Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic Salary
Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastics in Chattanooga, TN-GA make a median of $41,320 a year, or about $19.87 an hour. The range runs from $35K at the entry level to $55K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.46), which stretches that salary to about $45,178 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,390/month, about 46.7% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $41K get you in Chattanooga?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Chattanooga’s Regional Price Parity (91.46). 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, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics
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What this looks like in Chattanooga
Pay for cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic in Chattanooga runs about 11% below the U.S. median of $46K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,390/month, which is 47.3% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.46 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 9% 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, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics in metros near Chattanooga, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin | $46K | $47K |
| Knoxville | $45K | $49K |
| Memphis | $40K | $43K |
| Clarksville | $46K | $50K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Chattanooga, TN-GA
Entry-level cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics (10th percentile) start around $35K. Mid-career wages sit at $41K. Top earners bring in $55K or more, a $19K spread from bottom to top.
Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oregon | $54K | +16% | 1,180 |
| Maine | $52K | +12% | 180 |
| Washington | $51K | +10% | 1,750 |
| Colorado | $51K | +10% | 1,400 |
| Minnesota | $50K | +7% | 6,130 |
| Wisconsin | $49K | +6% | 7,960 |
| Alaska | $49K | +6% | 80 |
| Illinois | $49K | +6% | 8,060 |
| Nebraska | $49K | +5% | 1,320 |
| Montana | $48K | +5% | 130 |
| California | $48K | +5% | 7,710 |
| North Dakota | $48K | +4% | 230 |
| Missouri | $48K | +4% | 3,240 |
| Iowa | $48K | +4% | 2,030 |
| Rhode Island | $48K | +4% | 470 |
| New Hampshire | $48K | +4% | 600 |
| Pennsylvania | $48K | +3% | 8,890 |
| Nevada | $48K | +3% | 580 |
| Maryland | $47K | +2% | 270 |
| Virginia | $47K | +2% | 1,790 |
| Indiana | $47K | +1% | 9,680 |
| New York | $47K | +1% | 3,340 |
| Wyoming | $47K | +1% | 60 |
| Kansas | $47K | +1% | 1,900 |
| Utah | $47K | +1% | 1,050 |
| Arizona | $47K | +1% | 1,100 |
| Connecticut | $46K | -0% | 2,030 |
| Michigan | $46K | -0% | 22,060 |
| South Dakota | $46K | -1% | 490 |
| Kentucky | $46K | -1% | 7,290 |
| Massachusetts | $46K | -1% | 2,590 |
| New Jersey | $46K | -1% | 1,950 |
| Arkansas | $46K | -2% | 3,020 |
| Ohio | $45K | -2% | 13,350 |
| Georgia | $45K | -3% | 5,260 |
| Tennessee | $45K | -3% | 5,380 |
| South Carolina | $44K | -4% | 4,100 |
| Alabama | $44K | -5% | 6,000 |
| Vermont | $44K | -6% | 70 |
| North Carolina | $43K | -6% | 3,940 |
| West Virginia | $43K | -7% | 290 |
| Texas | $43K | -8% | 13,290 |
| Delaware | $42K | -10% | 240 |
| Oklahoma | $41K | -12% | 2,480 |
| Louisiana | $41K | -12% | 760 |
| Mississippi | $41K | -12% | 1,700 |
| Idaho | $40K | -15% | 720 |
| Florida | $39K | -15% | 2,740 |
| New Mexico | $39K | -15% | 220 |
Showing 1–10 of 49 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Chattanooga numbers change.
Related careers in Production & Manufacturing
Frequently asked questions
Can a cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic afford a 2BR apartment alone in Chattanooga?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $41K, rent takes 47.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,390/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, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics in Chattanooga?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics typically earn — is $35K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,106/month. At HUD’s $1,390/month FMR, rent would take 66% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic a high-paying job in Chattanooga?
Local pay runs 11% below the national median — $41K here vs. $46K nationally. Cost of living is 9% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Chattanooga compare to the national average for cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics?
Chattanooga pays $41K median vs. the U.S. average of $46K — that’s -11%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.46), the purchasing-power equivalent is $45K — below the national median.
How much do cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics make in Chattanooga, TN-GA?
The median is $41,320 a year, that works out to about $20 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $35,100, and experienced cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics can clear $54,590. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $41K enough to live in Chattanooga?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,937/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,390/month, which eats 47.3% 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, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic salary go in Chattanooga?
Chattanooga has a Regional Price Parity of 91.46 (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, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic salary is worth about $45,178 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics 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.