Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders Salary
In Fort Wayne, IN, extruding, forming, pressing, and compacting machine setters, operators, and tenders earn $46,910 at the median, or about $22.56 an hour. The range runs from $40K at the entry level to $61K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 92.57), which stretches that salary to about $50,675 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,113/month, about 34.2% of take-home, which is tight.
Where the paycheck goes
What $47K actually covers in Fort Wayne, month by month
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, forming, pressing, and compacting machine setters, operators, and tenders
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What this looks like in Fort Wayne
Extruding, forming, pressing, and compacting machine setters, operators, and tenders pay in Fort Wayne tracks closely to the national median, $47K locally vs. $46K nationwide, a 3% difference. Rent runs $1,113/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 34.9% 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. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for extruding, forming, pressing, and compacting machine setters, operators, and tenders in metros near Fort Wayne, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Evansville | $37K | $41K |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood | $49K | $51K |
| Elkhart-Goshen | $45K | $50K |
| Terre Haute | $59K | $67K |
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, forming, pressing, and compacting machine setters, operators, and tenders (10th percentile) start around $40K. Mid-career wages sit at $47K. Top earners bring in $61K or more, a $21K 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
BLS updates this data annually. We'll email you when Fort Wayne numbers change.
Related careers in Production & Manufacturing
Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a extruding, forming, pressing, and compacting machine setters, operators, and tender afford a 2BR apartment alone in Fort Wayne?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $47K, rent takes 34.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,113/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, forming, pressing, and compacting machine setters, operators, and tenders in Fort Wayne?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new extruding, forming, pressing, and compacting machine setters, operators, and tenders typically earn — is $40K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,732/month. At HUD’s $1,113/month FMR, rent would take 41% 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 Wayne?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $47K locally vs. $46K nationally, a 3% difference.
How does Fort Wayne compare to the national average for extruding, forming, pressing, and compacting machine setters, operators, and tenders?
Fort Wayne pays $47K median vs. the U.S. average of $46K — that’s +3%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 92.57), the purchasing-power equivalent is $51K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do extruding, forming, pressing, and compacting machine setters, operators, and tenders make in Fort Wayne, IN?
The median is $46,910 a year, that works out to about $23 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $39,780, and experienced extruding, forming, pressing, and compacting machine setters, operators, and tenders can clear $60,800. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $47K enough to live in Fort Wayne?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,192/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,113/month, which eats 34.9% 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 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, forming, pressing, and compacting machine setters, operators, and tenders salary is worth about $50,675 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.