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Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
Production · SOC 51-4034
0.0% AI Exposure — Low
$50,620
Median Annual Salary
Average
O*NET Outlook
2,800
Proj. Annual Openings
16,710
Employment (OEWS 2025)
-8.3%/yr
Empl. growth (2019–2025)
100/100
AI Resiliency Score
AI exposure from the Anthropic Economic Index (2025); salary from BLS; skills from O*NET. See /sources.
Decision card
Career Evidence Passport
SOC 51-4034 evidence across exposure, wages, projections, postings, certified LCAs, skills, and transitions.
Proxy / seed data labeledDescriptive-only
- SOC exposure
- 0.0%
- Low · Anthropic AEI
- Automation friction
- 52/100
- Moderate friction; broad SOC seed ORS job-requirements coverage.
- Wages
- $50,620
- No H-1B offered-wage row for this SOC.
- Projected openings
- 2,800
- BLS EP 2024–2034; employment change -13.6%.
- Observed/proxy demand
- —
- FY— certified LCAs; 2,989 postings in 2025.
Skill evidence
Operations MonitoringOperation and ControlMonitoringQuality Control AnalysisReading Comprehension
Transition context
- H-1B values are certified Labor Condition Applications, not visa approvals.
- Job postings are seed-static / seed-derived; treat as provider-ready proxy coverage until observed provider data is wired in.
- Transition matches are directional skill-overlap context, not placement guarantees.
- This release is a FutureGrid broad-SOC seed derived from public BLS ORS requirement concepts and categories, not direct occupation-level ORS survey estimates. It describes job requirements, not worker ability, AI capability, or displacement probability. Automation friction is a FutureGrid derived score and should be read alongside exposure, demand, wage, and projection signals.
AI Exposure Analysis
AI Exposure0.0%
AI Resiliency100/100
Exposure BandLow
Sector Avg. Exposure0.7%
Across AI measures
Multiple exposure lenses for this occupation.
18.1%
Consensus
Actual adoption · Anthropic0%
AI capability · OpenAI16.1%
AI ability · AIOE38.2%
Automation baseline (2013) · Frey & Osborne84%
AI could do ~16.1% of this role but only ~0% is currently done with AI — a large capability-vs-adoption gap.
Top Skills
1.Operations Monitoring
2.Operation and Control
3.Monitoring
4.Quality Control Analysis
5.Reading Comprehension
H-1B Visa Sponsorship Demand
View full H-1B trends →No H-1B certified LCA filings recorded for this occupation in FY2016–FY2025.
O*NET occupation profile
What this work involves
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.
Common titles: CNC Lathe Operator (Computer Numerical Control Lathe Operator), CNC Setup Operator (Computer Numerical Control Setup Operator), Lathe Operator, Machine Operator, Numerical Control Operator (NC Operator), Screw Machine Operator
Representative Tasks
- •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.
Detailed Work Activities
- •Operate metal or plastic forming equipment.
- •Read work orders or other instructions to determine product specifications or materials requirements.
- •Review blueprints or other instructions to determine operational methods or sequences.
- •Set equipment controls to meet cutting specifications.
- •Measure dimensions of completed products or workpieces to verify conformance to specifications.
Tools & Technologies
Autodesk HSMWorksComputer numerical control CNC editor softwareG-codeInventory tracking softwareM-code
Related Occupations
Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticGrinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticMultiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticWoodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except SawingTool Grinders, Filers, and Sharpeners
Employment Projections & AI Exposure
15
Occupations Shown
0.5%
Avg AI Exposure
1
Bright Outlook
Horizontal bar chart showing occupations with the highest projected annual openings. Each bar length represents annual projected openings. Color uses a gradient from violet (lower) to cyan (higher). Summary statistics are shown above the chart.
Employment & Wage Trend
BLS OEWS, 2019–2025
Multi-year BLS OEWS history for SOC 51-4034: 2019 — employment: 28,070, median wage: $40,100; 2020 — employment: 23,710, median wage: $41,380; 2021 — employment: 19,690, median wage: $44,240; 2022 — employment: 19,410, median wage: $47,020; 2023 — employment: 19,560, median wage: $47,110; 2025 — employment: 16,710, median wage: $50,620.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). See /sources.
Sector Comparison
| Metric | This Career | Sector Average |
|---|---|---|
| AI Exposure | 0.0% | 0.7% |
| Outlook | Average | 4% Bright |
| Median Salary | $50,620 | N/A |
| AI Resiliency | 100/100 | N/A |