Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic Salary in Northwest Illinois

BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics • May 2025 • Northwest Illinois nonmetropolitan area

Median annual salary $41,740 -15.2% vs national
Median hourly $20.07
10th percentile $40,670
90th percentile $56,620
Employed locally 110
National median $49,240

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

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Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
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Northwest Illinois
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    Salary percentile breakdown

    10th
    $40,670
    25th
    $41,740
    50th (median)
    $41,740
    75th
    $49,630
    90th
    $56,620

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

    Metro areaMedian salary
    Worcester, MA $86,590
    San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $65,690
    Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH $65,530
    New Jersey $63,630
    Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD $62,590
    Massachusetts $60,540

    Related occupations in Northwest Illinois

    OccupationMedian salary
    Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators$43,080
    First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers$68,880
    Food Batchmakers$38,010
    Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers$45,580
    Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers$50,420
    Machinists$46,860

    Frequently asked questions

    How much do Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic make per hour in Northwest Illinois?

    The median hourly wage for Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic in Northwest Illinois is $20.07, based on BLS OEWS 2025 data. Top earners (90th percentile) make $29.12 or more per hour.

    Is Northwest Illinois above or below average for Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic salaries?

    The median Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic salary in Northwest Illinois is 15.2% below the national median of $49,240. The national figure is from BLS OEWS 2025 data covering all US metropolitan areas.

    What is the entry-level salary for Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic in Northwest Illinois?

    Entry-level Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic (10th percentile) earn around $40,670 per year in Northwest Illinois. The 25th percentile — typically workers with 1–3 years of experience — earn approximately $41,740.