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 New Hampshire is $46,580/year ($22.4/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $39K at the entry level to $60K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 105.66), so that salary is closer to $44,085 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,528/month, about 45.6% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across New Hampshire. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $47K get you in New Hampshire?
About grinding, lapping, polishing, and buffing machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics
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What this looks like in New Hampshire
Grinding, lapping, polishing, and buffing machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic pay in New Hampshire tracks closely to the national median, $47K locally vs. $47K nationwide, a 0% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,528/month, which is 46.5% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost-of-living overall is 6% above the national average (BEA RPP 105.66), so groceries and services cost more too. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, New Hampshire
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 $47K. Top earners bring in $60K or more, a $21K spread from bottom to top.
Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic salary by metro in New Hampshire
1 metro area with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manchester-Nashua | $45K | -3% | 170 |
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 New Hampshire numbers change.
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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 New Hampshire?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $47K, rent takes 46.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,528/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,000/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 New Hampshire?
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 $2,324/month. At HUD’s $1,528/month FMR, rent would take 66% 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 New Hampshire?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $47K locally vs. $47K nationally, a 0% difference.
How does New Hampshire compare to the national average for grinding, lapping, polishing, and buffing machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics?
New Hampshire pays $47K median vs. the U.S. average of $47K — that’s +0%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 105.66), 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 New Hampshire?
The median is $46,580 a year, that works out to about $22 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $38,730, and experienced grinding, lapping, polishing, and buffing machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics can clear $60,020. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $47K enough to live in New Hampshire?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,289/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,528/month, which eats 46.5% 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 grinding, lapping, polishing, and buffing machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic salary go in New Hampshire?
New Hampshire has a Regional Price Parity of 105.66 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. 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 $44,085 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.