Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic Salary in Hickory, NC

BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics • May 2025 • Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC

Median annual salary $52,150 +11% vs national
Median hourly $25.07
10th percentile $44,040
90th percentile $57,640
Employed locally 1,400
National median $46,980

Compare Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic salary & buying power

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Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
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    Salary percentile breakdown

    10th
    $44,040
    25th
    $51,100
    50th (median)
    $52,150
    75th
    $57,570
    90th
    $57,640

    Hickory economic context

    Unemployment rate 3.60% 2024 annual avg • BLS LAUS
    Median household income $60,255 2023 • Census ACS
    Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic salary vs area income 87% Median Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic salary is 13% below the area median household income

    Top-paying metros for Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

    Metro areaMedian salary
    Baton Rouge, LA $103,300
    Central New Hampshire nonmetropolitan area $65,870
    Rhode Island $64,860
    Oshkosh-Neenah, WI $62,710
    Cedar Rapids, IA $62,240
    Burlington-South Burlington, VT $59,480

    Nearby metros — Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic salary comparison

    Metro areaMedian salary
    Providence-Warwick, RI-MA $55,290
    Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC $53,720
    Rocky Mount, NC $53,670
    San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $52,060
    Manchester-Nashua, NH $50,310
    Greensboro-High Point, NC $49,770

    Related occupations in Hickory, NC

    OccupationMedian salary
    Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators $38,670
    Upholsterers $59,400
    Sewing Machine Operators $46,360
    First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers $63,280
    Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers $41,340
    Production Workers, All Other $37,510

    Frequently asked questions

    How much do Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic make per hour in Hickory?

    The median hourly wage for Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic in Hickory, NC is $25.07, based on BLS OEWS 2025 data. Top earners (90th percentile) make $28.59 or more per hour.

    Is Hickory above or below average for Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic salaries?

    The median Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic salary in Hickory, NC is 11% above the national median of $46,980. The national figure is from BLS OEWS 2025 data covering all US metropolitan areas.

    What is the entry-level salary for Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic in Hickory?

    Entry-level Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic (10th percentile) earn around $44,040 per year in Hickory, NC. The 25th percentile — typically workers with 1–3 years of experience — earn approximately $51,100.