Drilling and Boring Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic Salary
The median pay for a drilling and boring machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic in Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA is $46,270/year ($22.25/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $39K at the entry level to $60K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 100.06), that's roughly $46,242 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,820/month, about 57.7% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $46K get you in Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell’s Regional Price Parity (100.06). 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 drilling and boring machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics
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What this looks like in Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell
Drilling and boring machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic pay in Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell tracks closely to the national median, $46K locally vs. $49K nationwide, a 6% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,820/month, which is 58.8% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 100.06) 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.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for drilling and boring machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics in metros near Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Knoxville | $42K | $45K |
| Chattanooga | $42K | $46K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA
Entry-level drilling and boring machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics (10th percentile) start around $39K. Mid-career wages sit at $46K. Top earners bring in $60K or more, a $21K spread from bottom to top.
Drilling and Boring Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Drilling and Boring Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia | $90K | +84% | 100 |
| Massachusetts | $78K | +58% | 60 |
| Idaho | $70K | +42% | 70 |
| Florida | $66K | +35% | 80 |
| Michigan | $60K | +23% | 190 |
| New Hampshire | $60K | +22% | 40 |
| Illinois | $57K | +16% | 390 |
| New York | $55K | +13% | 70 |
| Oklahoma | $55K | +13% | 250 |
| Alabama | $53K | +8% | 140 |
| South Carolina | $52K | +6% | 70 |
| Kentucky | $52K | +5% | N/A |
| Ohio | $52K | +5% | 200 |
| Colorado | $51K | +4% | 40 |
| Mississippi | $50K | +2% | 50 |
| Wisconsin | $50K | +1% | 60 |
| California | $49K | +0% | 690 |
| Arizona | $48K | -2% | 70 |
| New Jersey | $48K | -2% | 70 |
| Minnesota | $47K | -4% | 110 |
| North Carolina | $47K | -4% | 50 |
| Arkansas | $47K | -5% | 60 |
| Pennsylvania | $46K | -6% | 180 |
| Georgia | $46K | -6% | 80 |
| Tennessee | $45K | -8% | 400 |
| West Virginia | $45K | -8% | N/A |
| Missouri | $45K | -8% | 80 |
| Texas | $44K | -10% | 220 |
| Iowa | $44K | -11% | 110 |
| Connecticut | $41K | -16% | 50 |
| Indiana | $39K | -20% | 300 |
Showing 1–10 of 31 states
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track drilling and boring machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell numbers change.
Related careers in Production & Manufacturing
Frequently asked questions
Can a drilling and boring machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic afford a 2BR apartment alone in Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $46K, rent takes 58.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,820/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 drilling and boring machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics in Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new drilling and boring machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics typically earn — is $39K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,324/month. At HUD’s $1,820/month FMR, rent would take 78% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is drilling and boring machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic a high-paying job in Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $46K locally vs. $49K nationally, a 6% difference.
How does Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell compare to the national average for drilling and boring machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics?
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell pays $46K median vs. the U.S. average of $49K — that’s -6%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 100.06), the purchasing-power equivalent is $46K — below the national median.
How much do drilling and boring machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics make in Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA?
The median is $46,270 a year, that works out to about $22 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $38,730, and experienced drilling and boring machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics can clear $60,030. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $46K enough to live in Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,094/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,820/month, which eats 58.8% 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 drilling and boring machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic salary go in Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell?
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell has a Regional Price Parity of 100.06 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median drilling and boring machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic salary is worth about $46,242 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do drilling and boring machine tool 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.