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 Colorado make a median of $71,670 a year, or about $34.46 an hour. The range runs from $56K at the entry level to $91K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 103.71), that's roughly $69,106 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,832/month, about 38.2% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Colorado. Jump to a metro for precise data:
Where the paycheck goes
What $72K actually covers in Colorado, month by month
About lathe and turning machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics
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What this looks like in Colorado
Colorado sits well above the national pay line for lathe and turning machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic, local pay runs about 42% higher than the U.S. median of $51K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,832/month, which is 39.5% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 103.71) 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.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Colorado
Entry-level lathe and turning machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics (10th percentile) start around $56K. Mid-career wages sit at $72K. Top earners bring in $91K or more, a $35K spread from bottom to top.
Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic salary by metro in Colorado
1 metro area with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial | $65K | -10% | 60 |
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Track lathe and turning machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic salary changes
BLS updates this data annually. We'll email you when Colorado numbers change.
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a lathe and turning machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic afford a 2BR apartment alone in Colorado?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $72K, rent takes 39.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,832/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,400/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for lathe and turning machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics in Colorado?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new lathe and turning machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics typically earn — is $56K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,729/month. At HUD’s $1,832/month FMR, rent would take 49% 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 Colorado?
Local pay is 42% above the national median — $72K here vs. $51K nationally.
How does Colorado compare to the national average for lathe and turning machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics?
Colorado pays $72K median vs. the U.S. average of $51K — that’s +42%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 103.71), the purchasing-power equivalent is $69K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do lathe and turning machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics make in Colorado?
The median is $71,670 a year, that works out to about $34 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $56,230, and experienced lathe and turning machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics can clear $91,160. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $72K enough to live in Colorado?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,638/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,832/month, which eats 39.5% 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 lathe and turning machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic salary go in Colorado?
Colorado has a Regional Price Parity of 103.71 (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 lathe and turning machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic salary is worth about $69,106 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.