Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic Salary
In Fort Wayne, IN, extruding and drawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics earn $56,970 at the median, or about $27.39 an hour. The range runs from $39K at the entry level to $59K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 92.57), which stretches that salary to about $61,543 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,113/month, or 29.2% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $57K get you in Fort Wayne?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Fort Wayne’s Regional Price Parity (92.57). 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 Fort Wayne
Fort Wayne sits well above the national pay line for extruding and drawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic, local pay runs about 19% higher than the U.S. median of $48K. Rent runs $1,113/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 29% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 92.57 (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 Fort Wayne, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Elkhart-Goshen | $47K | $52K |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood | $45K | $47K |
| Evansville | $50K | $55K |
| Terre Haute | $53K | $60K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Fort Wayne, IN
Entry-level extruding and drawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics (10th percentile) start around $39K. Mid-career wages sit at $57K. Top earners bring in $59K or more, a $19K 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
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Frequently asked questions
Can a extruding and drawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic afford a 2BR apartment alone in Fort Wayne?
Yes — at the median salary of $57K, rent takes 29% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,113/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for extruding and drawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics in Fort Wayne?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new extruding and drawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics typically earn — is $39K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,357/month. At HUD’s $1,113/month FMR, rent would take 47% 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 Fort Wayne?
Local pay is 19% above the national median — $57K here vs. $48K nationally.
How does Fort Wayne compare to the national average for extruding and drawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics?
Fort Wayne pays $57K median vs. the U.S. average of $48K — that’s +19%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 92.57), the purchasing-power equivalent is $62K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do extruding and drawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics make in Fort Wayne, IN?
The median is $56,970 a year, that works out to about $27 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $39,280, and experienced extruding and drawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics can clear $58,570. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $57K enough to live in Fort Wayne?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,840/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,113/month, which eats 29% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a extruding and drawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic salary go in Fort Wayne?
Fort Wayne has a Regional Price Parity of 92.57 (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 $61,543 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.