Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic Salary
Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastics in Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN make a median of $44,460 a year, or about $21.38 an hour. The range runs from $37K at the entry level to $49K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 96.34), that's roughly $46,149 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,730/month, about 54.1% of take-home, which is tight.
Where the paycheck goes
What $44K actually covers in Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, month by month
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin’s Regional Price Parity (96.34). 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 Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin
Forging machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic pay in Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin tracks closely to the national median, $44K locally vs. $49K nationwide, a 9% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,730/month, which is 55% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 96.34) 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 Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Kingsport-Bristol | $41K | $47K |
| Memphis | $45K | $49K |
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk | $48K | $49K |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell | $46K | $46K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN
Entry-level forging machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics (10th percentile) start around $37K. Mid-career wages sit at $44K. Top earners bring in $49K 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 |
| 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 annually. We'll email you when Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin numbers change.
Related careers in Production & Manufacturing
Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a forging machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic afford a 2BR apartment alone in Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $44K, rent takes 55% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,730/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $900/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 Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new forging machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics typically earn — is $37K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,657/month. At HUD’s $1,730/month FMR, rent would take 65% 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 Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $44K locally vs. $49K nationally, a 9% difference.
How does Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin compare to the national average for forging machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics?
Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin pays $44K median vs. the U.S. average of $49K — that’s -9%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 96.34), the purchasing-power equivalent is $46K — below the national median.
How much do forging machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics make in Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN?
The median is $44,460 a year, that works out to about $21 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $37,140, and experienced forging machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics can clear $49,410. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $44K enough to live in Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,147/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,730/month, which eats 55% 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 Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin?
Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin has a Regional Price Parity of 96.34 (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 $46,149 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.