Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic Salary in Kentucky

The median is $43,090 a year, that works out to about $21 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $33,990, and experienced lathe and turning machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics can clear $61,890. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.

On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,911/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,110/month, which eats 38.1% 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.

Kentucky has a Regional Price Parity of 100 (100 is the national average). That's right at the national average. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median lathe and turning machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic salary is worth about $47,756 in national-average purchasing power.

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.