Production · Holland code RC

Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

Set up, operate, or tend lathe and turning machines to turn, bore, thread, form, or face metal or plastic materials, such as wire, rod, or bar stock.

Also called: CNC Lathe Operator (Computer Numerical Control Lathe Operator), Lathe Operator, Machine Operator, Setup Operator, CNC Setup Operator (Computer Numerical Control Setup Operator), Numerical Control Operator (NC Operator), Screw Machine Operator, Screw Machine Tool Setter.

O*NET 51-4034.00

At a glance

US median annual pay: $50,620; Middle half earn $43,250 to $60,700. BLS OEWS, May 2025.
Most common education: High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED); 32% of workers surveyed by O*NET report this level.
Preparation needed: Job Zone 2 of 5; Some preparation. Zone 1 is little or none; zone 5 is graduate-level.

What the work involves

The tasks workers in this occupation rate as most important, from the O*NET survey.

Adjust machine controls and change tool settings to keep dimensions within specified tolerances.
Move controls to set cutting speeds and depths and feed rates, and to position tools in relation to workpieces.
Study blueprints, layouts or charts, and job orders for information on specifications and tooling instructions, and to determine material requirements and operational sequences.
Inspect sample workpieces to verify conformance with specifications, using instruments such as gauges, micrometers, and dial indicators.
Replace worn tools, and sharpen dull cutting tools and dies, using bench grinders or cutter-grinding machines.
Move toolholders manually or by turning handwheels, or engage automatic feeding mechanisms to feed tools to and along workpieces.
Compute unspecified dimensions and machine settings, using knowledge of metal properties and shop mathematics.
Crank machines through cycles, stopping to adjust tool positions and machine controls to ensure specified timing, clearances, and tolerances.

Skills and knowledge it leans on

Skills

Reading Comprehension3.0 / 5
Active Listening3.0 / 5
Monitoring3.0 / 5
Speaking2.8 / 5
Critical Thinking2.6 / 5
Writing2.3 / 5

Knowledge areas

Production and Processing4.0 / 5
Mechanical3.6 / 5
Engineering and Technology3.6 / 5
Education and Training3.3 / 5
Administration and Management3.3 / 5
Customer and Personal Service3.3 / 5

Importance ratings on O*NET’s 1 to 5 scale. Higher means the occupation depends on it more.

Who tends to enjoy it

How strongly this occupation draws on each of the six Holland interest types, which is the same profile the career interests test compares you against.

Realistic100
Investigative19
Artistic0
Social0
Enterprising0
Conventional56

The same work abroad

Other countries classify jobs differently, so these are the closest matches through the international ISCO-08 standard, not exact equivalents.

European occupation titles (ESCO)

metal planer operator · DE Maschinenbediener für Hobelmeißel/Maschinenbedienerin für Hobelmeißel · FR raboteur / raboteuse
router operator · DE Maschinenbediener für Oberfräse/Maschinenbedienerin für Oberfräse · FR mortaiseur/mortaiseuse
screw machine operator · DE Maschinenbediener in der Schraubenherstellung/Maschinenbedienerin in der Schraubenherstellung · FR décolleteur/décolleteuse
computer numerical control machine operator · DE CNC-Anwendungsfachkraft · FR opérateur sur machine à commande numérique par ordinateur/ opératrice sur machine à commande numérique par ordinateur
lathe and turning machine operator · DE CNC-Dreher/CNC-Dreherin · FR tourneur/tourneuse
metalworking lathe operator · DE Dreher/Dreherin · FR opérateur sur tour à métaux/opératrice sur tour à métaux

Closest UK occupation groups (SOC 2020)

Metal machining setters and setter-operators (5221)40,400 employed
Metal working machine operatives (8120)28,100 employed
Plant and machine operatives n.e.c. (8139)22,500 employed

Employment is the UK Annual Population Survey for April 2025 to March 2026, all workers in the group, which can be broader than this one occupation.

Pay across Europe, for the whole group

Median annual earnings of all employees in “Craft and related trades workers”. This is the broad ISCO group this occupation falls in, not the occupation itself, so treat it as context for the wage level, not as a salary for this job.

Median annual earnings, Craft and related trades workers, by country
Country	Median pay
Belgium	€40,086
Germany	€38,638
Austria	€38,194
Sweden	€37,856
Netherlands	€37,077
Ireland	€36,098
France	€27,145
Italy	€26,488
Spain	€22,817
Portugal	€11,142
Poland	€10,099

Eurostat Structure of Earnings Survey, businesses with ten or more employees outside public administration, in euro and not adjusted for the cost of living. Reference years differ between sources: the US, Japan and Europe figures on this page come from different survey years, so compare them as rough levels, not to the euro or yen.

Exposure to AI

This occupation sits in the lower third of the 774 occupations scored, with an exposure score of -1.07. The scores are standardized across those occupations, so 0 is the average and a score of 1 is about one standard deviation above it.

Our note on reading it: the dataset links AI applications to the abilities that occupations require, so the score reflects overlap between the two. It is a comparison between occupations, not a forecast about jobs. It does not say whether exposure means tasks are replaced or workers get more done with the tools, and it says little about one employer or one role.

Source: Felten, E., Raj, M., & Seamans, R. (2021). Occupational, industry, and geographic exposure to artificial intelligence: A novel dataset and its potential uses. Strategic Management Journal, 42(12), 2195-2217. Matched to this page by 6-digit SOC code (51-4034).

Is it a fit for you?

Interest is one input, alongside ability, pay and what is hiring near you. The career interests test takes about thirteen minutes and ranks occupations by how closely their profile matches yours.

Take the career interests test