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 Texas is $53,840/year ($25.89/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $37K at the entry level to $107K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.49), which stretches that salary to about $58,848 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,415/month, about 37.8% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Texas. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $54K get you in Texas?
About milling and planing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Texas
Milling and planing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic pay in Texas tracks closely to the national median, $54K locally vs. $53K nationwide, a 2% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,415/month, which is 37.5% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.49 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 9% 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, Texas
Entry-level milling and planing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics (10th percentile) start around $37K. Mid-career wages sit at $54K. Top earners bring in $107K or more, a $70K spread from bottom to top.
Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic salary by metro in Texas
2 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington | $61K | +14% | 130 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands | $57K | +6% | 140 |
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 Texas 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 Texas?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $54K, rent takes 37.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,415/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,100/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 Texas?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new milling and planing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics typically earn — is $37K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,227/month. At HUD’s $1,415/month FMR, rent would take 64% 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 Texas?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $54K locally vs. $53K nationally, a 2% difference.
How does Texas compare to the national average for milling and planing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics?
Texas pays $54K median vs. the U.S. average of $53K — that’s +2%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.49), the purchasing-power equivalent is $59K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do milling and planing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics make in Texas?
The median is $53,840 a year, that works out to about $26 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $37,110, and experienced milling and planing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics can clear $106,740. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $54K enough to live in Texas?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,775/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,415/month, which eats 37.5% 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 Texas?
Texas has a Regional Price Parity of 91.49 (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 $58,848 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.