Metal and plastic machine workers
Salary, job outlook, AI risk & career information
Metal and plastic machine workers in the United States earn a median salary of $58,750 per year — about $28 per hour, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Roughly 1.0M people work in this occupation nationwide, with projected employment growth of -7%.
AI & Automation Risk
The core of the work is physical and requires presence on a factory floor to handle materials and maintain machinery. However, AI and advanced automation are increasingly capable of handling the digital aspects of the job, such as CNC programming, machine monitoring, and quality inspection, which is already contributing to a projected decline in employment.
Salary by City — What You Actually Take Home
Real purchasing power = salary adjusted for cost of living. Higher = more money in your pocket.
| City | Local Salary | Cost of Living | Real Purchasing Power |
|---|---|---|---|
| Florence-Muscle Shoals, ALBEST VALUE | $82,690 | Below avg (84.8) | $97,492 |
| Lake Charles, LA | $75,580 | Below avg (85.9) | $88,035 |
| Bismarck, ND | $74,090 | Below avg (91.0) | $81,396 |
| Barnstable Town, MA | $77,650 | Average (98.4) | $78,952 |
| Duluth, MN-WI | $69,440 | Below avg (88.8) | $78,226 |
| Grand Island, NE | $67,430 | Below avg (86.7) | $77,813 |
| Corpus Christi, TX | $71,590 | Below avg (92.7) | $77,252 |
| St. Joseph, MO-KS | $66,390 | Below avg (86.4) | $76,856 |
| Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | $80,620 | Above avg (105.6) | $76,340 |
| Urban Honolulu, HI | $84,410 | Above avg (111.0) | $76,072 |
| Monroe, LA | $63,350 | Below avg (83.6) | $75,780 |
| Baton Rouge, LA | $67,700 | Below avg (90.8) | $74,576 |
| Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC | $67,140 | Below avg (91.9) | $73,055 |
| Warner Robins, GA | $68,060 | Below avg (93.8) | $72,567 |
| New Orleans-Metairie, LA | $66,990 | Below avg (92.6) | $72,346 |