SOC 51-4081 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic — El Paso
El Paso, TX · 6 metro areas compared
At $28,970, this is one of the lower medians recorded for Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic, 38.6% beneath the national figure of $47,180.
Wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
How pay has moved
The next ten years
Projected to decline
- Change in jobs, 2024 to 2034
- -0.5%
- Openings per year
- 12,800
- 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 El Paso, TX.
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
At $28,970, this is one of the lower medians recorded for Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic, 38.6% beneath the national figure of $47,180. The middle half of workers in this occupation earn between $27,600 and $38,560. The lowest tenth earn under $21,120, while the highest tenth earn more than $46,670.
Employment stands at 120, or 0.3 jobs per thousand held locally. Dallas leads the state's metro areas for this occupation, at $80,110. Set against every other occupation measured in the same area, it ranks 431st of 476 by median pay.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $21,120 | −55.2% |
| 25th | $27,600 | −41.5% |
| Median (50th) | $28,970 | −38.6% |
| 75th | $38,560 | −18.3% |
| 90th | $46,670 | −1.1% |
| Mean | $34,150 | −27.6% |
Other metro areas in Texas
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in El Paso run 10.1% below the national average, so the median of $28,970 goes as far as $32,225 would elsewhere in the country. Measured that way it compares to the national median at 31.7% below the national median in real terms.
Published median
$28,970as reported by BLSLocal price level
89.9US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$32,225US average = 100 · BEA 2024Why the state that pays most is usually not where pay goes furthest
Key takeaways
- Median pay is $28,970 a year, 38.6% below the national median.
- Published pay spans $21,120 to $46,670 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- The area has 120 jobs in this occupation.
- The highest-paying metro area covered is Dallas, at $80,110.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic in El Paso, TX?
The median annual wage is $28,970, or $13.93 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 $47,180, so pay in El Paso, TX is 38.6% lower. 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 El Paso, TX earns more than $46,670 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $21,120 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 Dallas, at $80,110 per year.
How many jobs are there in this occupation here?
The survey estimates 120 jobs in this occupation in El Paso, TX. 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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