SOC 51-9041 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders — St. Louis
St. Louis, MO-IL · 3 metro areas compared
The median wage for Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders in St.
Wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
How pay has moved
The next ten years
Projected to grow about as fast as average
- Change in jobs, 2024 to 2034
- +2.0%
- Openings per year
- 5,200
- Typical entry-level education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- On-the-job training
- Moderate-term on-the-job training
Includes jobs opened by workers leaving the occupation, not only new positions.
Projections are published nationally only. This is the outlook for the occupation across the United States, not a measurement for St. Louis, MO-IL.
Projections are based on 2024 employment and run to 2034. The wages above are from the May 2025 survey, a separate BLS programme on a different release cycle, so the two are not two views of one dataset.
Salary overview
The median wage for Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders in St. Louis, MO is $56,320 per year, 23.1% above the national median of $45,760. Half of workers earn between $45,280 and $77,050. Beyond that band, the tenth percentile sits at $35,660 and the ninetieth at $77,050.
Employment stands at 590, or 0.4 jobs per thousand held locally. Within the state, Kansas City records the highest median at $42,700. Of the 652 occupations with published wages in this area, it sits 370th.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $35,660 | −22.1% |
| 25th | $45,280 | −1.0% |
| Median (50th) | $56,320 | +23.1% |
| 75th | $77,050 | +68.4% |
| 90th | $77,050 | +68.4% |
| Mean | $58,390 | +27.6% |
Other metro areas in Missouri
| # | Metro area | Median | Jobs | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kansas City | $42,700 | 190 | |
| 2 | St. Joseph | $42,410 | 40 | |
| 3 | Jefferson City | $41,670 | 30 |
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in St. Louis run 4.9% below the national average, so the median of $56,320 goes as far as $59,222 would elsewhere in the country. Measured that way it compares to the national median at 29.4% above the national median in real terms.
Published median
$56,320as reported by BLSLocal price level
95.1US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$59,222US average = 100 · BEA 2024Why the state that pays most is usually not where pay goes furthest
Key takeaways
- Median pay is $56,320 a year, 23.1% above the national median.
- Published pay spans $35,660 to $77,050 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- The area has 590 jobs in this occupation.
- The highest-paying metro area covered is Kansas City, at $42,700.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders in St. Louis, MO?
The median annual wage is $56,320, or $27.08 per hour, as of May 2025. Half of the workers in this occupation earn more than that and half earn less.
Is that higher than the national average?
The national median for this occupation is $45,760, so pay in St. Louis, MO is 23.1% higher. These figures are medians, not averages: half of workers fall on each side.
What do the top earners make?
The top tenth of this occupation in St. Louis, MO earns more than $77,050 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $35,660 per year. The survey measures wages actually paid rather than experience level, so this reflects the lowest-paid tenth rather than entry-level pay specifically.
Which area nearby pays the most?
The highest median for this occupation among the metro areas covered is in Kansas City, at $42,700 per year.
How many jobs are there in this occupation here?
The survey estimates 590 jobs in this occupation in St. Louis, MO. Self-employed workers are not included.
Source and methodology
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 Wages are for wage-and-salary workers; self-employed workers are not included. Salary Explorer is an independent project. It is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics or any government agency. Full methodology.
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