Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic Salary
In Athens-Clarke County, GA, extruding and drawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics earn $45,140 at the median, or about $21.7 an hour. The range runs from $35K at the entry level to $58K for experienced workers.
So what does $45K get you in Athens-Clarke County?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Athens-Clarke County’s Regional Price Parity (93.3). 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 extruding and drawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics
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What this looks like in Athens-Clarke County
Extruding and drawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic pay in Athens-Clarke County tracks closely to the national median, $45K locally vs. $48K nationwide, a 5% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,331/month, which is 44% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 93.3 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 7% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for extruding and drawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics in metros near Athens-Clarke County, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell | $49K | , |
| Dalton | $48K | , |
| Gainesville | $47K | , |
| Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton | $54K | , |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Athens-Clarke County, GA
Entry-level extruding and drawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics (10th percentile) start around $35K. Mid-career wages sit at $45K. Top earners bring in $58K or more, a $22K spread from bottom to top.
Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rhode Island | $61K | +29% | 430 |
| Vermont | $59K | +24% | 60 |
| North Carolina | $53K | +12% | 2,950 |
| Nebraska | $52K | +10% | 510 |
| Minnesota | $52K | +9% | 900 |
| New Jersey | $51K | +7% | 750 |
| Pennsylvania | $51K | +7% | 2,960 |
| Colorado | $51K | +7% | 240 |
| Massachusetts | $50K | +6% | 1,490 |
| Connecticut | $50K | +5% | 1,000 |
| Wisconsin | $50K | +5% | 3,190 |
| New Hampshire | $50K | +5% | 580 |
| Arkansas | $50K | +5% | 1,270 |
| Kentucky | $50K | +5% | 1,400 |
| Oregon | $50K | +4% | 440 |
| South Dakota | $50K | +4% | 50 |
| Indiana | $49K | +4% | 3,740 |
| South Carolina | $49K | +3% | 2,000 |
| Utah | $49K | +3% | 410 |
| New York | $49K | +3% | 1,400 |
| Illinois | $49K | +2% | 2,750 |
| Georgia | $48K | +1% | 2,560 |
| Louisiana | $48K | +0% | 580 |
| Alabama | $48K | -0% | 1,200 |
| Tennessee | $48K | -0% | 2,980 |
| Iowa | $47K | -1% | 450 |
| Washington | $47K | -1% | 1,080 |
| Maryland | $47K | -2% | 270 |
| Maine | $47K | -2% | 90 |
| Ohio | $46K | -3% | 5,020 |
| Kansas | $46K | -3% | 1,140 |
| Delaware | $46K | -3% | 470 |
| Missouri | $46K | -3% | 1,040 |
| Wyoming | $46K | -4% | 80 |
| Texas | $46K | -4% | 4,070 |
| California | $46K | -4% | 3,870 |
| New Mexico | $46K | -4% | 50 |
| Virginia | $45K | -5% | 1,490 |
| Michigan | $45K | -5% | 1,800 |
| Arizona | $45K | -6% | 910 |
| West Virginia | $45K | -7% | 540 |
| Mississippi | $44K | -7% | 550 |
| Nevada | $44K | -7% | 260 |
| Florida | $40K | -17% | 1,190 |
| Oklahoma | $39K | -19% | 490 |
| Idaho | $35K | -27% | N/A |
Showing 1–10 of 46 states
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track extruding and drawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Athens-Clarke County numbers change.
Related careers in Production & Manufacturing
Frequently asked questions
Can a extruding and drawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic afford a 2BR apartment alone in Athens-Clarke County?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $45K, rent takes 44% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,331/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 extruding and drawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics in Athens-Clarke County?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new extruding and drawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics typically earn — is $35K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,110/month. At HUD’s $1,331/month FMR, rent would take 63% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is extruding and drawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic a high-paying job in Athens-Clarke County?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $45K locally vs. $48K nationally, a 5% difference.
How does Athens-Clarke County compare to the national average for extruding and drawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics?
Athens-Clarke County pays $45K median vs. the U.S. average of $48K — that’s -5%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.3), the purchasing-power equivalent is $48K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do extruding and drawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics make in Athens-Clarke County, GA?
The median is $45,140 a year, that works out to about $22 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $35,160, and experienced extruding and drawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics can clear $57,640. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $45K enough to live in Athens-Clarke County?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,023/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,331/month, which eats 44% 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 extruding and drawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic salary go in Athens-Clarke County?
Athens-Clarke County has a Regional Price Parity of 100 (100 is the national average). That's right at the national average. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median extruding and drawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic salary is worth about $48,382 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do extruding and drawing 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.