Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic Salary
The median pay for a milling and planing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic in Decatur, AL is $36,500/year ($17.55/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $32K at the entry level to $44K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 87.21), which stretches that salary to about $41,853 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $961/month, about 38.6% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $37K get you in Decatur?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Decatur’s Regional Price Parity (87.21). 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 milling and planing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics
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What this looks like in Decatur
Pay for milling and planing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic in Decatur runs about 31% below the U.S. median of $53K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $961/month, which is 38.8% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 87.21 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 13% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for milling and planing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for milling and planing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics in metros near Decatur, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Birmingham | $36K | $40K |
| Knoxville | $47K | $50K |
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin | $41K | $43K |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell | $50K | $50K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Decatur, AL
Entry-level milling and planing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics (10th percentile) start around $32K. Mid-career wages sit at $37K. Top earners bring in $44K or more, a $12K spread from bottom to top.
Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | $86K | +64% | 240 |
| Connecticut | $79K | +50% | 150 |
| Kentucky | $66K | +26% | 540 |
| Illinois | $63K | +20% | 570 |
| Massachusetts | $62K | +18% | N/A |
| Nebraska | $60K | +13% | 70 |
| California | $59K | +12% | 1,960 |
| Wisconsin | $59K | +11% | 280 |
| Indiana | $58K | +9% | 590 |
| New York | $57K | +7% | 550 |
| Virginia | $56K | +7% | 90 |
| Maryland | $56K | +6% | 50 |
| Minnesota | $55K | +5% | 220 |
| Texas | $54K | +2% | 510 |
| Colorado | $54K | +2% | N/A |
| Nevada | $53K | +0% | 120 |
| Iowa | $52K | -2% | 140 |
| Ohio | $51K | -3% | 610 |
| New Jersey | $51K | -4% | 190 |
| New Hampshire | $49K | -7% | 50 |
| North Carolina | $49K | -7% | 280 |
| Arizona | $49K | -8% | 100 |
| Michigan | $48K | -8% | 670 |
| South Carolina | $48K | -8% | 120 |
| Pennsylvania | $48K | -10% | 410 |
| Missouri | $48K | -10% | 350 |
| Florida | $47K | -11% | 140 |
| Utah | $47K | -12% | 100 |
| West Virginia | $45K | -14% | 120 |
| Maine | $45K | -14% | 120 |
| Arkansas | $44K | -16% | 160 |
| Tennessee | $44K | -17% | 1,170 |
| Oklahoma | $40K | -24% | 160 |
| Mississippi | $39K | -26% | 100 |
| Georgia | $38K | -27% | 120 |
| Alabama | $36K | -32% | 210 |
Showing 1–10 of 36 states
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track milling and planing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Decatur numbers change.
Related careers in Production & Manufacturing
Frequently asked questions
Can a milling and planing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic afford a 2BR apartment alone in Decatur?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $37K, rent takes 38.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $961/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $700/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for milling and planing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics in Decatur?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new milling and planing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics typically earn — is $32K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,934/month. At HUD’s $961/month FMR, rent would take 50% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is milling and planing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic a high-paying job in Decatur?
Local pay runs 31% below the national median — $37K here vs. $53K nationally. Cost of living is 13% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Decatur compare to the national average for milling and planing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics?
Decatur pays $37K median vs. the U.S. average of $53K — that’s -31%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 87.21), the purchasing-power equivalent is $42K — below the national median.
How much do milling and planing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics make in Decatur, AL?
The median is $36,500 a year, that works out to about $18 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $32,240, and experienced milling and planing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics can clear $43,990. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $37K enough to live in Decatur?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,476/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $961/month, which eats 38.8% 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 milling and planing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic salary go in Decatur?
Decatur has a Regional Price Parity of 87.21 (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 milling and planing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic salary is worth about $41,853 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do milling and planing machine 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.