Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic Salary
Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastics in Erie, PA make a median of $55,250 a year, or about $26.56 an hour. The range runs from $45K at the entry level to $63K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 90.95), which stretches that salary to about $60,748 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,212/month, about 32.8% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $55K get you in Erie?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Erie’s Regional Price Parity (90.95). 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 forging machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics
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What this looks like in Erie
Erie sits well above the national pay line for forging machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic, local pay runs about 13% higher than the U.S. median of $49K. Rent runs $1,212/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 32.5% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 90.95 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 9% 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 forging machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics in metros near Erie, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Pittsburgh | $61K | $65K |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington | $64K | $62K |
| Hagerstown-Martinsburg | $40K | $43K |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City | $39K | $34K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Erie, PA
Entry-level forging machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics (10th percentile) start around $45K. Mid-career wages sit at $55K. Top earners bring in $63K or more, a $18K spread from bottom to top.
Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oregon | $69K | +41% | 30 |
| Oklahoma | $62K | +26% | N/A |
| Michigan | $62K | +26% | 620 |
| Nebraska | $60K | +23% | 200 |
| Wisconsin | $60K | +23% | 80 |
| California | $59K | +21% | 750 |
| Colorado | $58K | +18% | 140 |
| Ohio | $57K | +16% | 500 |
| New York | $56K | +15% | 260 |
| Missouri | $55K | +13% | 60 |
| Virginia | $54K | +11% | 560 |
| Indiana | $54K | +9% | 450 |
| Massachusetts | $52K | +6% | 310 |
| Kansas | $51K | +4% | 130 |
| Pennsylvania | $50K | +3% | 550 |
| Maryland | $50K | +2% | 30 |
| Illinois | $50K | +1% | 230 |
| South Carolina | $50K | +1% | 80 |
| Arizona | $49K | -1% | 30 |
| Iowa | $47K | -4% | N/A |
| Alabama | $47K | -4% | 70 |
| Georgia | $46K | -5% | 380 |
| Connecticut | $45K | -8% | 110 |
| Nevada | $45K | -8% | 40 |
| Tennessee | $44K | -11% | 1,140 |
| Florida | $40K | -17% | 80 |
| Mississippi | $40K | -19% | 70 |
| Arkansas | $38K | -22% | 140 |
| Texas | $37K | -24% | 720 |
| West Virginia | $37K | -24% | N/A |
| Kentucky | $36K | -26% | N/A |
| New Jersey | $36K | -27% | N/A |
Showing 1–10 of 32 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track forging machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Erie numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a forging machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic afford a 2BR apartment alone in Erie?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $55K, rent takes 32.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,212/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 forging machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics in Erie?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new forging machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics typically earn — is $45K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,728/month. At HUD’s $1,212/month FMR, rent would take 44% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is forging machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic a high-paying job in Erie?
Local pay is 13% above the national median — $55K here vs. $49K nationally.
How does Erie compare to the national average for forging machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics?
Erie pays $55K median vs. the U.S. average of $49K — that’s +13%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 90.95), the purchasing-power equivalent is $61K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do forging machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics make in Erie, PA?
The median is $55,250 a year, that works out to about $27 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $45,470, and experienced forging machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics can clear $63,050. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $55K enough to live in Erie?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,728/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,212/month, which eats 32.5% 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 forging machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic salary go in Erie?
Erie has a Regional Price Parity of 90.95 (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 forging machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic salary is worth about $60,748 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do forging 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.