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 Chattanooga, TN-GA is $41,810/year ($20.1/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $41K at the entry level to $46K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.46), which stretches that salary to about $45,714 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,390/month, about 46.2% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $42K 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 drilling and boring machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics
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What this looks like in Chattanooga
Pay for drilling and boring machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic in Chattanooga runs about 15% below the U.S. median of $49K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,390/month, which is 46.8% 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 drilling and boring machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for drilling and boring machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics in metros near Chattanooga, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Knoxville | $42K | $45K |
| Louisville/Jefferson County | $52K | $56K |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell | $46K | $46K |
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 drilling and boring machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics (10th percentile) start around $41K. Mid-career wages sit at $42K. Top earners bring in $46K or more, a $5K 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 Chattanooga numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a drilling and boring machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic afford a 2BR apartment alone in Chattanooga?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $42K, rent takes 46.8% 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 drilling and boring machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics in Chattanooga?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new drilling and boring machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics typically earn — is $41K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,464/month. At HUD’s $1,390/month FMR, rent would take 56% 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 Chattanooga?
Local pay runs 15% below the national median — $42K here vs. $49K 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 drilling and boring machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics?
Chattanooga pays $42K median vs. the U.S. average of $49K — that’s -15%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.46), 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 Chattanooga, TN-GA?
The median is $41,810 a year, that works out to about $20 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $41,060, and experienced drilling and boring machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics can clear $46,480. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $42K enough to live in Chattanooga?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,969/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,390/month, which eats 46.8% 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 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 drilling and boring machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic salary is worth about $45,714 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.