Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders Salary
Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders in Indiana make a median of $46,150 a year, or about $22.19 an hour. The range runs from $37K at the entry level to $61K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.81), which stretches that salary to about $50,267 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,144/month, about 35.7% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Indiana. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $46K get you in Indiana?
About cutting and slicing machine setters, operators, and tenders
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What this looks like in Indiana
Cutting and slicing machine setters, operators, and tenders pay in Indiana tracks closely to the national median, $46K locally vs. $47K nationwide, a 1% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,144/month, which is 36.4% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.81 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 8% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Indiana
Entry-level cutting and slicing machine setters, operators, and tenders (10th percentile) start around $37K. Mid-career wages sit at $46K. Top earners bring in $61K or more, a $24K spread from bottom to top.
Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders salary by metro in Indiana
7 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Terre Haute | $53K | +15% | 90 |
| South Bend-Mishawaka | $47K | +2% | 60 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood | $47K | +2% | 380 |
| Fort Wayne | $46K | +1% | 130 |
| Evansville | $46K | -0% | 50 |
| Elkhart-Goshen | $46K | -1% | 350 |
| Bloomington | $43K | -6% | 50 |
Compare to other states
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Frequently asked questions
Can a cutting and slicing machine setters, operators, and tender afford a 2BR apartment alone in Indiana?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $46K, rent takes 36.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,144/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $900/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for cutting and slicing machine setters, operators, and tenders in Indiana?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new cutting and slicing machine setters, operators, and tenders typically earn — is $37K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,246/month. At HUD’s $1,144/month FMR, rent would take 51% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is cutting and slicing machine setters, operators, and tender a high-paying job in Indiana?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $46K locally vs. $47K nationally, a 1% difference.
How does Indiana compare to the national average for cutting and slicing machine setters, operators, and tenders?
Indiana pays $46K median vs. the U.S. average of $47K — that’s -1%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.81), the purchasing-power equivalent is $50K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do cutting and slicing machine setters, operators, and tenders make in Indiana?
The median is $46,150 a year, that works out to about $22 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $37,430, and experienced cutting and slicing machine setters, operators, and tenders can clear $61,470. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $46K enough to live in Indiana?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,143/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,144/month, which eats 36.4% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a cutting and slicing machine setters, operators, and tenders salary go in Indiana?
Indiana has a Regional Price Parity of 91.81 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median cutting and slicing machine setters, operators, and tenders salary is worth about $50,267 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do cutting and slicing machine setters, operators, and tenders get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.