- Salary statistics
- Plastic goods workers salary
Plastic goods workers salary
Latest available salary statistics are for 2025. Compare average pay, salary range and related job listings.
32 600 - 35 200 SEK / month
Women earn 94% of what men do.
Industriell tillverkning
Related tools
Salary progression Plastic goods workers
What does a plastic product operator do? – Tasks and work environment
Plastic product operators are responsible for manufacturing and processing plastic products by handling and monitoring machinery within the plastics industry. Tasks often include setting and adjusting machines, quality control, and packaging finished products. The work environment is characterized by industrial production, where safety and precision are important to prevent accidents and ensure product quality. Plastic product operators typically work in shifts within production facilities with varying temperatures and noise levels.
Salary development over time
The salary of plastic product operators has steadily increased over the past three years. In 2022, the average salary was 30,900 SEK per month, rising to 33 200 SEK in 2023 and further to 34 200 SEK in 2024. This represents a total increase of approximately 7.4 percent over the period, indicating positive salary development despite the industry being affected by automation. The increase can be explained by stable demand for skilled machine operators in the plastics industry and a slight labor shortage combined with inflation and general wage adjustments. Continuous skills development and adaptation to new machine technologies also contribute to salary improvements.
The plastics industry often requires patience and precision, as small errors in machine settings can affect entire production batches. A deep understanding of machine functions is an advantage for making quick adjustments and improving efficiency.
Plastic product operator wages – complete overview
- Average salary: 34 200 SEK/month
- Lowest salary: 31,500 SEK (female, regional sector, vocational education)
- Highest salary: 35,700 SEK (male, private sector, post-secondary education 3+ years)
- Hourly wage: 200 SEK (based on 166 working hours/month)
- Gender differences: Women earn on average 32 700 SEK, which is 94 % of men's 34 800 SEK
- Regional differences: Salaries vary slightly depending on sector and location, with higher wages in the private sector and urban areas
Education and qualifications
The pathway to becoming a plastic product operator can be through vocational upper secondary programs focused on plastics and production, supplemented with practical training and workplace-based education. The technical nature of the profession requires a good understanding of machine handling and safety regulations.
- Vocational upper secondary education: Focused on plastics and production, usually 2–3 years
- Practical training/internship: Common to gain hands-on experience with machinery and production processes
- Certifications/courses: Safety training and machine-specific certificates can be advantageous
- Prerequisites: Basic knowledge of mathematics and technology facilitates entry
- Tips for choosing: Select a program with strong industry links and opportunities for internships
Common benefits and compensations
Plastic product operators are often offered traditional benefits such as collectively negotiated pension and insurance solutions, holiday pay, and shift allowances. Many employers also provide wellness contributions and opportunities for skills development. Compensation for unsociable working hours is common, as shift work is often part of the job.
Competition and challenges
The profession of plastic product operator is characterized by a paradox where there is a relatively large supply of labor, yet many leave the profession, creating recruitment difficulties. Technological advances and automation are expected to reduce labor demand in the plastics industry in the long term, making adaptability and technical competence crucial for continued employability. Physically demanding tasks and the need for precision place high demands on individual workers.
Tips for those who want to become a plastic product operator
To succeed as a plastic product operator, it is beneficial to have a technical understanding and be meticulous in your work to ensure product quality and safety. Flexibility and the ability to adapt to shift work and changing conditions are important, requiring good stress tolerance. Problem-solving skills and a willingness to learn new machines and processes facilitate career development. Communication and teamwork skills are also valuable since the work often occurs in teams. Finally, a positive attitude toward continuous education and certification can strengthen your position in the job market.
Key facts about plastic product operators
- Education level: Vocational upper secondary education, often with practical training
- Salary range: 31,500–35,700 SEK/month
- Work environment: Industrial manufacturing with shift work
- Occupational group: Machine operators within the plastics industry
- Demand: Good job prospects short-term but declining long-term due to automation
Career paths and future outlook
After 3–5 years in the profession, plastic product operators can advance to more specialized roles such as machine supervisor responsible for maintenance, quality control inspector, or production manager within the plastics industry. The labor market forecasts indicate that job opportunities are large nationally in the short term, but demand for machine operators is expected to decrease over five years due to technological development and automation. Despite this, there is still a need for qualified personnel, especially to handle complex machinery and ensure production quality. The profession thus requires ongoing skills development to meet future demands.
Frequently asked questions about plastic product operators
- What is the average salary of a plastic product operator?
- The average salary for a plastic product operator is approximately 34 200 SEK per month in 2024. - Are there significant differences between men's and women's wages?
- Yes, women earn on average 94 % of men's wages within the profession. - What education is required to become a plastic product operator?
- Vocational upper secondary education with a focus on plastics and production is common, often supplemented with practical training. - What are the future prospects for plastic product operators?
- Job opportunities are good in the short term, but demand is expected to decrease over five years due to automation. - In what work environments do plastic product operators work?
- They work in industrial production environments with machinery and often in shifts. - What benefits can plastic product operators expect?
- Common benefits include shift and overtime allowances, pension and insurance solutions, and wellness contributions. - How does automation affect the profession?
- Automation is expected to reduce demand for labor but increase the need for technical skills and machine knowledge.
Salary distributed by age and sector
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18-24 | 28800 kr | 31400 kr | |
| 25-34 | 94% | 31200 kr | 34300 kr |
| 35-44 | 91% | 32300 kr | 34900 kr |
| 45-54 | 96% | 32300 kr | 34900 kr |
| 55-64 | 94% | 32500 kr | 34600 kr |
| Snitt | 94% | 31600 kr | 34200 kr |
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18-24 | 28800 kr | 31400 kr | |
| 25-34 | 94% | 31200 kr | 34300 kr |
| 35-44 | 91% | 32300 kr | 34900 kr |
| 45-54 | 96% | 32300 kr | 34900 kr |
| 55-64 | 94% | 32500 kr | 34600 kr |
| Snitt | 94% | 31600 kr | 34200 kr |
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18-24 | 28800 kr | 31400 kr | |
| 25-34 | 94% | 31200 kr | 34300 kr |
| 35-44 | 91% | 32300 kr | 34900 kr |
| 45-54 | 96% | 32300 kr | 34900 kr |
| 55-64 | 94% | 32500 kr | 34600 kr |
| Snitt | 94% | 31600 kr | 34200 kr |
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18-24 | 28800 kr | 31900 kr | |
| 25-34 | 94% | 31300 kr | 34800 kr |
| 35-44 | 91% | 32900 kr | 35600 kr |
| 45-54 | 96% | 32400 kr | 35400 kr |
| 55-64 | 94% | 33000 kr | 35500 kr |
| Snitt | 94% | 31900 kr | 34800 kr |
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18-24 | 28800 kr | 31900 kr | |
| 25-34 | 94% | 31300 kr | 34800 kr |
| 35-44 | 91% | 32900 kr | 35600 kr |
| 45-54 | 96% | 32400 kr | 35400 kr |
| 55-64 | 94% | 33000 kr | 35500 kr |
| Snitt | 94% | 31900 kr | 34800 kr |
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18-24 | 28800 kr | 31900 kr | |
| 25-34 | 94% | 31300 kr | 34800 kr |
| 35-44 | 91% | 32900 kr | 35600 kr |
| 45-54 | 96% | 32400 kr | 35400 kr |
| 55-64 | 94% | 33000 kr | 35500 kr |
| Snitt | 94% | 31900 kr | 34800 kr |
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25-34 | 94% | 30800 kr | 32700 kr |
| 35-44 | 91% | 30200 kr | 32400 kr |
| 45-54 | 96% | 32100 kr | 33900 kr |
| 55-64 | 94% | 31700 kr | 33200 kr |
| Snitt | 94% | 31000 kr | 32700 kr |
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25-34 | 94% | 30800 kr | 32700 kr |
| 35-44 | 91% | 30200 kr | 32400 kr |
| 45-54 | 96% | 32100 kr | 33900 kr |
| 55-64 | 94% | 31700 kr | 33200 kr |
| Snitt | 94% | 31000 kr | 32700 kr |
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25-34 | 94% | 30800 kr | 32700 kr |
| 35-44 | 91% | 30200 kr | 32400 kr |
| 45-54 | 96% | 32100 kr | 33900 kr |
| 55-64 | 94% | 31700 kr | 33200 kr |
| Snitt | 94% | 31000 kr | 32700 kr |
About the data
All information displayed on this page is based on data from the Swedish Central Bureau of Statistics (SCB), the Swedish Tax Agency and the Swedish employment agency. Learn more about our data and data sources here.
All figures are gross salaries, meaning salaries before tax. The average salary, or mean salary, is calculated by adding up the total salary for all individuals within the profession and dividing it by the number of individuals. For specific job categories, we have also considered various criteria such as experience and education.
Profession Plastic goods workers has the SSYK code 8142, which we use to match against the SCB database to obtain the latest salary statistics.
-
Production Operator for UW Elast in Traryd – Recruitment or Staffing
Machine operators, plastics industry
Mon, 22 Jun 2026 - 09:24 -
Jobcenter Recruitment seeks forklift drivers, assemblers, machine operators, and welders in Ljungby
Machine operators, plastics industry
Mon, 22 Jun 2026 - 09:23 -
Operator for Extrusion – Lamiflex Nyköping
Machine operators, plastics industry
Thu, 18 Jun 2026 - 10:03 -
Assembler and Machine Operator in Borås – Immediate Start
Machine operators, plastics industry
Tue, 16 Jun 2026 - 22:08 -
Staffing Jobs in Industry – Flexible Roles with Great Development Opportunities
Machine operators, plastics industry
Tue, 16 Jun 2026 - 09:28
Compare salary, work tasks and job outlook in adjacent occupations to find roles with similar skills or pay levels.
-
Average salary: 42 600 SEK/month • Industriell tillverkning
Machine operators, chemical technology and photographic products
Compare with Plastic goods workers
Wed, 24 Jun 2026 - 02:20 -
Average salary: 35 300 SEK/month • Industriell tillverkning
Prepress technicians
Compare with Plastic goods workers
Wed, 24 Jun 2026 - 04:47 -
Average salary: 34 700 SEK/month • Industriell tillverkning
Machine carpenters and machine operators, wood industry
Compare with Plastic goods workers
Wed, 24 Jun 2026 - 01:35 -
Average salary: 34 200 SEK/month • Industriell tillverkning
Machine operators, plastics industry
Compare with Plastic goods workers
Mon, 22 Jun 2026 - 22:42 -
Average salary: 35 200 SEK/month • Industriell tillverkning
Machine operators, mill, bakery and confectionery industry
Compare with Plastic goods workers
Mon, 22 Jun 2026 - 12:52 -
Average salary: 36 300 SEK/month • Industriell tillverkning
Machine setters and machine operators, metal work
Compare with Plastic goods workers
Wed, 24 Jun 2026 - 04:15
