Heat Treating Equipment Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic Salary
In South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI, heat treating equipment setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics earn $49,430 at the median, or about $23.77 an hour. The range runs from $33K at the entry level to $64K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 92.86), which stretches that salary to about $53,231 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $993/month, or 28.9% of estimated take-home pay.
Where the paycheck goes
What $49K actually covers in South Bend-Mishawaka, month by month
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by South Bend-Mishawaka’s Regional Price Parity (92.86). 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 South Bend-Mishawaka
Heat treating equipment setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic pay in South Bend-Mishawaka tracks closely to the national median, $49K locally vs. $49K nationwide, a 1% difference. Rent runs $993/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 29.6% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 92.86 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 7% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for heat treating equipment setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics in metros near South Bend-Mishawaka, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood | $55K | $58K |
| Columbus | $35K | $37K |
| Fort Wayne | $44K | $47K |
| 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, South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI
Entry-level heat treating equipment setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics (10th percentile) start around $33K. Mid-career wages sit at $49K. Top earners bring in $64K or more, a $31K 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 annually. We'll email you when South Bend-Mishawaka numbers change.
Related careers in Production & Manufacturing
Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a heat treating equipment setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic afford a 2BR apartment alone in South Bend-Mishawaka?
Yes — at the median salary of $49K, rent takes 29.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $993/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for heat treating equipment setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics in South Bend-Mishawaka?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new heat treating equipment setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics typically earn — is $33K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,294/month. At HUD’s $993/month FMR, rent would take 43% 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 South Bend-Mishawaka?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $49K locally vs. $49K nationally, a 1% difference.
How does South Bend-Mishawaka compare to the national average for heat treating equipment setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics?
South Bend-Mishawaka pays $49K median vs. the U.S. average of $49K — that’s +1%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 92.86), the purchasing-power equivalent is $53K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do heat treating equipment setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics make in South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI?
The median is $49,430 a year, that works out to about $24 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $32,970, and experienced heat treating equipment setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics can clear $64,030. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $49K enough to live in South Bend-Mishawaka?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,354/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $993/month, which eats 29.6% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a heat treating equipment setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic salary go in South Bend-Mishawaka?
South Bend-Mishawaka has a Regional Price Parity of 92.86 (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 $53,231 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.