Vocational Programs for Metal Workers and Plastic Workers Career

The average annual wage of the occupations is $49,350 and $24 per hour. 4 vocational programs could be taken for the Metal Workers and Plastic Workers career. Based on BLS data, a total of 1,605,180 employees were employed in the Occupation.

The 2024 average tuition over the programs for preparing Metal Workers and Plastic Workers is $5,805. The average length of the programs is 1,054 hours and the average completion time is 9.97 months.

Vocational Programs to Prepare Metal Workers and Plastic Workers Career

The following 4 vocational programs are required or helpful to prepare Metal Workers and Plastic Workers.

The tuition, program length, and completion time program information is average amounts over all schools that offer each program. This information is only for vocational programs (i.e. certificate programs) and not for bachelor's or graduate degrees.

2024 Average Tuition and Time for Preparing Metal Workers and Plastic Workers
Program Name	Number of Schools	Tuition & Fees	Books & Supplies	Program Lengths	Avg. Completion Time
Machine Tool Technology/Machinist	273	$8,531	$1,382	1,078 Hours	10.69 Months
Machine Shop Technology/Assistant	135	$3,078	$525	1,030 Hours	9.25 Months
Sheet Metal Technology/Sheetworking	36	-	-	-	-
Ironworking/Ironworker	9	-	-	-	-

Related Occupations to Metal Workers and Plastic Workers Career

The following 65 occupations are related to Metal Workers and Plastic Workers.

Related Occupations toMetal Workers and Plastic Workers
Occupation	Total Employees	Annual Wages	Hourly Rate
	-	-	-
Mechanical Drafters	44,850	$69,920	$34
Calibration Technologists and Technicians	13,220	$67,360	$32
Sheet Metal Workers	116K	$64,270	$31
Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas	12,180	$67,320	$32
Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas	18,010	$60,250	$29
Industrial Machinery Mechanics	413K	$63,690	$31
Maintenance Workers, Machinery	58,040	$58,500	$28
Millwrights	37,930	$64,310	$31
Refractory Materials Repairers, Except Brickmasons	540	$49,900	$24
Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers	29,810	$62,860	$30
Engine and Other Machine Assemblers	47,960	$53,470	$26
Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters	57,810	$50,640	$24
Fiberglass Laminators and Fabricators	20,380	$43,920	$21
Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic	63,370	$45,440	$22
Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic	9,170	$47,350	$23
Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic	24,750	$49,290	$24
Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic	179K	$44,260	$21
Drilling and Boring Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic	5,740	$47,490	$23
Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic	75,260	$44,450	$21
Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic	19,560	$48,850	$23
Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic	13,990	$50,020	$24
Machinists	291K	$54,600	$26
Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders	20,870	$54,340	$26
Pourers and Casters, Metal	5,460	$50,110	$24
Model Makers, Metal and Plastic	2,840	$64,920	$31
Patternmakers, Metal and Plastic	2,150	$54,550	$26
Foundry Mold and Coremakers	11,780	$45,130	$22
Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic	159K	$42,060	$20
Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic	128K	$43,990	$21
Tool and Die Makers	58,150	$62,020	$30
Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers	422K	$52,640	$25
Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders	33,020	$47,120	$23
Heat Treating Equipment Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic	14,950	$46,540	$22
Layout Workers, Metal and Plastic	6,660	$60,110	$29
Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic	31,970	$42,550	$20
Tool Grinders, Filers, and Sharpeners	6,660	$48,520	$23
Textile Cutting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders	9,760	$37,040	$18
Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Synthetic and Glass Fibers	14,520	$45,270	$22
Fabric and Apparel Patternmakers	2,670	$66,750	$32
Cabinetmakers and Bench Carpenters	88,460	$44,620	$21
Model Makers, Wood	590	$52,510	$25
Patternmakers, Wood	260	$52,330	$25
Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood	43,570	$40,120	$19
Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing	61,250	$40,360	$19
Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators	33,840	$73,170	$35
Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders	120K	$57,350	$28
Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders	53,170	$51,960	$25
Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders	26,210	$46,390	$22
Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand	12,290	$41,490	$20
Cutters and Trimmers, Hand	7,220	$39,260	$19
Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders	52,720	$44,700	$21
Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders	57,080	$44,610	$21
Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators and Tenders	14,820	$47,540	$23
Painting, Coating, and Decorating Workers	10,700	$44,050	$21
Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators	188K	$51,030	$25
Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Programmers	28,030	$67,650	$33
Adhesive Bonding Machine Operators and Tenders	12,510	$44,400	$21
Cleaning, Washing, and Metal Pickling Equipment Operators and Tenders	15,210	$41,500	$20
Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders	6,500	$44,840	$22
Etchers and Engravers	8,140	$42,780	$21
Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic	38,480	$44,710	$22
Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders	96,460	$48,910	$24
Machine Feeders and Offbearers	44,500	$41,000	$20
Gas Compressor and Gas Pumping Station Operators	4,400	$63,810	$31

Schools offering vocational programs for Metal Workers and Plastic Workers

The following 393 schools offer the vocational programs and certificate courses for preparing Metal Workers and Plastic Workers. The list includes some 4-year colleges that have certificate or associate programs for the career.