Heat Treating Equipment Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic Salary
In Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN, heat treating equipment setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics earn $55,370 at the median, or about $26.62 an hour. The range runs from $35K at the entry level to $76K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 95.7), that's roughly $57,858 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,473/month, about 39.7% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $55K get you in Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood’s Regional Price Parity (95.7). 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 heat treating equipment setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics
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What this looks like in Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood
Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood sits well above the national pay line for heat treating equipment setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic, local pay runs about 14% higher than the U.S. median of $49K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,473/month, which is 39.4% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 95.7) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for heat treating equipment setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics in metros near Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Columbus | $35K | $37K |
| Fort Wayne | $44K | $47K |
| South Bend-Mishawaka | $49K | $53K |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin | $45K | $44K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN
Entry-level heat treating equipment setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics (10th percentile) start around $35K. Mid-career wages sit at $55K. Top earners bring in $76K or more, a $41K spread from bottom to top.
Heat Treating Equipment Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Heat Treating Equipment Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | $62K | +27% | 140 |
| Oregon | $60K | +24% | 240 |
| Colorado | $58K | +20% | 100 |
| West Virginia | $57K | +17% | 70 |
| Virginia | $55K | +13% | 190 |
| Tennessee | $55K | +13% | 670 |
| New York | $53K | +9% | 280 |
| Ohio | $53K | +8% | 1,040 |
| New Hampshire | $52K | +7% | 90 |
| Oklahoma | $52K | +6% | 120 |
| Arizona | $51K | +4% | 160 |
| Michigan | $51K | +4% | 1,190 |
| California | $50K | +3% | 770 |
| Iowa | $50K | +2% | 120 |
| New Jersey | $50K | +2% | 440 |
| Massachusetts | $49K | +1% | 250 |
| Wisconsin | $49K | +1% | 470 |
| Pennsylvania | $49K | +0% | 1,520 |
| Nebraska | $48K | -1% | 50 |
| Missouri | $48K | -2% | 140 |
| Utah | $48K | -2% | 90 |
| Kansas | $48K | -3% | 50 |
| Florida | $47K | -3% | 150 |
| Kentucky | $47K | -3% | 340 |
| Alabama | $47K | -4% | 170 |
| Indiana | $47K | -4% | 990 |
| South Carolina | $47K | -4% | 290 |
| North Carolina | $47K | -4% | 320 |
| Mississippi | $47K | -4% | 80 |
| Maine | $46K | -6% | 40 |
| Illinois | $45K | -7% | 850 |
| Connecticut | $44K | -9% | 320 |
| Georgia | $44K | -10% | 250 |
| Texas | $42K | -14% | 1,450 |
| Minnesota | $41K | -16% | 90 |
| Arkansas | $38K | -23% | 200 |
| Louisiana | $35K | -28% | N/A |
Showing 1–10 of 37 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track heat treating equipment setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood numbers change.
Related careers in Production & Manufacturing
Frequently asked questions
Can a heat treating equipment setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic afford a 2BR apartment alone in Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $55K, rent takes 39.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,473/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,100/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for heat treating equipment setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics in Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new heat treating equipment setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics typically earn — is $35K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,099/month. At HUD’s $1,473/month FMR, rent would take 70% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is heat treating equipment setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic a high-paying job in Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood?
Local pay is 14% above the national median — $55K here vs. $49K nationally.
How does Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood compare to the national average for heat treating equipment setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics?
Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood pays $55K median vs. the U.S. average of $49K — that’s +14%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 95.7), the purchasing-power equivalent is $58K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do heat treating equipment setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics make in Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN?
The median is $55,370 a year, that works out to about $27 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $34,990, and experienced heat treating equipment setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics can clear $75,650. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $55K enough to live in Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,737/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,473/month, which eats 39.4% 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 heat treating equipment setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic salary go in Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood?
Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood has a Regional Price Parity of 95.7 (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 heat treating equipment setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic salary is worth about $57,858 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do heat treating equipment 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.