# Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders

US SOC code 51-9032. Markdown version of https://futurehistory.earth/timeline/51-9032

## In brief

In May 2025, [BLS](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm25nat.zip) counted **44,980** US cutting and slicing machine setters, operators, and tenders, with median pay of **$46,570** a year. Of the BLS counts since 2003, the highest was **80,260**, in May 2007. The earliest figure here is [a Census count](https://usa.ipums.org/usa/volii/occ_ind.shtml) of **120,000** from 1960, not measured the same way as today's count. The last full technology era in this work: CNC cutting centers, waterjet systems, and abrasive-jet cutting, 1980 to 2010. CNC cutting centers increased per-worker output substantially and began to consolidate work that previously required multiple machine operators into single integrated systems.

Figures: Official statistic (latest count and pay, highest count); Researched context (earliest figure).

## What the sources say

### Official outlook

BLS projects employment to change -0.9% from 2025 to 2035. Source: [BLS Employment Projections 2025-35](https://data.bls.gov/projections/nationalMatrix?queryParams=51-9032&ioType=o) (Official statistic).

### AI exposure studies

- **5.7%** of this job's tasks are exposed to large language models. Not a forecast of job losses. [Eloundou and others, 2023](https://github.com/openai/GPTs-are-GPTs/blob/main/data/occ_level.csv) (Official statistic)

Data as of BLS OEWS May 2025; BLS Employment Projections 2025-35. BLS publishes these counts as yearly survey snapshots and cautions against reading them as a precise trend. In May 2021 BLS changed how it estimates these counts (a model-based method using three years of survey data) and moved fully to the 2018 occupation codes, so part of a change across 2021 can come from the method rather than the work.

## Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders employment and pay by year

- On record since: 1855
- Latest US employment: 44,980 (May 2025). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 [3]
- Latest US median pay: $46,570 (May 2025). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 [6]
- Outlook: -0.9% by 2035. Source: BLS Employment Projections 2025-35 [17]

### All 26 years of cited US data

| Year | US employment | Annual pay (median unless marked) | Source |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1956 | n/a | $3,900 (average) (estimate) | Est., University of Missouri Libraries [4] |
| 1960 | 120,000 | n/a | Decennial Census 1960 [1] |
| 1997 | 71,000 | $23,660 (average) | BLS CPS 1997 [2] |
| 2003 | 70,960 | $26,060 | BLS OEWS May 2003 [3] |
| 2004 | 73,250 | $26,670 | BLS OEWS May 2004 [3] |
| 2005 | 78,030 | $27,570 | BLS OEWS May 2005 [3] |
| 2006 | 77,960 | $27,930 | BLS OEWS May 2006 [3] |
| 2007 | 80,260 | $28,500 | BLS OEWS May 2007 [3] |
| 2008 | 76,500 | $28,800 | BLS OEWS May 2008 [3] |
| 2009 | 70,700 | $29,600 | BLS OEWS May 2009 [3] |
| 2010 | 61,360 | $30,000 | BLS OEWS May 2010 [3] |
| 2011 | 59,430 | $30,820 | BLS OEWS May 2011 [3] |
| 2012 | 56,560 | $31,430 | BLS OEWS May 2012 [3] |
| 2013 | 59,450 | $31,810 | BLS OEWS May 2013 [3] |
| 2014 | 62,570 | $32,040 | BLS OEWS May 2014 [3] |
| 2015 | 63,330 | $32,190 | BLS OEWS May 2015 [3] |
| 2016 | 61,330 | $32,870 | BLS OEWS May 2016 [3] |
| 2017 | 60,460 | $33,610 | BLS OEWS May 2017 [3] |
| 2018 | 60,840 | $34,620 | BLS OEWS May 2018 [3] |
| 2019 | 57,960 | $35,600 | BLS OEWS May 2019 [3] |
| 2020 | 52,760 | $36,980 | BLS OEWS May 2020 [3] |
| 2021 | 55,930 | $37,810 | BLS OEWS May 2021 [3] |
| 2022 | 54,110 | $39,880 | BLS OEWS May 2022 [3] |
| 2023 | 52,720 | $44,310 | BLS OEWS May 2023 [3] |
| 2024 | 47,540 | $45,700 | BLS OEWS May 2024 [3] |
| 2025 | 44,980 | $46,570 | BLS OEWS May 2025 [3] |

## Sources (72)

### Employment series

1. [IPUMS USA: Occupation and Industry Codes and Documentation (1960 Census occupation classification for machine operatives)](https://usa.ipums.org/usa/volii/occ_ind.shtml), IPUMS / University of Minnesota
2. [BLS Occupational Employment and Wages, 1997 (USDL-99-009) -- national occupational employment estimates (cutting machine operators sub-category)](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/history/ocwage_010499.txt), Bureau of Labor Statistics
3. BLS OEWS, national cross-industry estimates (flat file), Bureau of Labor Statistics. Editions: [2003](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm03nat.zip), [2004](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm04nat.zip), [2005](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm05nat.zip), [2006](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm06nat.zip), [2007](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm07nat.zip), [2008](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm08nat.zip), [2009](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm09nat.zip), [2010](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm10nat.zip), [2011](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm11nat.zip), [2012](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm12nat.zip), [2013](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm13nat.zip), [2014](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm14nat.zip), [2015](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm15nat.zip), [2016](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm16nat.zip), [2017](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm17nat.zip), [2018](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm18nat.zip), [2019](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm19nat.zip), [2020](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm20nat.zip), [2021](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm21nat.zip), [2022](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm22nat.zip), [2023](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm23nat.zip), [2024](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm24nat.zip), [2025](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm25nat.zip)

### Wage series

4. [University of Missouri Libraries, "Prices and Wages by Decade: 1950-1959" (manufacturing operatives wage, applied as an estimate for cutting and slicing machine operatives)](https://libraryguides.missouri.edu/pricesandwages/1950-1959), University of Missouri Libraries
5. [BLS Occupational Employment and Wages, 1997 (USDL-99-009) -- cutting machine operators mean annual wage](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/history/ocwage_010499.txt), Bureau of Labor Statistics
6. BLS OEWS, national cross-industry estimates (flat file), Bureau of Labor Statistics. Editions: [2003](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm03nat.zip), [2004](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm04nat.zip), [2005](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm05nat.zip), [2006](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm06nat.zip), [2007](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm07nat.zip), [2008](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm08nat.zip), [2009](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm09nat.zip), [2010](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm10nat.zip), [2011](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm11nat.zip), [2012](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm12nat.zip), [2013](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm13nat.zip), [2014](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm14nat.zip), [2015](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm15nat.zip), [2016](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm16nat.zip), [2017](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm17nat.zip), [2018](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm18nat.zip), [2019](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm19nat.zip), [2020](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm20nat.zip), [2021](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm21nat.zip), [2022](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm22nat.zip), [2023](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm23nat.zip), [2024](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm24nat.zip), [2025](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm25nat.zip)

### Tool eras

7. [Wikipedia: Paper cutter (history of the guillotine cutter, Massiquot 1844, German manufacture 1855, Oswego/Seybold US production)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paper_cutter), Wikipedia
8. [Berkel: Company Profile (Van Berkel Rotterdam factory 1898, 84 slicers by 1899)](https://www.theberkelworld.com/en/company-profile), Berkel (Van Berkel International)
9. [HISTORY.com: "Who Invented Sliced Bread?" (Rohwedder, Chillicothe Baking Company, July 7 1928, 2000% sales increase)](https://www.history.com/articles/who-invented-sliced-bread), HISTORY
10. [Wikipedia: Bread slicer (Rohwedder invention, Chillicothe Baking Company first commercial use July 7 1928)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bread_slicer), Wikipedia
11. [Printing Industries of America / The Cutter Operator (bindery and finishing job description referencing programmable back-gauge and hydraulic clamp history)](https://www.printing.org/content/2017/05/23/cutter-operator), Printing Industries of America
12. [Digital Finishing Systems: "Cutting-Edge Technology: The Evolution of the Paper Cutter Guillotine" (programmable settings, safety features, automation)](https://digital-finishing-systems.com/printing-machine/cutting-edge-technology-the-evolution-of-the-paper-cutter-guillotine/), Digital Finishing Systems
13. [TechniWaterjet: "Waterjet Cutting History: Origins and Timeline" (1933 paper industry application, Bendix 1970s, abrasive waterjet 1980s)](https://www.techniwaterjet.com/waterjet-cutting-history/), TechniWaterjet
14. [ACCURL: "Laser Cutting History: Complete Timeline" (Boeing first commercial laser cutting 1969, CO2 laser 1980s industrialization)](https://www.accurl.com/blog/laser-cutting-history/), ACCURL Machine Tool
15. [BLS Beyond the Numbers: "As manufacturing sector changes, production occupations disappear: an analysis of employment from 2007-20"](https://www.bls.gov/opub/btn/volume-12/as-manufacturing-sector-changes-production-occupations-disappear-1.htm), Bureau of Labor Statistics
16. [Food Engineering: "Smart Robots and AI Make the Cut in Meat Processing" (vision-guided cutting, X-ray bone detection, 2020s poultry automation)](https://www.foodengineeringmag.com/articles/102821-smart-robots-and-ai-make-the-cut-in-meat-processing), Food Engineering

### Forecasts and exposure studies

17. [BLS Employment Projections 2025-35, National Employment Matrix: 51-9032 Cutting and slicing machine setters, operators, and tenders (2025: 45.9 thousand; 2035: 45.5 thousand; -0.9%)](https://data.bls.gov/projections/nationalMatrix?queryParams=51-9032&ioType=o), Bureau of Labor Statistics
18. [Eloundou, Manning, Mishkin & Rock (2023), "GPTs are GPTs", occupation-level exposure data occ\_level.csv (O\*NET-SOC 51-9032.00, human-rated β 0.057)](https://github.com/openai/GPTs-are-GPTs/blob/main/data/occ_level.csv), OpenAI

### Historical notes

19. [Wikipedia: Paper cutter (history of the guillotine cutter, German origins c.1855)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paper_cutter), Wikipedia
20. [Berkel: Company Profile (Van Berkel Rotterdam factory 1898, 84 slicers by 1899, international expansion)](https://www.theberkelworld.com/en/company-profile), Berkel (Van Berkel International)
21. [HISTORY.com: "Who Invented Sliced Bread?" (Rohwedder, Chillicothe Baking Company, July 7 1928)](https://www.history.com/articles/who-invented-sliced-bread), HISTORY
22. [ACCURL: "Laser Cutting History: Complete Timeline, Inventors and Evolution" (Boeing first commercial use 1969)](https://www.accurl.com/blog/laser-cutting-history/), ACCURL Machine Tool
23. [BLS: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics History (2000 SOC introduction and OEWS methodology)](https://www.bls.gov/opub/hom/oews/history.htm), Bureau of Labor Statistics
24. [BLS OEWS May 2021: 51-9032 Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders (employment 55,930, mean annual wage $40,010)](https://www.bls.gov/oes/2021/may/oes519032.htm), Bureau of Labor Statistics

### Predecessors & successors

25. [Wikipedia: Paper cutter (history: Massiquot 1844, guillotine cutter industrialization)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paper_cutter), Wikipedia
26. [Berkel: Company Profile (Van Berkel invention 1898, origins in Rotterdam butcher shop)](https://www.theberkelworld.com/en/company-profile), Berkel (Van Berkel International)

### Present-day analysis

- [Eloundou et al. 2024 — GPTs are GPTs (Science)](https://arxiv.org/abs/2303.10130), accessed 2026-05-21
- [O\*NET 30.3 — US Department of Labor](https://www.onetcenter.org/database.html), accessed 2026-05-21

How to read these figures: https://futurehistory.earth/methodology. Every figure links to its own source; gaps stay gaps.