Machine Feeders and Offbearers Salary
The median pay for a machine feeders and offbearers in Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN is $45,680/year ($21.96/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $33K at the entry level to $53K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.43), which stretches that salary to about $48,892 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,242/month, about 39.1% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $46K get you in Lafayette-West Lafayette?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Lafayette-West Lafayette’s Regional Price Parity (93.43). 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
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What this looks like in Lafayette-West Lafayette
Lafayette-West Lafayette 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 $1,242/month, which is 39.9% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 93.43 (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 Lafayette-West Lafayette, 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, Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN
Entry-level machine feeders and offbearers (10th percentile) start around $33K. Mid-career wages sit at $46K. Top earners bring in $53K or more, a $20K 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 Lafayette-West Lafayette numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a machine feeders and offbearer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Lafayette-West Lafayette?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $46K, rent takes 39.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,242/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 Lafayette-West Lafayette?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new machine feeders and offbearers typically earn — is $33K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,951/month. At HUD’s $1,242/month FMR, rent would take 64% 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 Lafayette-West Lafayette?
Local pay is 11% above the national median — $46K here vs. $41K nationally.
How does Lafayette-West Lafayette compare to the national average for machine feeders and offbearers?
Lafayette-West Lafayette pays $46K median vs. the U.S. average of $41K — that’s +11%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.43), the purchasing-power equivalent is $49K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do machine feeders and offbearers make in Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN?
The median is $45,680 a year, that works out to about $22 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $32,510, and experienced machine feeders and offbearers can clear $52,690. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $46K enough to live in Lafayette-West Lafayette?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,113/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,242/month, which eats 39.9% 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 Lafayette-West Lafayette?
Lafayette-West Lafayette has a Regional Price Parity of 93.43 (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 $48,892 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.