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 Illinois is $63,360/year ($30.46/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $44K at the entry level to $67K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.85), which stretches that salary to about $67,512 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,407/month, about 33.8% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Illinois. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $63K get you in Illinois?
About milling and planing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics
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What this looks like in Illinois
Illinois sits well above the national pay line for milling and planing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic, local pay runs about 20% higher than the U.S. median of $53K. Rent runs $1,407/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 33.9% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 93.85 (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.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Illinois
Entry-level milling and planing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics (10th percentile) start around $44K. Mid-career wages sit at $63K. Top earners bring in $67K or more, a $23K spread from bottom to top.
Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic salary by metro in Illinois
1 metro area with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin | $63K | +0% | 470 |
Compare to other states
Track milling and planing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Illinois 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 Illinois?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $63K, rent takes 33.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,407/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,200/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 Illinois?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new milling and planing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics typically earn — is $44K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,621/month. At HUD’s $1,407/month FMR, rent would take 54% 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 Illinois?
Local pay is 20% above the national median — $63K here vs. $53K nationally.
How does Illinois compare to the national average for milling and planing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics?
Illinois pays $63K median vs. the U.S. average of $53K — that’s +20%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.85), the purchasing-power equivalent is $68K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do milling and planing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics make in Illinois?
The median is $63,360 a year, that works out to about $30 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $43,680, and experienced milling and planing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics can clear $66,950. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $63K enough to live in Illinois?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,151/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,407/month, which eats 33.9% 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 milling and planing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic salary go in Illinois?
Illinois has a Regional Price Parity of 93.85 (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 $67,512 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.