Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders Salary
Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders in Kentucky make a median of $48,180 a year, or about $23.16 an hour. The range runs from $38K at the entry level to $60K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 90.23), which stretches that salary to about $53,397 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,110/month, about 33.8% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Kentucky. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $48K get you in Kentucky?
About cutting and slicing machine setters, operators, and tenders
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What this looks like in Kentucky
Cutting and slicing machine setters, operators, and tenders pay in Kentucky tracks closely to the national median, $48K locally vs. $47K nationwide, a 3% difference. Rent runs $1,110/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 34.3% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 90.23 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 10% 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.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Kentucky
Entry-level cutting and slicing machine setters, operators, and tenders (10th percentile) start around $38K. Mid-career wages sit at $48K. Top earners bring in $60K or more, a $22K spread from bottom to top.
Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders salary by metro in Kentucky
3 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Louisville/Jefferson County | $49K | +1% | 270 |
| Elizabethtown | $48K | -0% | 90 |
| Lexington-Fayette | $47K | -2% | 120 |
Compare to other states
Track cutting and slicing machine setters, operators, and tenders salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Kentucky numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a cutting and slicing machine setters, operators, and tender afford a 2BR apartment alone in Kentucky?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $48K, rent takes 34.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,110/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 Kentucky?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new cutting and slicing machine setters, operators, and tenders typically earn — is $38K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,269/month. At HUD’s $1,110/month FMR, rent would take 49% 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 Kentucky?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $48K locally vs. $47K nationally, a 3% difference.
How does Kentucky compare to the national average for cutting and slicing machine setters, operators, and tenders?
Kentucky pays $48K median vs. the U.S. average of $47K — that’s +3%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 90.23), the purchasing-power equivalent is $53K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do cutting and slicing machine setters, operators, and tenders make in Kentucky?
The median is $48,180 a year, that works out to about $23 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $37,820, and experienced cutting and slicing machine setters, operators, and tenders can clear $59,810. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $48K enough to live in Kentucky?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,235/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,110/month, which eats 34.3% 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 Kentucky?
Kentucky has a Regional Price Parity of 90.23 (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 $53,397 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.