Jobs Similar to Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
Also called: Cutting and Press Machine Operators
The careers below use the most similar skills, knowledge and work activities to cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic, according to O*NET 31.0. The closest are Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic, Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders and Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic.
Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic: $46,330 median pay · usual preparation: High school.
Updated October 2026 · Data: O*NET 31.0 and BLS OEWS May 2025 · How we match careers
The 20 most similar careers
- 1Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
84% similar · $52,800 (+14%) · High school · Same group
- 2Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
84% similar · $45,760 (−1%) · High school
- 3Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
83% similar · $49,030 (+6%) · High school · Same group
- 4Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
83% similar · $44,350 (−4%) · High school · Same group
- 5Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
83% similar · $46,550 (0%) · High school · Same group
- 6Textile Cutting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
83% similar · $38,760 (−16%) · High school
- 7Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Synthetic and Glass Fibers
83% similar · $46,350 (0%) · High school
- 8Drilling and Boring Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
82% similar · $49,080 (+6%) · High school · Same group
- 9Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
82% similar · $47,180 (+2%) · High school · Same group
- 10Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
82% similar · $50,270 (+9%) · High school
- 11Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood
82% similar · $42,770 (−8%) · High school
- 12Engine and Other Machine Assemblers
82% similar · $53,710 (+16%) · High school
- 13Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
82% similar · $50,140 (+8%) · High school · Same group
- 14Textile Knitting and Weaving Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
82% similar · $39,530 (−15%) · High school
- 15Adhesive Bonding Machine Operators and Tenders
82% similar · $46,460 (0%) · High school
- 16Pourers and Casters, Metal
82% similar · $51,810 (+12%) · High school · Same group
- 17Tool Grinders, Filers, and Sharpeners
81% similar · $50,060 (+8%) · High school · Same group
- 18Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing
81% similar · $43,380 (−6%) · High school
- 19Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders
81% similar · $41,330 (−11%) · High school
- 20Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand
81% similar · $42,660 (−8%) · High school
Similarity: weighted correlation of O*NET 31.0 transferable skills (35%), knowledge (25%), work activities (15%) and interests (15%). Pay and schooling do not change it. Pay change compares BLS May 2025 national medians; careers with only a broader BLS group wage are not compared. “Same group”: the same BLS occupation group (SOC minor group). Methodology
Similar jobs that pay more
Only careers that usually need no more preparation than cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic.
- Engine and Other Machine Assemblers82% similar · $53,710 (+16%)
- Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic84% similar · $52,800 (+14%)
- Pourers and Casters, Metal82% similar · $51,810 (+12%)
- Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders82% similar · $50,270 (+9%)
- Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic82% similar · $50,140 (+8%)
- Tool Grinders, Filers, and Sharpeners81% similar · $50,060 (+8%)
Thinking of a career change?
Similar is not the same as a good next step. Our career-change list for cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic also weighs pay drops and extra schooling, and puts jobs outside the field first.
Jobs that can lead here
Careers where cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic is one of the best career-change matches (match score in brackets).
- Textile Cutting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders (93)
- Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders (91)
- Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders (89)
- Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood (89)
- Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders (88)
- Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand (88)
- Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing (88)
- Adhesive Bonding Machine Operators and Tenders (86)
- Textile Knitting and Weaving Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders (86)
- Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators (84)
Questions about jobs like cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic
What jobs are most similar to cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic?
By O*NET 31.0 data, the closest are Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic (84% similar), Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders (84% similar), Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic (83% similar), Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic (83% similar) and Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic (83% similar).
Which jobs like cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic pay more?
Among the 20 most similar careers, Engine and Other Machine Assemblers ($53,710, +16%; usually a high school diploma), Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic ($52,800, +14%; usually a high school diploma) and Pourers and Casters ($51,810, +12%; usually a high school diploma) have the highest BLS median pay compared with cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic ($46,330). Without more preparation than cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic usually need: Engine and Other Machine Assemblers, Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic and Pourers and Casters.
How is the similarity percentage worked out?
We compare how important each transferable skill, knowledge area, work activity and interest area is in both jobs (O*NET 31.0 ratings) with a weighted correlation. 100% would mean the same profile. Unlike our career-change matches, pay and extra schooling do not lower the similarity on this page.