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 Pittsburgh, PA make a median of $66,500 a year, or about $31.97 an hour. The range runs from $46K at the entry level to $67K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 94.67), which stretches that salary to about $70,244 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,299/month, or 29.2% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $67K get you in Pittsburgh?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Pittsburgh’s Regional Price Parity (94.67). 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 Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh sits well above the national pay line for lathe and turning machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic, local pay runs about 31% higher than the U.S. median of $51K. Rent runs $1,299/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 29.3% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 94.67 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 5% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. 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 Pittsburgh, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington | $50K | $49K |
| 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, Pittsburgh, PA
Entry-level lathe and turning machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics (10th percentile) start around $46K. Mid-career wages sit at $67K. Top earners bring in $67K or more, a $21K 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 Pittsburgh 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 Pittsburgh?
Yes — at the median salary of $67K, rent takes 29.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,299/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for lathe and turning machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics in Pittsburgh?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new lathe and turning machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics typically earn — is $46K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,747/month. At HUD’s $1,299/month FMR, rent would take 47% 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 Pittsburgh?
Local pay is 31% above the national median — $67K here vs. $51K nationally.
How does Pittsburgh compare to the national average for lathe and turning machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics?
Pittsburgh pays $67K median vs. the U.S. average of $51K — that’s +31%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 94.67), the purchasing-power equivalent is $70K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do lathe and turning machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics make in Pittsburgh, PA?
The median is $66,500 a year, that works out to about $32 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $45,780, and experienced lathe and turning machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics can clear $66,500. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $67K enough to live in Pittsburgh?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,427/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,299/month, which eats 29.3% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a lathe and turning machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic salary go in Pittsburgh?
Pittsburgh has a Regional Price Parity of 94.67 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median lathe and turning machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic salary is worth about $70,244 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.