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Boston Career Explorer

Production

Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

Set up, operate, or tend forging machines to taper, shape, or form metal or plastic parts.

Also called: Blacksmith, Forge Operator, Forge Press Operator, Forger, Hammer Operator, Header Operator

Median pay in Greater Boston
$58,980
$28.36/hr
Jobs in Greater Boston
80
Massachusetts 2024–2034
−16.4%
20 openings a year
Typical U.S. entry requirement
High school diploma or equivalent
plus Moderate-term on-the-job training

Greater Boston: Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro area, May 2025. Growth and openings: Massachusetts statewide projection.

Pay range in Greater Boston

Yearly pay in Greater Boston by percentile
10th25thMedian75th90th
$39,640$47,200$58,980$76,890$91,800

10% of workers earn less than the first figure and 10% earn more than the last.

What you’d do

  • Start machines to produce sample workpieces, and observe operations to detect machine malfunctions and to verify that machine setups conform to specifications.
  • Read work orders or blueprints to determine specified tolerances and sequences of operations for machine setup.
  • Confer with other workers about machine setups and operational specifications.
  • Measure and inspect machined parts to ensure conformance to product specifications.
  • Turn handles or knobs to set pressures and depths of ram strokes and to synchronize machine operations.
  • Set up, operate, or tend presses and forging machines to perform hot or cold forging by flattening, straightening, bending, cutting, piercing, or other operations to taper, shape, or form metal.

AI and this job

AI exposure: how much of this job’s work AI tools can do or help with, based on national research. It is not a forecast of job loss.

Lower exposure19 of 100

The index averages three national research measures, each shown as a percentile of all jobs:

  • AIOE 23
  • Language-model AIOE 22
  • GPTs-are-GPTs 11

Observed AI use today: Little or none (Anthropic Economic Index)

AI exposure for forging machine operators is lower, and observed AI use is little or none. AI tools may help with reading work orders and blueprints and checking measurements. Running test pieces, watching for machine problems, and talking with coworkers about setups are done by people. The bigger change is automation: federal projections say CNC and programmable machines are doing tasks these workers once did, and Massachusetts jobs are projected to fall 16.4%.

Likely to change

  • Reading work orders and blueprints
  • Measuring and inspecting finished parts

Still relies on people

  • Watching machines to catch malfunctions
  • Talking with coworkers about machine setups

What federal projections say

“Productivity change, occupational substitution - share decreases as manufacturers continue to use and integrate automated, CNC, and programmable machines to complete tasks previously done by these workers.”
BLS Employment Projections 2025–35, factors affecting this job (U.S.)

Written with AI from the data on this page. Check with a career coach before making a decision.

Next steps from here

Related jobs that build on what you already do.

  • Industrial Machinery Mechanics

    You know how machines should run, which helps in repairing them. It requires long-term training but pays $75,200 and has 17.1% projected growth.

    Pay difference
    +$16,220 median
    AI exposure
    Lower
    MA growth
    +17.1%
    To get started
    High school diploma or equivalent

  • Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers

    Reading specifications and checking parts for defects carry over. Welding pays a Boston median of $63,770 and has 4.2% projected growth.

    Pay difference
    +$4,790 median
    AI exposure
    Lower
    MA growth
    +4.2%
    To get started
    High school diploma or equivalent

  • Maintenance and Repair Workers, General

    Diagnosing machine malfunctions is part of both jobs. It pays a Boston median of $59,670 and has 5.2% projected growth.

    Pay difference
    +$690 median
    AI exposure
    Lower
    MA growth
    +5.2%
    To get started
    High school diploma or equivalent

Training near Boston

College and school programs in the Boston metro area that lead to this job, with 2023-24 completions (IPEDS).

No college programs near Boston map to this job. Many people enter through on-the-job training or apprenticeship.

Talk to a career coach at the Office of Workforce Development about apprenticeships and City partner programs.

Related occupations

Talk to a career coach

A coach at the Office of Workforce Development can help you plan your next step, and connect you with training, apprenticeships and City partner programs that are not listed here.

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