Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic Salary
In North Carolina, extruding and drawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics earn $53,330 at the median, or about $25.64 an hour. The range runs from $38K at the entry level to $60K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 92.66), which stretches that salary to about $57,555 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,284/month, about 36% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across North Carolina. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $53K get you in North Carolina?
About extruding and drawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in North Carolina
North Carolina sits well above the national pay line for extruding and drawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic, local pay runs about 12% higher than the U.S. median of $48K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,284/month, which is 36.3% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 92.66 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 7% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, North Carolina
Entry-level extruding and drawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics (10th percentile) start around $38K. Mid-career wages sit at $53K. Top earners bring in $60K or more, a $22K spread from bottom to top.
Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic salary by metro in North Carolina
6 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Greensboro-High Point | $60K | +13% | 430 |
| Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton | $54K | +1% | 940 |
| Asheville | $51K | -5% | 170 |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia | $49K | -7% | 800 |
| Winston-Salem | $47K | -12% | 160 |
| Raleigh-Cary | $40K | -25% | 100 |
Compare to other states
Track extruding and drawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when North Carolina 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 North Carolina?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $53K, rent takes 36.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,284/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,100/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 North Carolina?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new extruding and drawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics typically earn — is $38K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,285/month. At HUD’s $1,284/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 extruding and drawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic a high-paying job in North Carolina?
Local pay is 12% above the national median — $53K here vs. $48K nationally.
How does North Carolina compare to the national average for extruding and drawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics?
North Carolina pays $53K median vs. the U.S. average of $48K — that’s +12%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 92.66), the purchasing-power equivalent is $58K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do extruding and drawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics make in North Carolina?
The median is $53,330 a year, that works out to about $26 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $38,080, and experienced extruding and drawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics can clear $60,390. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $53K enough to live in North Carolina?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,541/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,284/month, which eats 36.3% 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 North Carolina?
North Carolina has a Regional Price Parity of 92.66 (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 $57,555 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.