Production · Holland code RC

Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

Set up, operate, or tend milling or planing machines to mill, plane, shape, groove, or profile metal or plastic work pieces.

Also called: CNC Licensed Mill Operator (Computer Numerical Control Licensed Mill Operator), CNC Mill Operator (Computerized Numerical Control Mill Operator), Machine Operator, Mill Operator, CNC Mill Operator (Computer Numerical Control Mill Operator), CNC Mill Set Up Operator (Computerized Numerical Control Mill Set Up Operator), Machine Set Up Operator, Miller.

O*NET 51-4035.00

At a glance

US median annual pay: $52,800; Middle half earn $45,210 to $64,900. BLS OEWS, May 2025.
Most common education: High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED); 47% 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.

Remove workpieces from machines, and check to ensure that they conform to specifications, using measuring instruments such as microscopes, gauges, calipers, and micrometers.
Verify alignment of workpieces on machines, using measuring instruments such as rules, gauges, or calipers.
Move controls to set cutting specifications, to position cutting tools and workpieces in relation to each other, and to start machines.
Observe milling or planing machine operation, and adjust controls to ensure conformance with specified tolerances.
Select and install cutting tools and other accessories according to specifications, using hand tools or power tools.
Position and secure workpieces on machines, using holding devices, measuring instruments, hand tools, and hoists.
Replace worn tools, using hand tools, and sharpen dull tools, using bench grinders.
Study blueprints, layouts, sketches, or work orders to assess workpiece specifications and to determine tooling instructions, tools and materials needed, and sequences of operations.

Skills and knowledge it leans on

Skills

Critical Thinking3.1 / 5
Monitoring3.1 / 5
Active Listening3.0 / 5
Reading Comprehension2.9 / 5
Speaking2.9 / 5
Writing2.6 / 5

Knowledge areas

Mechanical3.7 / 5
Production and Processing3.6 / 5
Mathematics3.5 / 5
English Language3.5 / 5
Computers and Electronics3.2 / 5
Education and Training3.0 / 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
Investigative24
Artistic3
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
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
grinding machine operator · DE CNC-Schleifer/CNC-Schleiferin · FR rectifieur/rectifieuse
metal sawing machine operator · DE Metallsäger/Metallsägerin · FR opérateur sur machine à scier les métaux/opératrice sur machine à scier les métaux
milling machine operator · DE CNC-Fräser/CNC-Fräserin · FR fraiseur/fraiseuse

Closest UK occupation groups (SOC 2020)

Metal machining setters and setter-operators (5221)40,400 employed
Metal making and treating process operatives (8115)11,500 employed
Metal working machine operatives (8120)28,100 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 -0.87. 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 (51-4035).

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