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 Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ make a median of $55,850 a year, or about $26.85 an hour. The range runs from $54K at the entry level to $80K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 103.32), that's roughly $54,055 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,839/month, about 49.2% of take-home, which is tight.
Where the paycheck goes
What $56K actually covers in Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, month by month
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler’s Regional Price Parity (103.32). 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 Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler
Lathe and turning machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic pay in Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler tracks closely to the national median, $56K locally vs. $51K nationwide, a 10% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,839/month, which is 48.5% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 103.32) 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 Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $60K | $53K |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara | $74K | $67K |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | $61K | $55K |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario | $58K | $54K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ
Entry-level lathe and turning machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics (10th percentile) start around $54K. Mid-career wages sit at $56K. Top earners bring in $80K or more, a $26K 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 annually. We'll email you when Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler numbers change.
Related careers in Production & Manufacturing
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 Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $56K, rent takes 48.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,839/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,100/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 Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new lathe and turning machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics typically earn — is $54K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,693/month. At HUD’s $1,839/month FMR, rent would take 50% 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 Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $56K locally vs. $51K nationally, a 10% difference.
How does Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler compare to the national average for lathe and turning machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics?
Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler pays $56K median vs. the U.S. average of $51K — that’s +10%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 103.32), the purchasing-power equivalent is $54K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do lathe and turning machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics make in Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ?
The median is $55,850 a year, that works out to about $27 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $54,300, and experienced lathe and turning machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics can clear $80,300. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $56K enough to live in Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,793/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,839/month, which eats 48.5% 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 Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler?
Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler has a Regional Price Parity of 103.32 (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 $54,055 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.