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 Kentucky make a median of $45,760 a year, or about $22 an hour. The range runs from $35K at the entry level to $66K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 90.23), which stretches that salary to about $50,715 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,110/month, about 35.6% 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 $46K get you in Kentucky?
About cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics
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What this looks like in Kentucky
Cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic pay in Kentucky tracks closely to the national median, $46K locally vs. $46K nationwide, a 1% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,110/month, which is 36% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. 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. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Kentucky
Entry-level cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics (10th percentile) start around $35K. Mid-career wages sit at $46K. Top earners bring in $66K or more, a $31K spread from bottom to top.
Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic salary by metro in Kentucky
5 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Louisville/Jefferson County | $60K | +32% | 3,100 |
| Bowling Green | $45K | -2% | 430 |
| Lexington-Fayette | $44K | -3% | 570 |
| Paducah | $41K | -9% | 50 |
| Owensboro | $40K | -13% | 170 |
Compare to other states
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 Kentucky numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic afford a 2BR apartment alone in Kentucky?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $46K, rent takes 36% 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 $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 Kentucky?
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 $2,095/month. At HUD’s $1,110/month FMR, rent would take 53% 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 Kentucky?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $46K locally vs. $46K nationally, a 1% difference.
How does Kentucky compare to the national average for cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics?
Kentucky pays $46K median vs. the U.S. average of $46K — that’s -1%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 90.23), the purchasing-power equivalent is $51K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics make in Kentucky?
The median is $45,760 a year, that works out to about $22 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $34,920, and experienced cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics can clear $66,280. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $46K enough to live in Kentucky?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,081/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,110/month, which eats 36% 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 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, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic salary is worth about $50,715 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.