Metal Workers and Plastic Workers

How to become a Drilling and Boring Machine Tool Setter, Operator or Tender, Metal and Plastic

Official title: Drilling and Boring Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

Also called: Bore Mill Operator, CNC Drilling Operator (Computer Numerical Control Drilling Operator), CNC Machinist (Computer Numerical Control Machinist), Drill Operator, Drill Press Operator, Drill Setup Operator, Machine Operator, Punch Operator, Radial Drill Operator, Setup Mill Operator

Set up, operate, or tend drilling machines to drill, bore, ream, mill, or countersink metal or plastic work pieces.

Main tasks

Verify conformance of machined work to specifications, using measuring instruments, such as calipers, micrometers, or fixed or telescoping gauges.
Study machining instructions, job orders, or blueprints to determine dimensional or finish specifications, sequences of operations, setups, or tooling requirements.
Move machine controls to lower tools to workpieces and to engage automatic feeds.
Verify that workpiece reference lines are parallel to the axis of table rotation, using dial indicators mounted in spindles.
Establish zero reference points on workpieces, such as at the intersections of two edges or over hole locations.
Change worn cutting tools, using wrenches.
Select and set cutting speeds, feed rates, depths of cuts, and cutting tools, according to machining instructions or knowledge of metal properties.
Position and secure workpieces on tables, using bolts, jigs, clamps, shims, or other holding devices.

How to become one

Metal and plastic workers typically need a high school diploma to enter the occupation and receive 1 year of on-the-job training. Computer numerically controlled (CNC) tool programmers typically need postsecondary training.

Typical education to start: High school diploma or equivalent

Read the full guide from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Pay · Outlook · AI and this job

Median pay: $49,080 a year The middle half earn $41,710 to $57,940.
About 4,700 people work in this job now, and about 4,200 are projected by 2035. (-9.5%)
People use generative AI for relatively little of this work so far. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as low.

Questions people ask

How do I become a Drilling and Boring Machine Tool Setter, Operator or Tender, Metal and Plastic?

How much does a Drilling and Boring Machine Tool Setter, Operator or Tender, Metal and Plastic earn in the US?

Median full-time pay is $49,080 a year (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). The middle half earn $41,710 to $57,940.

Is a Drilling and Boring Machine Tool Setter, Operator or Tender, Metal and Plastic a growing career in the US?

Employment is projected to fall 9% by 2035, from about 4,700 to about 4,200 people (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).

Do you need a degree to become a Drilling and Boring Machine Tool Setter, Operator or Tender, Metal and Plastic?

Usually not. Only 8% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Will AI change the work of a Drilling and Boring Machine Tool Setter, Operator or Tender, Metal and Plastic?

People use generative AI for relatively little of this work so far. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as low.

Sources

Microsoft Research: Working with AI: AI applicability by occupation (2025-12-22 (built on O*NET 29.0)), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Employment Projections (2025-35 (released 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Outlook Handbook (2025-35 edition (published 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS); photographs excluded, retrieved 2026-10-03
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03

Updated 2026-10-03

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.