Heat Treating Equipment Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic Salary
In Massachusetts, heat treating equipment setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics earn $49,280 at the median, or about $23.69 an hour. The range runs from $42K at the entry level to $83K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 100.09), that's roughly $49,236 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,347/month, about 69.8% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Massachusetts. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $49K get you in Massachusetts?
About heat treating equipment setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics
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What this looks like in Massachusetts
Heat treating equipment setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic pay in Massachusetts tracks closely to the national median, $49K locally vs. $49K nationwide, a 1% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,347/month, which is 71.9% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 100.09) 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.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Massachusetts
Entry-level heat treating equipment setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics (10th percentile) start around $42K. Mid-career wages sit at $49K. Top earners bring in $83K or more, a $41K spread from bottom to top.
Heat Treating Equipment Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic salary by metro in Massachusetts
3 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Worcester | $61K | +24% | 30 |
| Springfield | $60K | +22% | 60 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton | $56K | +13% | 110 |
Compare to other states
Track heat treating equipment setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Massachusetts numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a heat treating equipment setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic afford a 2BR apartment alone in Massachusetts?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $49K, rent takes 71.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,347/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 heat treating equipment setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics in Massachusetts?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new heat treating equipment setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics typically earn — is $42K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,542/month. At HUD’s $2,347/month FMR, rent would take 92% 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 Massachusetts?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $49K locally vs. $49K nationally, a 1% difference.
How does Massachusetts compare to the national average for heat treating equipment setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics?
Massachusetts pays $49K median vs. the U.S. average of $49K — that’s +1%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 100.09), the purchasing-power equivalent is $49K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do heat treating equipment setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics make in Massachusetts?
The median is $49,280 a year, that works out to about $24 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $42,360, and experienced heat treating equipment setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics can clear $83,010. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $49K enough to live in Massachusetts?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,264/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,347/month, which eats 71.9% 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 Massachusetts?
Massachusetts has a Regional Price Parity of 100.09 (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 heat treating equipment setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic salary is worth about $49,236 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.