51
Heat Treating Equipment Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic is a notable career in the 51 category. This page provides verified data from BLS OEWS 2024 + O*NET 29.0 (2024), helping you compare Heat Treating Equipment Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic against similar careers and make data-driven decisions.
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| soc | 51-4191 |
| title | Heat Treating Equipment Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic |
| onet code | 51-4191.00 |
| description | Set up, operate, or tend heating equipment, such as heat-treating furnaces, flame-hardening machines, induction machines, soaking pits, or vacuum equipment to temper, harden, anneal, or heat treat metal or plastic objects. |
| job zone | 2 |
| major group | 51 |
| tot emp | 14,590 |
| a mean | 49,030 |
| a median | 47,450 |
| a pct10 | 35,260 |
| a pct25 | 39,900 |
| a pct75 | 56,330 |
| a pct90 | 64,290 |
| h mean | 23 |
| h median | 22 |
The day-to-day work of a heat treating equipment setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic typically centers on read production schedules and work orders to determine processing sequences, furnace temperatures, and heat cycle requirements for objects to be heat-treated. Every task listed below is classified as Core in O*NET — they collectively define the role. Task descriptions below are quoted from the U.S. Department of Labor's O*NET 29.0 occupation profile.
Workers in this occupation rely most on Operation and Control, Operations Monitoring, and Monitoring. Across the top 9 skills, the average O*NET importance score is 3.22 out of 5 — moderately weighted for this role. Importance reflects how essential each skill is for adequate job performance.
Among working heat treating equipment setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic, the most common entry qualification is a High School Diploma (69.8%). Bachelor's-degree-or-higher credentials are reported by 0% of incumbents. Most workers enter without a four-year degree, making this a relatively accessible career path.
Median annual pay is highest in Washington at $64,040 and lowest in Arkansas at $34,970 — a 1.8× spread. The top five states (Washington, Oregon, Colorado, Massachusetts, West Virginia) average $58,698. Figures reflect BLS OEWS May 2024 state-level wage estimates; percentiles shown are for full-time wage-earners in each state.
| State | Median | Mean | 10th % | 90th % | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | $64,040 | $73,480 | $49,420 | $105,830 | 140 |
| Oregon | $62,200 | $64,090 | $44,630 | $79,500 | 160 |
| Colorado | $56,810 | $61,160 | $47,280 | $81,210 | 80 |
| Massachusetts | $55,340 | $56,540 | $39,140 | $81,150 | 190 |
| West Virginia | $55,100 | $50,630 | $36,390 | $59,060 | 60 |
| New York | $52,470 | $54,910 | $39,840 | $85,650 | 280 |
| Kentucky | $51,360 | $50,150 | $35,320 | $62,210 | 260 |
| Kansas | $50,890 | $55,140 | $37,800 | $75,530 | 80 |
| Arizona | $50,220 | $52,200 | $40,990 | $66,170 | 140 |
| New Hampshire | $50,170 | $50,790 | $40,860 | $60,850 | 60 |
| Iowa | $49,560 | $51,760 | $39,560 | $62,640 | 160 |
| Ohio | $49,460 | $51,150 | $38,320 | $65,220 | 1,580 |
| Pennsylvania | $49,250 | $49,590 | $36,870 | $62,640 | 1,410 |
| Virginia | $48,680 | $50,820 | $37,260 | $81,090 | 140 |
| Indiana | $48,590 | $51,140 | $36,910 | $65,060 | 990 |
| Mississippi | $48,360 | $49,690 | $30,140 | $71,760 | 100 |
| Michigan | $48,320 | $49,250 | $39,890 | $59,730 | 1,220 |
| California | $48,280 | $52,420 | $40,030 | $66,280 | 800 |
| Missouri | $48,070 | $48,800 | $40,870 | $61,760 | 320 |
| Wisconsin | $47,950 | $51,220 | $44,720 | $60,870 | 510 |
| Nebraska | $47,300 | $44,820 | $36,880 | $54,050 | 50 |
| Minnesota | $46,940 | $46,780 | $37,030 | $61,030 | 110 |
| Utah | $46,360 | $47,870 | $38,490 | $62,570 | 110 |
| South Carolina | $45,310 | $46,130 | $37,340 | $58,550 | 460 |
| New Jersey | $45,100 | $50,710 | $36,320 | $73,830 | 210 |
| Alabama | $44,720 | $50,190 | $37,970 | $99,070 | 150 |
| Texas | $43,910 | $44,870 | $25,540 | $65,220 | 1,940 |
| Florida | $43,780 | $45,910 | $35,100 | $60,210 | 180 |
| North Carolina | $43,580 | $45,240 | $34,950 | $57,920 | 350 |
| Illinois | $41,710 | $43,080 | $32,040 | $57,870 | 960 |
| Oklahoma | $41,270 | $51,040 | $34,980 | $72,360 | 140 |
| Georgia | $40,670 | $44,300 | $35,980 | $58,530 | 440 |
| Tennessee | $38,170 | $46,340 | $32,060 | $77,060 | 180 |
| Connecticut | $38,000 | $44,330 | $33,460 | $60,920 | 230 |
| Arkansas | $34,970 | $38,730 | $30,430 | $50,470 | 240 |
Recruiters and job boards use several alternate titles for heat treating equipment setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic. Knowing these variants widens your job search — listings for Annealer or Annealing Furnace Operator frequently describe the same role. The list below is a sample of the most common industry variants.
This data helps you understand how Heat Treating Equipment Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic compares to others in the 51 category. Use it to make informed decisions based on verified data from BLS OEWS 2024 + O*NET 29.0.
careers with the closest data values to Heat Treating Equipment Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
The CertifyWize editorial team aggregates and verifies careers data from BLS OEWS 2024 + O*NET 29.0. Every statistic on this site is cross-referenced against the official source before publication, with quarterly re-verification cycles.
Read our full methodology or contact us with corrections.
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