Also called: Tube Bending Technician, Pipe Bender
Bends metal tubing into exact shapes for roll cages, exhaust systems, furniture, aircraft lines and hand railings.
You load a straight tube into a CNC bender, run a program, and the machine twists and bends it in seconds. You check each piece on a fixture, adjusting for springback when it's off. Race shops and aerospace plants need especially precise benders.
Estimated.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
High school diploma, about 0 years after high school. High school diploma; trained on the job.
Ways in: On-the-job training. Training cost: Get paid while you train.
Shrinking (about -3% over 10 years). Cutting, punching and press machine setters overall.
Medium risk for 10 years. CNC benders and robots handle repeat bends; custom roll cages and short runs still need hands-on operators.
Age 18+. One way to start: Apply at tube bending and exhaust shops or through a staffing agency; new hires are trained on the job
Classes: Shop class, Geometry.
Official data: O*NET occupation 51-4031.
Career Universe is an early version. Pay, training and AI-risk figures are estimates to start your own research, not verified facts. The research was written with AI research assistants, checked by validation scripts and spot-checked by hand. Check anything important with schools, employers and official sources. How the numbers work.