Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic Salary
The median pay for a grinding, lapping, polishing, and buffing machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic in Chattanooga, TN-GA is $38,890/year ($18.7/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $39K at the entry level to $49K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.46), which stretches that salary to about $42,521 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,390/month, about 49.7% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $39K get you in Chattanooga?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Chattanooga’s Regional Price Parity (91.46). 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 grinding, lapping, polishing, and buffing machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics
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What this looks like in Chattanooga
Pay for grinding, lapping, polishing, and buffing machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic in Chattanooga runs about 16% below the U.S. median of $47K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,390/month, which is 50.1% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.46 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 9% 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 grinding, lapping, polishing, and buffing machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for grinding, lapping, polishing, and buffing machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics in metros near Chattanooga, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin | $47K | $48K |
| Memphis | $47K | $51K |
| Knoxville | $39K | $42K |
| Clarksville | $40K | $44K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Chattanooga, TN-GA
Entry-level grinding, lapping, polishing, and buffing machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics (10th percentile) start around $39K. Mid-career wages sit at $39K. Top earners bring in $49K or more, a $11K spread from bottom to top.
Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oregon | $57K | +23% | 1,180 |
| Minnesota | $52K | +11% | 1,400 |
| Massachusetts | $51K | +9% | 2,420 |
| Vermont | $51K | +9% | 300 |
| West Virginia | $50K | +7% | 200 |
| Washington | $49K | +6% | 1,870 |
| New York | $49K | +6% | 2,410 |
| Kentucky | $49K | +6% | 850 |
| Connecticut | $49K | +4% | 1,530 |
| Nebraska | $49K | +4% | 300 |
| South Carolina | $48K | +3% | 1,730 |
| North Carolina | $48K | +3% | 1,610 |
| North Dakota | $48K | +2% | N/A |
| Pennsylvania | $48K | +2% | 3,830 |
| Wisconsin | $47K | +2% | 3,570 |
| Indiana | $47K | +2% | 4,170 |
| Maine | $47K | +1% | 170 |
| Wyoming | $47K | +1% | 30 |
| New Hampshire | $47K | +0% | 600 |
| Iowa | $46K | -0% | 890 |
| Missouri | $46K | -1% | 1,210 |
| Illinois | $46K | -1% | 4,100 |
| Nevada | $46K | -1% | 170 |
| Colorado | $46K | -1% | 500 |
| Idaho | $46K | -1% | 170 |
| California | $46K | -1% | 7,800 |
| Georgia | $46K | -2% | 940 |
| Michigan | $45K | -2% | 4,180 |
| Ohio | $45K | -3% | 5,960 |
| Arizona | $45K | -3% | 670 |
| Tennessee | $45K | -4% | 1,340 |
| New Jersey | $44K | -5% | 860 |
| Delaware | $44K | -5% | 50 |
| Utah | $44K | -5% | 400 |
| Rhode Island | $44K | -6% | 140 |
| Maryland | $44K | -6% | 160 |
| Virginia | $43K | -7% | 620 |
| Kansas | $43K | -8% | 1,010 |
| Mississippi | $43K | -8% | 430 |
| Texas | $42K | -9% | 2,960 |
| Montana | $42K | -10% | 160 |
| Florida | $40K | -13% | 1,020 |
| Arkansas | $40K | -15% | 340 |
| South Dakota | $39K | -16% | 130 |
| Louisiana | $39K | -17% | 160 |
| Oklahoma | $39K | -17% | 870 |
| Alabama | $38K | -18% | 1,500 |
| New Mexico | $38K | -18% | 30 |
Showing 1–10 of 48 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track grinding, lapping, polishing, and buffing machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Chattanooga numbers change.
Related careers in Production & Manufacturing
Frequently asked questions
Can a grinding, lapping, polishing, and buffing machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic afford a 2BR apartment alone in Chattanooga?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $39K, rent takes 50.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,390/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 grinding, lapping, polishing, and buffing machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics in Chattanooga?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new grinding, lapping, polishing, and buffing machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics typically earn — is $39K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,333/month. At HUD’s $1,390/month FMR, rent would take 60% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is grinding, lapping, polishing, and buffing machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic a high-paying job in Chattanooga?
Local pay runs 16% below the national median — $39K here vs. $47K nationally. Cost of living is 9% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Chattanooga compare to the national average for grinding, lapping, polishing, and buffing machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics?
Chattanooga pays $39K median vs. the U.S. average of $47K — that’s -16%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.46), the purchasing-power equivalent is $43K — below the national median.
How much do grinding, lapping, polishing, and buffing machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics make in Chattanooga, TN-GA?
The median is $38,890 a year, that works out to about $19 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $38,890, and experienced grinding, lapping, polishing, and buffing machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics can clear $49,390. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $39K enough to live in Chattanooga?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,774/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,390/month, which eats 50.1% 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 grinding, lapping, polishing, and buffing machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic salary go in Chattanooga?
Chattanooga has a Regional Price Parity of 91.46 (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 grinding, lapping, polishing, and buffing machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic salary is worth about $42,521 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do grinding, lapping, polishing, and buffing machine tool 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.