Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders Salary
Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders in Jonesboro, AR make a median of $50,150 a year, or about $24.11 an hour. The range runs from $37K at the entry level to $50K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 85.88), which stretches that salary to about $58,395 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,040/month, about 31.6% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $50K get you in Jonesboro?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Jonesboro’s Regional Price Parity (85.88). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About cutting and slicing machine setters, operators, and tenders
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What this looks like in Jonesboro
Cutting and slicing machine setters, operators, and tenders pay in Jonesboro tracks closely to the national median, $50K locally vs. $47K nationwide, a 8% difference. Rent runs $1,040/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 30.8% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 85.88 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 14% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for cutting and slicing machine setters, operators, and tenders in metros near Jonesboro, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Fort Smith | $45K | $52K |
| Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway | $48K | $54K |
| Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers | $47K | $52K |
| Jackson | $50K | $56K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Jonesboro, AR
Entry-level cutting and slicing machine setters, operators, and tenders (10th percentile) start around $37K. Mid-career wages sit at $50K. Top earners bring in $50K or more, a $14K spread from bottom to top.
Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minnesota | $58K | +25% | 1,130 |
| Vermont | $52K | +12% | 100 |
| Colorado | $52K | +11% | 700 |
| Montana | $52K | +11% | 100 |
| Oregon | $51K | +10% | 990 |
| Missouri | $51K | +9% | 1,120 |
| Washington | $50K | +8% | 760 |
| New Hampshire | $50K | +8% | 90 |
| Illinois | $50K | +7% | 1,770 |
| New York | $50K | +7% | 1,870 |
| Iowa | $50K | +7% | 920 |
| Maine | $49K | +6% | 160 |
| New Jersey | $49K | +4% | 1,040 |
| Ohio | $48K | +4% | 3,000 |
| Nebraska | $48K | +4% | 530 |
| Kentucky | $48K | +3% | 900 |
| Wisconsin | $48K | +3% | 1,300 |
| North Dakota | $47K | +2% | 70 |
| South Carolina | $47K | +2% | 730 |
| Arkansas | $47K | +2% | 800 |
| Pennsylvania | $47K | +1% | 1,630 |
| Idaho | $47K | +1% | 160 |
| Arizona | $47K | +0% | 760 |
| Alaska | $46K | -1% | 30 |
| Indiana | $46K | -1% | 2,110 |
| California | $46K | -1% | 3,080 |
| Rhode Island | $46K | -1% | 210 |
| Utah | $46K | -2% | 740 |
| South Dakota | $45K | -3% | 460 |
| Maryland | $45K | -4% | 280 |
| Virginia | $45K | -4% | 840 |
| Kansas | $45K | -4% | 760 |
| Michigan | $45K | -4% | 730 |
| Connecticut | $45K | -4% | 450 |
| Georgia | $44K | -5% | 1,230 |
| Tennessee | $44K | -5% | 1,260 |
| Massachusetts | $44K | -6% | 1,280 |
| North Carolina | $44K | -6% | 3,100 |
| Nevada | $43K | -7% | 340 |
| Texas | $42K | -9% | 3,650 |
| Mississippi | $42K | -11% | 710 |
| Louisiana | $41K | -12% | 110 |
| Florida | $41K | -13% | 1,370 |
| Alabama | $40K | -15% | 590 |
| West Virginia | $38K | -19% | 160 |
| Oklahoma | $38K | -19% | 620 |
| New Mexico | $33K | -30% | 200 |
Showing 1–10 of 47 states
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track cutting and slicing machine setters, operators, and tenders salary changes
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Frequently asked questions
Can a cutting and slicing machine setters, operators, and tender afford a 2BR apartment alone in Jonesboro?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $50K, rent takes 30.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,040/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,000/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 Jonesboro?
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 $2,192/month. At HUD’s $1,040/month FMR, rent would take 47% 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 Jonesboro?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $50K locally vs. $47K nationally, a 8% difference.
How does Jonesboro compare to the national average for cutting and slicing machine setters, operators, and tenders?
Jonesboro pays $50K median vs. the U.S. average of $47K — that’s +8%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 85.88), the purchasing-power equivalent is $58K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do cutting and slicing machine setters, operators, and tenders make in Jonesboro, AR?
The median is $50,150 a year, that works out to about $24 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $36,530, and experienced cutting and slicing machine setters, operators, and tenders can clear $50,150. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $50K enough to live in Jonesboro?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,379/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,040/month, which eats 30.8% 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 Jonesboro?
Jonesboro has a Regional Price Parity of 85.88 (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 $58,395 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.