Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic Salary
In Dalton, GA, extruding and drawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics earn $47,940 at the median, or about $23.05 an hour. The range runs from $40K at the entry level to $60K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 89.84), which stretches that salary to about $53,362 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,009/month, about 30.9% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $48K get you in Dalton?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Dalton’s Regional Price Parity (89.84). 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 Dalton
Extruding and drawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic pay in Dalton tracks closely to the national median, $48K locally vs. $48K nationwide, a 0% difference. Rent runs $1,009/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 31.6% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 89.84 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 10% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for extruding and drawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics in metros near Dalton, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell | $49K | $49K |
| Gainesville | $47K | $48K |
| Athens-Clarke County | $45K | $48K |
| Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton | $54K | $61K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Dalton, GA
Entry-level extruding and drawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics (10th percentile) start around $40K. Mid-career wages sit at $48K. Top earners bring in $60K or more, a $20K 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 with published data
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 Dalton 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 Dalton?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $48K, rent takes 31.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,009/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 extruding and drawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics in Dalton?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new extruding and drawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics typically earn — is $40K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,400/month. At HUD’s $1,009/month FMR, rent would take 42% 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 Dalton?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $48K locally vs. $48K nationally, a 0% difference.
How does Dalton compare to the national average for extruding and drawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics?
Dalton pays $48K median vs. the U.S. average of $48K — that’s +0%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 89.84), the purchasing-power equivalent is $53K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do extruding and drawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics make in Dalton, GA?
The median is $47,940 a year, that works out to about $23 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $40,000, and experienced extruding and drawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics can clear $59,630. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $48K enough to live in Dalton?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,198/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,009/month, which eats 31.6% 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 Dalton?
Dalton has a Regional Price Parity of 89.84 (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 extruding and drawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic salary is worth about $53,362 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.