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 Oregon make a median of $41,640 a year, or about $20.02 an hour. The range runs from $38K at the entry level to $67K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 102.44), that's roughly $40,648 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,555/month, about 54.1% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. This is an aggregate across all of Oregon. BLS does not publish metro-level data for this occupation in this state.
So what does $42K get you in Oregon?
About lathe and turning machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics
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What this looks like in Oregon
Pay for lathe and turning machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic in Oregon runs about 18% below the U.S. median of $51K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,555/month, which is 57.6% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 102.44) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for lathe and turning machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Oregon
Entry-level lathe and turning machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics (10th percentile) start around $38K. Mid-career wages sit at $42K. Top earners bring in $67K or more, a $29K 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 Oregon 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 Oregon?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $42K, rent takes 57.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,555/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $800/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 Oregon?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new lathe and turning machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics typically earn — is $38K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,281/month. At HUD’s $1,555/month FMR, rent would take 68% 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 Oregon?
Local pay runs 18% below the national median — $42K here vs. $51K nationally.
How does Oregon compare to the national average for lathe and turning machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics?
Oregon pays $42K median vs. the U.S. average of $51K — that’s -18%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 102.44), the purchasing-power equivalent is $41K — below the national median.
How much do lathe and turning machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics make in Oregon?
The median is $41,640 a year, that works out to about $20 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $38,020, and experienced lathe and turning machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics can clear $66,870. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $42K enough to live in Oregon?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,698/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,555/month, which eats 57.6% 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 Oregon?
Oregon has a Regional Price Parity of 102.44 (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 $40,648 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.
