Machine Feeders and Offbearers Salary
The median pay for a machine feeders and offbearers in Columbus, IN is $45,700/year ($21.97/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $36K at the entry level to $50K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93), which stretches that salary to about $49,140 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,415/month, about 44.6% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $46K get you in Columbus?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Columbus’s Regional Price Parity (93). 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 machine feeders and offbearers
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Columbus
Columbus sits well above the national pay line for machine feeders and offbearers, local pay runs about 11% higher than the U.S. median of $41K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,415/month, which is 45.4% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 93 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 7% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for machine feeders and offbearers in metros near Columbus, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood | $38K | $40K |
| Elkhart-Goshen | $38K | $42K |
| Fort Wayne | $37K | $40K |
| Evansville | $37K | $40K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Columbus, IN
Entry-level machine feeders and offbearers (10th percentile) start around $36K. Mid-career wages sit at $46K. Top earners bring in $50K or more, a $14K spread from bottom to top.
Machine Feeders and Offbearers pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Machine Feeders and Offbearers salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wisconsin | $55K | +34% | 570 |
| Wyoming | $51K | +24% | 30 |
| Minnesota | $49K | +18% | 410 |
| Colorado | $48K | +17% | 650 |
| Kansas | $48K | +16% | 430 |
| Missouri | $47K | +13% | 1,280 |
| New Hampshire | $47K | +13% | 200 |
| Washington | $46K | +11% | 1,040 |
| Oregon | $46K | +11% | 2,390 |
| Nebraska | $45K | +10% | 210 |
| Iowa | $45K | +10% | 560 |
| Arkansas | $45K | +10% | 1,580 |
| Ohio | $45K | +9% | 2,930 |
| New Jersey | $45K | +9% | 850 |
| Delaware | $44K | +7% | 30 |
| Massachusetts | $44K | +6% | 620 |
| New York | $43K | +5% | 770 |
| Louisiana | $43K | +5% | 130 |
| Idaho | $43K | +3% | 170 |
| Michigan | $42K | +3% | 740 |
| Kentucky | $42K | +2% | 980 |
| Maryland | $42K | +1% | 110 |
| Pennsylvania | $41K | +0% | 1,390 |
| Nevada | $41K | -2% | 150 |
| Tennessee | $40K | -2% | 450 |
| California | $40K | -2% | 4,830 |
| Arizona | $40K | -2% | 170 |
| Utah | $40K | -3% | 140 |
| West Virginia | $39K | -5% | 180 |
| Georgia | $39K | -5% | 1,550 |
| South Dakota | $39K | -5% | 660 |
| Alabama | $39K | -6% | 2,160 |
| Mississippi | $38K | -7% | 670 |
| South Carolina | $38K | -8% | 680 |
| Indiana | $38K | -8% | 2,800 |
| North Carolina | $37K | -9% | 2,040 |
| Texas | $37K | -9% | 3,100 |
| Connecticut | $37K | -10% | 120 |
| Oklahoma | $37K | -11% | 310 |
| Virginia | $36K | -12% | 1,340 |
| Florida | $35K | -15% | 1,110 |
| Rhode Island | $33K | -20% | N/A |
| Maine | $32K | -22% | 210 |
Showing 1–10 of 43 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track machine feeders and offbearers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Columbus numbers change.
Related careers in Transportation
Frequently asked questions
Can a machine feeders and offbearer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Columbus?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $46K, rent takes 45.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,415/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $900/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for machine feeders and offbearers in Columbus?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new machine feeders and offbearers typically earn — is $36K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,152/month. At HUD’s $1,415/month FMR, rent would take 66% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is machine feeders and offbearer a high-paying job in Columbus?
Local pay is 11% above the national median — $46K here vs. $41K nationally.
How does Columbus compare to the national average for machine feeders and offbearers?
Columbus pays $46K median vs. the U.S. average of $41K — that’s +11%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93), the purchasing-power equivalent is $49K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do machine feeders and offbearers make in Columbus, IN?
The median is $45,700 a year, that works out to about $22 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $35,860, and experienced machine feeders and offbearers can clear $49,770. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $46K enough to live in Columbus?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,114/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,415/month, which eats 45.4% 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 machine feeders and offbearers salary go in Columbus?
Columbus has a Regional Price Parity of 93 (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 machine feeders and offbearers salary is worth about $49,140 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do machine feeders and offbearers 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.