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Production & Manufacturing

Metal Workers and Plastic Workers, All Other Salary

in Columbia, SC

The median pay for a metal workers and plastic workers, all other in Columbia, SC is $47,050/year ($22.62/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $34K at the entry level to $62K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.66), which stretches that salary to about $50,235 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,276/month, about 39.8% of take-home, which is tight.

$47K
Median annual
$22.62/hr
Hourly rate
$34K
Entry level (10th %)
$62K
Senior level (90th %)

So what does $47K get you in Columbia?

Estimated take-home pay$3,205/mo
Rent (2BR median)-$1,276/mo
Rent as % of take-home39.8% ⚠ above 30% guideline
Groceries-$367/mo
Utilities-$184/mo
Transportation-$322/mo
Healthcare *-$214/mo
Left over$842/mo

Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Columbia’s Regional Price Parity (93.66). 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.

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About metal workers and plastic workers, all others

Education: High school diploma or equivalent
U.S. employed: 15,900
Columbia, SC employed: 40
Category: Production & Manufacturing

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What this looks like in Columbia

Metal workers and plastic workers, all other pay in Columbia tracks closely to the national median, $47K locally vs. $46K nationwide, a 2% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,276/month, which is 39.8% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 93.66 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 6% 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 metal workers and plastic workers, all others in metros near Columbia, adjusted for local cost of living.

COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.

Compensation breakdown

Annual earnings by percentile, Columbia, SC

Bar chart showing Metal Workers and Plastic Workers, All Other salary percentiles in Columbia, SC: 10th percentile $34,420, 25th percentile $40,340, median $47,050, 75th percentile $50,900, 90th percentile $61,550. Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics.10th$34K25th$40KMedian$47K75th$51K90th$62K
Bar chart showing Metal Workers and Plastic Workers, All Other salary percentiles in Columbia, SC: 10th percentile $34,420, 25th percentile $40,340, median $47,050, 75th percentile $50,900, 90th percentile $61,550. Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Entry-level metal workers and plastic workers, all others (10th percentile) start around $34K. Mid-career wages sit at $47K. Top earners bring in $62K or more, a $27K spread from bottom to top.

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Metal Workers and Plastic Workers, All Other pay across states

Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure

View Metal Workers and Plastic Workers, All Other salary in all states
StateMedian salaryvs. nationalEmployment
Hawaii$78K+70%30
Washington$66K+43%360
Oklahoma$65K+42%180
Kentucky$61K+33%200
New York$61K+32%150
Montana$57K+23%110
Utah$55K+20%30
Indiana$55K+19%250
Alabama$54K+18%80
New Mexico$53K+16%40
Colorado$52K+14%400
Minnesota$52K+13%110
Virginia$52K+12%130
Maryland$50K+9%510
Illinois$50K+8%170
Oregon$50K+8%570
Missouri$49K+6%210
New Hampshire$48K+4%790
California$47K+3%1,970
Massachusetts$47K+2%30
Arizona$47K+2%100
Iowa$47K+1%40
South Carolina$46K+1%400
Nevada$46K+1%210
Louisiana$46K-1%210
Texas$46K-1%1,410
Pennsylvania$45K-1%800
North Carolina$45K-2%470
Ohio$45K-2%790
Wisconsin$45K-2%470
Georgia$42K-9%1,730
Maine$42K-9%60
Arkansas$41K-12%180
Connecticut$40K-12%350
Michigan$40K-13%530
Tennessee$37K-20%980
Florida$36K-22%490
New Jersey$34K-26%N/A
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Showing 1–10 of 38 states with published data

BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small

Track metal workers and plastic workers, all other salary changes

BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Columbia numbers change.

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Frequently asked questions

Can a metal workers and plastic workers, all other afford a 2BR apartment alone in Columbia?

It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $47K, rent takes 39.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,276/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 metal workers and plastic workers, all others in Columbia?

The 10th-percentile wage — what new metal workers and plastic workers, all others typically earn — is $34K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,065/month. At HUD’s $1,276/month FMR, rent would take 62% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.

Is metal workers and plastic workers, all other a high-paying job in Columbia?

Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $47K locally vs. $46K nationally, a 2% difference.

How does Columbia compare to the national average for metal workers and plastic workers, all others?

Columbia pays $47K median vs. the U.S. average of $46K — that’s +2%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.66), the purchasing-power equivalent is $50K — still ahead of the national median.

How much do metal workers and plastic workers, all others make in Columbia, SC?

The median is $47,050 a year, that works out to about $23 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $34,420, and experienced metal workers and plastic workers, all others can clear $61,550. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.

Is $47K enough to live in Columbia?

On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,205/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,276/month, which eats 39.8% 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 metal workers and plastic workers, all other salary go in Columbia?

Columbia has a Regional Price Parity of 93.66 (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 metal workers and plastic workers, all other salary is worth about $50,235 in national-average purchasing power.

Where do metal workers and plastic workers, all others 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.

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