Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders Salary
Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders in Montana make a median of $51,540 a year, or about $24.78 an hour. The range runs from $39K at the entry level to $64K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 97), that's roughly $53,134 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,129/month, about 33.3% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. This is an aggregate across all of Montana. BLS does not publish metro-level data for this occupation in this state.
So what does $52K get you in Montana?
About cutting and slicing machine setters, operators, and tenders
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What this looks like in Montana
Montana sits well above the national pay line for cutting and slicing machine setters, operators, and tenders, local pay runs about 11% higher than the U.S. median of $47K. Rent runs $1,129/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 32.6% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 97) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Montana
Entry-level cutting and slicing machine setters, operators, and tenders (10th percentile) start around $39K. Mid-career wages sit at $52K. Top earners bring in $64K or more, a $25K spread from bottom to top.
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 Montana 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 Montana?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $52K, rent takes 32.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,129/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 Montana?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new cutting and slicing machine setters, operators, and tenders typically earn — is $39K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,330/month. At HUD’s $1,129/month FMR, rent would take 48% 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 Montana?
Local pay is 11% above the national median — $52K here vs. $47K nationally.
How does Montana compare to the national average for cutting and slicing machine setters, operators, and tenders?
Montana pays $52K median vs. the U.S. average of $47K — that’s +11%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 97), 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 Montana?
The median is $51,540 a year, that works out to about $25 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $38,830, and experienced cutting and slicing machine setters, operators, and tenders can clear $64,200. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $52K enough to live in Montana?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,460/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,129/month, which eats 32.6% 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 Montana?
Montana has a Regional Price Parity of 97 (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 $53,134 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.