Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic Salary
Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastics in Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI make a median of $60,500 a year, or about $29.09 an hour. The range runs from $52K at the entry level to $63K for experienced workers.
So what does $61K get you in Milwaukee-Waukesha?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Milwaukee-Waukesha’s Regional Price Parity (96.9). 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 Milwaukee-Waukesha
Milwaukee-Waukesha sits well above the national pay line for forging machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic, local pay runs about 23% higher than the U.S. median of $49K. Rent runs $1,183/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 29.3% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 96.9) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. 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 Milwaukee-Waukesha, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn | $62K | , |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin | $50K | , |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island | $50K | , |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI
Entry-level forging machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics (10th percentile) start around $52K. Mid-career wages sit at $61K. Top earners bring in $63K or more, a $12K 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 |
| West Virginia | $37K | -24% | N/A |
| Texas | $37K | -24% | 720 |
| Kentucky | $36K | -26% | N/A |
| New Jersey | $36K | -27% | N/A |
Showing 1–10 of 32 states
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 Milwaukee-Waukesha 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 Milwaukee-Waukesha?
Yes — at the median salary of $61K, rent takes 29.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,183/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for forging machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics in Milwaukee-Waukesha?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new forging machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics typically earn — is $52K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,109/month. At HUD’s $1,183/month FMR, rent would take 38% 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 Milwaukee-Waukesha?
Local pay is 23% above the national median — $61K here vs. $49K nationally.
How does Milwaukee-Waukesha compare to the national average for forging machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics?
Milwaukee-Waukesha pays $61K median vs. the U.S. average of $49K — that’s +23%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 96.9), the purchasing-power equivalent is $62K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do forging machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics make in Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI?
The median is $60,500 a year, that works out to about $29 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $51,810, and experienced forging machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics can clear $63,360. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $61K enough to live in Milwaukee-Waukesha?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,041/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,183/month, which eats 29.3% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a forging machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic salary go in Milwaukee-Waukesha?
Milwaukee-Waukesha has a Regional Price Parity of 100 (100 is the national average). That's right at the national average. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median forging machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic salary is worth about $62,436 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.