Metal Forming Machine Operating

What the Numbers Say About Metal Forming Machine Operating

Federal agencies employ 303 people in the Metal Forming Machine Operating occupation (OPM code 3869), accounting for 0.0% of the total federal civilian workforce of 2,289,472 for the March 2025 reporting window. Headcount in this occupation moved down by -4.7% versus the prior period, though at this small a headcount, year-to-year swings can reflect a handful of hires or departures rather than a broad hiring trend.

Average tenure in Metal Forming Machine Operating runs 10.1 years, a mid-length average tenure, reflecting a mix of career employees and those who transfer or exit mid-career. Pay averages $69,849 per year, 36.4% below the $109,869 federal civilian average and up 2.0% from the prior period, a modest shift, consistent with routine locality pay and grade-level movement.

The Metal Work Family family (code 38) groups Metal Forming Machine Operating together with 6 other related occupations across the federal government. Candidates browsing USAJOBS for Metal Forming Machine Operating postings should also review these sibling occupations, since federal hiring managers often cross-post positions across closely related codes when recruitment is difficult. All figures here come directly from OPM FedScope Employment Cubes, the same official source referenced in federal workforce planning, budget justifications, and GAO reports.

Within the Metal Work Family family, Metal Forming Machine Operating ranks #4 of 7 by headcount, accounting for 3.8% of the family's combined 8,014 employees.