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 Elkhart-Goshen, IN is $59,040/year ($28.39/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $48K at the entry level to $74K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 90.33), which stretches that salary to about $65,360 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,183/month, or 29.9% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $59K get you in Elkhart-Goshen?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Elkhart-Goshen’s Regional Price Parity (90.33). 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 Elkhart-Goshen
Elkhart-Goshen sits well above the national pay line for milling and planing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic, local pay runs about 12% higher than the U.S. median of $53K. Rent runs $1,183/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 29.8% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 90.33 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 10% 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 milling and planing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics in metros near Elkhart-Goshen, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood | $57K | $59K |
| Fort Wayne | $56K | $60K |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin | $63K | $61K |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn | $57K | $57K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Elkhart-Goshen, IN
Entry-level milling and planing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics (10th percentile) start around $48K. Mid-career wages sit at $59K. Top earners bring in $74K or more, a $27K 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 with published data
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 Elkhart-Goshen numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a milling and planing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic afford a 2BR apartment alone in Elkhart-Goshen?
Yes — at the median salary of $59K, rent takes 29.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,183/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for milling and planing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics in Elkhart-Goshen?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new milling and planing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics typically earn — is $48K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,861/month. At HUD’s $1,183/month FMR, rent would take 41% 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 Elkhart-Goshen?
Local pay is 12% above the national median — $59K here vs. $53K nationally.
How does Elkhart-Goshen compare to the national average for milling and planing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics?
Elkhart-Goshen pays $59K median vs. the U.S. average of $53K — that’s +12%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 90.33), the purchasing-power equivalent is $65K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do milling and planing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics make in Elkhart-Goshen, IN?
The median is $59,040 a year, that works out to about $28 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $47,690, and experienced milling and planing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics can clear $74,250. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $59K enough to live in Elkhart-Goshen?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,973/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,183/month, which eats 29.8% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a milling and planing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic salary go in Elkhart-Goshen?
Elkhart-Goshen has a Regional Price Parity of 90.33 (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 $65,360 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.