Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic Salary
Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastics in Alabama make a median of $58,490 a year, or about $28.12 an hour. The range runs from $42K at the entry level to $75K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.36), which stretches that salary to about $66,195 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,085/month, or 28.2% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. This is an aggregate across all of Alabama. BLS does not publish metro-level data for this occupation in this state.
So what does $58K get you in Alabama?
About lathe and turning machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics
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What this looks like in Alabama
Alabama sits well above the national pay line for lathe and turning machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic, local pay runs about 16% higher than the U.S. median of $51K. Rent runs $1,085/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 28.1% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 88.36 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 12% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Alabama
Entry-level lathe and turning machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics (10th percentile) start around $42K. Mid-career wages sit at $58K. Top earners bring in $75K or more, a $33K spread from bottom to top.
Compare to other states
Track lathe and turning machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Alabama numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a lathe and turning machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic afford a 2BR apartment alone in Alabama?
Yes — at the median salary of $58K, rent takes 28.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,085/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for lathe and turning machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics in Alabama?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new lathe and turning machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics typically earn — is $42K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,494/month. At HUD’s $1,085/month FMR, rent would take 44% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is lathe and turning machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic a high-paying job in Alabama?
Local pay is 16% above the national median — $58K here vs. $51K nationally.
How does Alabama compare to the national average for lathe and turning machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics?
Alabama pays $58K median vs. the U.S. average of $51K — that’s +16%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.36), the purchasing-power equivalent is $66K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do lathe and turning machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics make in Alabama?
The median is $58,490 a year, that works out to about $28 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $41,560, and experienced lathe and turning machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics can clear $74,970. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $58K enough to live in Alabama?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,856/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,085/month, which eats 28.1% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a lathe and turning machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic salary go in Alabama?
Alabama has a Regional Price Parity of 88.36 (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 lathe and turning machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic salary is worth about $66,195 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do lathe and turning 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.