Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders Salary
Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders in New Mexico make a median of $32,770 a year, or about $15.75 an hour. The range runs from $33K at the entry level to $45K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.06), which stretches that salary to about $35,214 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,119/month, about 50.1% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across New Mexico. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $33K get you in New Mexico?
About cutting and slicing machine setters, operators, and tenders
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What this looks like in New Mexico
Pay for cutting and slicing machine setters, operators, and tenders in New Mexico runs about 30% below the U.S. median of $47K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,119/month, which is 48.4% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 93.06 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 7% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for cutting and slicing machine setters, operators, and tenderss.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, New Mexico
Entry-level cutting and slicing machine setters, operators, and tenders (10th percentile) start around $33K. Mid-career wages sit at $33K. Top earners bring in $45K or more, a $12K spread from bottom to top.
Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders salary by metro in New Mexico
1 metro area with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Albuquerque | $41K | +25% | 40 |
Compare to other states
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BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when New Mexico 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 New Mexico?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $33K, rent takes 48.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,119/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $700/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 New Mexico?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new cutting and slicing machine setters, operators, and tenders typically earn — is $33K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,966/month. At HUD’s $1,119/month FMR, rent would take 57% 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 New Mexico?
Local pay runs 30% below the national median — $33K here vs. $47K nationally. Cost of living is 7% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does New Mexico compare to the national average for cutting and slicing machine setters, operators, and tenders?
New Mexico pays $33K median vs. the U.S. average of $47K — that’s -30%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.06), the purchasing-power equivalent is $35K — below the national median.
How much do cutting and slicing machine setters, operators, and tenders make in New Mexico?
The median is $32,770 a year, that works out to about $16 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $32,770, and experienced cutting and slicing machine setters, operators, and tenders can clear $45,100. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $33K enough to live in New Mexico?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,313/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,119/month, which eats 48.4% 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 New Mexico?
New Mexico has a Regional Price Parity of 93.06 (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 $35,214 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.