Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders Salary
In Fort Smith, AR-OK, extruding, forming, pressing, and compacting machine setters, operators, and tenders earn $38,650 at the mean, or about $18.58 an hour. The range runs from $32K at the entry level to $49K for experienced workers. BLS does not publish the median for this occupation because wages exceed the reportable ceiling. The figure shown is the mean (average). Cost of living is below average (RPP 85.89), which stretches that salary to about $44,999 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $937/month, about 35.5% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $39K (mean) get you in Fort Smith?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Fort Smith’s Regional Price Parity (85.89). 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, forming, pressing, and compacting machine setters, operators, and tenders
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What this looks like in Fort Smith
Pay for extruding, forming, pressing, and compacting machine setters, operators, and tenders in Fort Smith runs about 16% below the U.S. median of $46K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $937/month, which is 35.4% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 85.89 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 14% 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 extruding, forming, pressing, and compacting machine setters, operators, and tenderss.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for extruding, forming, pressing, and compacting machine setters, operators, and tenders in metros near Fort Smith, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway | $37K | $42K |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington | $40K | $38K |
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin | $46K | $47K |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands | $38K | $39K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Fort Smith, AR-OK
Entry-level extruding, forming, pressing, and compacting machine setters, operators, and tenders (10th percentile) start around $32K. Mid-career wages sit at $39K. Top earners bring in $49K or more, a $18K spread from bottom to top.
Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maine | $58K | +27% | 140 |
| Pennsylvania | $54K | +17% | 2,450 |
| Vermont | $52K | +14% | 160 |
| Minnesota | $52K | +14% | 560 |
| South Carolina | $52K | +13% | 2,460 |
| West Virginia | $51K | +11% | 180 |
| Nevada | $50K | +9% | N/A |
| Virginia | $49K | +8% | 1,810 |
| Iowa | $49K | +8% | 500 |
| Colorado | $49K | +7% | 280 |
| Utah | $49K | +7% | 250 |
| Nebraska | $49K | +7% | 750 |
| Oregon | $48K | +6% | 370 |
| Arkansas | $48K | +6% | 2,190 |
| New Hampshire | $48K | +4% | 410 |
| Missouri | $47K | +4% | 1,040 |
| Illinois | $47K | +4% | 1,690 |
| California | $47K | +3% | 4,210 |
| Massachusetts | $47K | +3% | 950 |
| New Jersey | $47K | +3% | 1,880 |
| Ohio | $47K | +3% | 3,970 |
| Indiana | $47K | +2% | 3,150 |
| Maryland | $47K | +2% | 280 |
| Mississippi | $47K | +2% | 660 |
| Arizona | $46K | +1% | 700 |
| Wisconsin | $46K | +1% | 1,730 |
| North Dakota | $46K | +1% | 270 |
| Connecticut | $46K | +1% | 240 |
| Georgia | $46K | -0% | 1,150 |
| New York | $45K | -2% | 3,260 |
| Washington | $45K | -3% | 750 |
| Kansas | $44K | -3% | 600 |
| Louisiana | $44K | -3% | 200 |
| South Dakota | $43K | -6% | 610 |
| North Carolina | $43K | -6% | 3,420 |
| Oklahoma | $42K | -8% | 1,310 |
| Tennessee | $42K | -8% | 4,210 |
| Florida | $40K | -13% | 780 |
| Michigan | $40K | -13% | 1,970 |
| Rhode Island | $39K | -14% | 80 |
| Alabama | $39K | -16% | 1,510 |
| Idaho | $39K | -16% | 210 |
| Texas | $38K | -18% | 3,420 |
| New Mexico | $37K | -20% | 80 |
| Kentucky | $36K | -21% | 1,690 |
Showing 1–10 of 45 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track extruding, forming, pressing, and compacting machine setters, operators, and tenders salary changes
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Related careers in Production & Manufacturing
Frequently asked questions
Can a extruding, forming, pressing, and compacting machine setters, operators, and tender afford a 2BR apartment alone in Fort Smith?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $39K, rent takes 35.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $937/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $800/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for extruding, forming, pressing, and compacting machine setters, operators, and tenders in Fort Smith?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new extruding, forming, pressing, and compacting machine setters, operators, and tenders typically earn — is $32K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,900/month. At HUD’s $937/month FMR, rent would take 49% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is extruding, forming, pressing, and compacting machine setters, operators, and tender a high-paying job in Fort Smith?
Local pay runs 16% below the national median — $39K here vs. $46K nationally. Cost of living is 14% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Fort Smith compare to the national average for extruding, forming, pressing, and compacting machine setters, operators, and tenders?
Fort Smith pays $39K median vs. the U.S. average of $46K — that’s -16%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 85.89), the purchasing-power equivalent is $45K — below the national median.
How much do extruding, forming, pressing, and compacting machine setters, operators, and tenders make in Fort Smith, AR-OK?
BLS reports a mean (average) wage of $38,650 a year for this occupation in Fort Smith, AR-OK. The median is not published because wages exceed the BLS reportable ceiling. Entry-level workers start around $31,670. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $39K enough to live in Fort Smith?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,646/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $937/month, which eats 35.4% 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, forming, pressing, and compacting machine setters, operators, and tenders salary go in Fort Smith?
Fort Smith has a Regional Price Parity of 85.89 (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, forming, pressing, and compacting machine setters, operators, and tenders salary is worth about $44,999 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do extruding, forming, pressing, and compacting machine setters, operators, and tenders 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.