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 Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD make a median of $49,940 a year, or about $24.01 an hour. The range runs from $35K at the entry level to $66K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 102.55), that's roughly $48,698 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,810/month, about 52.2% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $50K get you in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington’s Regional Price Parity (102.55). 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 lathe and turning machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics
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What this looks like in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington
Lathe and turning machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic pay in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington tracks closely to the national median, $50K locally vs. $51K nationwide, a 1% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,810/month, which is 53.5% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 102.55) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for lathe and turning machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics in metros near Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Pittsburgh | $67K | $70K |
| Erie | $43K | $47K |
| Cleveland | $51K | $55K |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City | $51K | $45K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD
Entry-level lathe and turning machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics (10th percentile) start around $35K. Mid-career wages sit at $50K. Top earners bring in $66K or more, a $31K spread from bottom to top.
Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colorado | $72K | +42% | 150 |
| Maine | $65K | +28% | 80 |
| Minnesota | $61K | +21% | 150 |
| Massachusetts | $61K | +20% | 690 |
| California | $60K | +19% | 2,600 |
| Alabama | $58K | +16% | 100 |
| Nevada | $58K | +15% | 60 |
| Pennsylvania | $57K | +13% | 580 |
| Arizona | $56K | +10% | 110 |
| Illinois | $55K | +9% | 1,260 |
| Maryland | $55K | +8% | 60 |
| North Carolina | $54K | +6% | 310 |
| West Virginia | $54K | +6% | 50 |
| Wisconsin | $51K | +1% | 340 |
| New York | $51K | +0% | 530 |
| Louisiana | $51K | -0% | 90 |
| Iowa | $50K | -0% | 180 |
| Georgia | $50K | -1% | 100 |
| Ohio | $50K | -1% | 1,180 |
| South Carolina | $49K | -2% | 370 |
| Indiana | $49K | -2% | 710 |
| Connecticut | $49K | -2% | 690 |
| New Hampshire | $49K | -3% | 150 |
| Missouri | $49K | -3% | 160 |
| Virginia | $49K | -3% | 210 |
| New Jersey | $48K | -5% | 190 |
| Texas | $48K | -5% | 2,150 |
| Nebraska | $47K | -6% | 120 |
| Kansas | $47K | -7% | 90 |
| Kentucky | $47K | -7% | 250 |
| Michigan | $47K | -8% | 1,540 |
| Florida | $45K | -12% | 140 |
| Oklahoma | $44K | -14% | 240 |
| Oregon | $42K | -18% | 40 |
| Tennessee | $41K | -20% | 700 |
| Arkansas | $39K | -23% | 190 |
Showing 1–10 of 36 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
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 Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington 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 Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $50K, rent takes 53.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,810/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,000/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 Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new lathe and turning machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics typically earn — is $35K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,093/month. At HUD’s $1,810/month FMR, rent would take 86% 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 Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $50K locally vs. $51K nationally, a 1% difference.
How does Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington compare to the national average for lathe and turning machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics?
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington pays $50K median vs. the U.S. average of $51K — that’s -1%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 102.55), the purchasing-power equivalent is $49K — below the national median.
How much do lathe and turning machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics make in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD?
The median is $49,940 a year, that works out to about $24 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $34,880, and experienced lathe and turning machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics can clear $66,040. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $50K enough to live in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,386/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,810/month, which eats 53.5% 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 Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington?
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington has a Regional Price Parity of 102.55 (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 $48,698 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.