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 Louisiana is $38,650/year ($18.58/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $31K at the entry level to $56K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 87.28), which stretches that salary to about $44,283 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,191/month, about 45.2% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Louisiana. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $39K get you in Louisiana?
About grinding, lapping, polishing, and buffing machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Louisiana
Pay for grinding, lapping, polishing, and buffing machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic in Louisiana runs about 17% below the U.S. median of $47K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,191/month, which is 44.7% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 87.28 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 13% 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.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Louisiana
Entry-level grinding, lapping, polishing, and buffing machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics (10th percentile) start around $31K. Mid-career wages sit at $39K. Top earners bring in $56K or more, a $25K spread from bottom to top.
Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic salary by metro in Louisiana
1 metro area with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baton Rouge | $36K | -7% | 50 |
Compare to other states
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 Louisiana 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 Louisiana?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $39K, rent takes 44.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,191/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 Louisiana?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new grinding, lapping, polishing, and buffing machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics typically earn — is $31K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,847/month. At HUD’s $1,191/month FMR, rent would take 64% 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 Louisiana?
Local pay runs 17% below the national median — $39K here vs. $47K nationally. Cost of living is 13% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Louisiana compare to the national average for grinding, lapping, polishing, and buffing machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics?
Louisiana pays $39K median vs. the U.S. average of $47K — that’s -17%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 87.28), the purchasing-power equivalent is $44K — below the national median.
How much do grinding, lapping, polishing, and buffing machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics make in Louisiana?
The median is $38,650 a year, that works out to about $19 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $30,790, and experienced grinding, lapping, polishing, and buffing machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics can clear $55,500. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $39K enough to live in Louisiana?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,662/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,191/month, which eats 44.7% 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 Louisiana?
Louisiana has a Regional Price Parity of 87.28 (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 $44,283 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.