Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic Salary in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN

The median is $64,310 a year, that works out to about $31 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $45,880, and experienced milling and planing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics can clear $75,130. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.

On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,204/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,781/month, which eats 42.4% 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.

Chicago-Naperville-Elgin has a Regional Price Parity of 103.59 (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 milling and planing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic salary is worth about $62,081 in national-average purchasing power.

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.