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 Tennessee make a median of $44,780 a year, or about $21.53 an hour. The range runs from $36K at the entry level to $53K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 89.78), which stretches that salary to about $49,877 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,215/month, about 37.7% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Tennessee. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $45K get you in Tennessee?
About cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics
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What this looks like in Tennessee
Cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic pay in Tennessee tracks closely to the national median, $45K locally vs. $46K nationwide, a 3% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,215/month, which is 38.4% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 89.78 (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, Tennessee
Entry-level cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics (10th percentile) start around $36K. Mid-career wages sit at $45K. Top earners bring in $53K or more, a $18K spread from bottom to top.
Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic salary by metro in Tennessee
10 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin | $46K | +2% | 1,190 |
| Clarksville | $46K | +2% | 310 |
| Knoxville | $45K | +1% | 720 |
| Kingsport-Bristol | $44K | -2% | 280 |
| Cleveland | $44K | -2% | 70 |
| Jackson | $43K | -4% | 210 |
| Chattanooga | $41K | -8% | 410 |
| Johnson City | $40K | -10% | 100 |
| Memphis | $40K | -11% | 440 |
| Morristown | $40K | -11% | 290 |
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 Tennessee 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 Tennessee?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $45K, rent takes 38.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,215/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, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics in Tennessee?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics typically earn — is $36K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,137/month. At HUD’s $1,215/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, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic a high-paying job in Tennessee?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $45K locally vs. $46K nationally, a 3% difference.
How does Tennessee compare to the national average for cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics?
Tennessee pays $45K median vs. the U.S. average of $46K — that’s -3%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 89.78), the purchasing-power equivalent is $50K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics make in Tennessee?
The median is $44,780 a year, that works out to about $22 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $35,620, and experienced cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics can clear $53,300. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $45K enough to live in Tennessee?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,168/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,215/month, which eats 38.4% 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, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic salary go in Tennessee?
Tennessee has a Regional Price Parity of 89.78 (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 $49,877 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.