Inspect sample workpieces to verify conformance with specifications, using instruments such as gauges, micrometers, and dial indicators. | Not published |
| Not much | Start lathe or turning machines and observe operations to ensure that specifications are met. | Not published |
| Not much | Study blueprints, layouts or charts, and job orders for information on specifications and tooling instructions, and to determine material requirements and operational sequences. | Not published |
| Not much | Move controls to set cutting speeds and depths and feed rates, and to position tools in relation to workpieces. | Not published |
See all 18 tasks
| Not much | Crank machines through cycles, stopping to adjust tool positions and machine controls to ensure specified timing, clearances, and tolerances. | Not published |
| Not rated | Clean work area. | Not published |
| Not much | Position, secure, and align cutting tools in toolholders on machines, using hand tools, and verify their positions with measuring instruments. | Not published |
| Not rated | Program computer numerical control machines. | Not published |
| Not much | Refill, change, and monitor the level of fluids, such as oil and coolant, in machines. | Not published |
| Not much | Move toolholders manually or by turning handwheels, or engage automatic feeding mechanisms to feed tools to and along workpieces. | Not published |
| Not much | Lift metal stock or workpieces manually or using hoists, and position and secure them in machines, using fasteners and hand tools. | Not published |
| Not much | Compute unspecified dimensions and machine settings, using knowledge of metal properties and shop mathematics. | Not published |
| Not much | Install holding fixtures, cams, gears, and stops to control stock and tool movement, using hand tools, power tools, and measuring instruments. | Not published |
| AI + software | Select cutting tools and tooling instructions, according to written specifications or knowledge of metal properties and shop mathematics. | Not published |
| Not much | Turn valve handles to direct the flow of coolant onto work areas or to coat disks with spinning compounds. | Not published |
| Not much | Mount attachments, such as relieving or tracing attachments, to perform operations, such as duplicating contours of templates or trimming workpieces. | Not published |
Ordered by how important O*NET's respondents rate each task (1 to 5) times the share who say it is part of their job. The ordering is ours. 0 of the 18 have a published share of Claude conversations; “not published” means too few conversations for Anthropic to publish a figure.
Where people already use AI
The tasks above say what AI could speed up. This shows what people are using it for. Its 18 tasks fall under 16 work activities that many occupations share, and Microsoft counted how often each one came up in 200,000 conversations with its Copilot assistant in 2024.
- #8 Read documents or materials to inform work processes
- #31 Program computer systems or production equipment
- #38 Select materials or equipment for operations or projects
| Work activity | This occupation's tasks under it | People asked AI for help in 10,000 conversations |
AI did it for them in 10,000 conversations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Position workpieces or materials on equipment | |||
| Adjust equipment to ensure adequate performance | |||
| Measure physical characteristics of materials, products, or equipment | |||
| Operate cutting or grinding equipment | |||
| Read documents or materials to inform work processes | |||
| Program computer systems or production equipment | |||
| Select materials or equipment for operations or projects | |||
| Set up equipment |
Show all 16 activities
| Test performance of equipment or systems | |||
| Maintain facilities or equipment | |||
| Maintain tools or equipment | |||
| Clean tools, equipment, facilities, or work areas | |||
| Repair tools or equipment | |||
| Monitor equipment operation | |||
| Operate industrial processing or production equipment | |||
| Operate lifting or moving equipment |
How to read this
Work activities come from O*NET, which links every task to the broader activities it involves. Microsoft's figures are for the activity across everyone who used Copilot, not for lathe and turning machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic specifically. Copilot is a general chat assistant; dedicated coding tools are not included, so programming help is under-counted here. Activities are listed by how many of this occupation's tasks fall under them.
The task ratings say whether AI could halve the time a task takes: on its own (“AI alone”), or with software built on it (“AI + software”). They were made by people in 2023 (Eloundou et al.). Claude's share is the task's share of all Claude.ai conversations in May 2026; Anthropic doesn't publish a task with too few conversations. None of these add up to the BLS exposure group, which combines five research measures.
More in the Guide: task ratings · task order · work activities · Copilot figures · Claude
High exposure doesn't mean fewer jobs
BLS projects most occupations in its two most exposed groups to grow: 141 of 206 rated Very high and 165 of 206 rated High. Each dot is one of the 831 occupations BLS rates.
Career moves into and out of this occupation
From moves between occupations found in online resumes, 2002–2016. Career changes only: a first job after school isn't a move.
Where people moved in from
of 418 moves in
- 1 Merchandise Displayers and Window Trimmers Moderate +2.7% 18%
- 2 Web Developers (2010 group) an older group BLS has since split; no exposure group today 10%
- 3 Production Workers, All Other (2010 group) an older group BLS has since split; no exposure group today 10%
- 4 Managers, All Other (2010 group) an older group BLS has since split; no exposure group today 7%
- 5 Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technicians 4%
Resumes over-represent younger, white-collar job-seekers and moves into management. Schubert, Stansbury and Taska (resume data).
Education and training for the occupation
O*NET survey of workers in this occupation
- 18% less than high school
- 32% high school
- 12% postsecondary certificate
- 29% some college
- 10% professional doctorate
O*NET 31.0 survey of workers in this occupation · 23 people answered.
Census survey (American Community Survey)
- 14% less than high school
- 52% high school
- 21% some college
- 8% associate's
- 4% bachelor's
- 1% master's
Census ACS 2024, all workers in the Census group “Other metal workers and plastic workers” · 3,391 people surveyed.
Why the two can differ
O*NET asks about 20 people in each occupation, which makes its shares uncertain, but it reports the exact occupation and counts certificates. The Census survey reaches thousands, but it groups some occupations together and counts degrees only. More in the Guide
Median pay by highest degree full-time, year-round · Census ACS 2024, all workers in the Census group “Other metal workers and plastic workers”
1 program: Machine Tool Technology/Machinist.
Jobs that require a credential BLS Occupational Requirements Survey 2023
BLS publishes no credential figures for this occupation.
Look up certifications, training and licenses U.S. Department of Labor
- Certification Finder ↗ certifications CareerOneStop lists for this occupation
- Training Finder ↗ schools and programs, nationwide; narrow the place there
- License Finder ↗ licenses by state
- Apprenticeship Finder ↗ DOL lists 11 registered apprenticeships in this occupation. Apprenticeship.gov can't be linked to one occupation, so search for “Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic” there.
These open in a new tab and send only the occupation's public code. More in the Guide
BLS AI exposure categories (Aug 2026) · BLS Employment Projections 2025–35 · O*NET 31.0 · Task ratings: Eloundou et al., Science (2024) · Microsoft "Working with AI" v1.1 · Anthropic Economic Index (2026-06-26) · Schubert, Stansbury and Taska · NCES CIP–SOC · Census ACS 2024 · BLS JOLTS
See it online, and explore any career: https://www.pathmosaic.com/card/51-4034.00