Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic Salary
The median pay for a molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic in Chattanooga, TN-GA is $47,320/year ($22.75/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $35K at the entry level to $61K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.46), which stretches that salary to about $51,738 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,390/month, about 40.8% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $47K get you in Chattanooga?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Chattanooga’s Regional Price Parity (91.46). 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 molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics
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What this looks like in Chattanooga
Molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic pay in Chattanooga tracks closely to the national median, $47K locally vs. $44K nationwide, a 7% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,390/month, which is 41.6% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.46 (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.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics in metros near Chattanooga, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Knoxville | $39K | $43K |
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin | $38K | $39K |
| Johnson City | $39K | $44K |
| Kingsport-Bristol | $37K | $42K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Chattanooga, TN-GA
Entry-level molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics (10th percentile) start around $35K. Mid-career wages sit at $47K. Top earners bring in $61K or more, a $26K spread from bottom to top.
Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | $78K | +75% | 140 |
| Maryland | $63K | +43% | 230 |
| Maine | $59K | +34% | 470 |
| Minnesota | $50K | +12% | 2,230 |
| Nevada | $50K | +12% | 350 |
| Nebraska | $49K | +9% | 1,000 |
| Washington | $48K | +9% | 1,800 |
| Colorado | $48K | +9% | 2,160 |
| North Dakota | $48K | +8% | 160 |
| New Hampshire | $48K | +7% | 1,080 |
| California | $47K | +7% | 9,250 |
| Kentucky | $47K | +6% | 4,340 |
| Arizona | $47K | +6% | 1,430 |
| Pennsylvania | $47K | +5% | 7,000 |
| Utah | $47K | +5% | 2,400 |
| Connecticut | $46K | +4% | 1,100 |
| Oregon | $46K | +4% | 1,780 |
| Oklahoma | $46K | +3% | 2,030 |
| Illinois | $46K | +3% | 10,680 |
| Virginia | $45K | +2% | 1,680 |
| South Carolina | $45K | +2% | 3,240 |
| Iowa | $45K | +2% | 3,670 |
| Delaware | $45K | +2% | 120 |
| Ohio | $45K | +1% | 11,050 |
| Arkansas | $45K | +1% | 2,520 |
| Vermont | $45K | +0% | 110 |
| New York | $45K | +0% | 3,320 |
| Indiana | $44K | -0% | 8,810 |
| Wisconsin | $44K | -0% | 8,590 |
| Missouri | $44K | -1% | 3,340 |
| Montana | $43K | -2% | 110 |
| Georgia | $43K | -2% | 2,060 |
| Kansas | $43K | -3% | 1,240 |
| Idaho | $43K | -4% | 520 |
| Massachusetts | $43K | -4% | 3,810 |
| West Virginia | $43K | -4% | 420 |
| Rhode Island | $42K | -5% | 430 |
| New Mexico | $42K | -5% | 250 |
| North Carolina | $42K | -6% | 7,570 |
| Texas | $41K | -7% | 7,460 |
| South Dakota | $41K | -8% | 840 |
| New Jersey | $40K | -10% | 2,450 |
| Mississippi | $40K | -10% | 550 |
| Michigan | $39K | -11% | 13,550 |
| Alabama | $39K | -12% | 5,900 |
| Tennessee | $39K | -12% | 3,730 |
| Louisiana | $39K | -13% | 90 |
| Florida | $38K | -13% | 3,290 |
| Wyoming | $38K | -14% | 60 |
Showing 1–10 of 49 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Chattanooga numbers change.
Related careers in Production & Manufacturing
Frequently asked questions
Can a molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic afford a 2BR apartment alone in Chattanooga?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $47K, rent takes 41.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,390/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,000/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics in Chattanooga?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics typically earn — is $35K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,099/month. At HUD’s $1,390/month FMR, rent would take 66% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic a high-paying job in Chattanooga?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $47K locally vs. $44K nationally, a 7% difference.
How does Chattanooga compare to the national average for molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics?
Chattanooga pays $47K median vs. the U.S. average of $44K — that’s +7%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.46), the purchasing-power equivalent is $52K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics make in Chattanooga, TN-GA?
The median is $47,320 a year, that works out to about $23 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $34,990, and experienced molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics can clear $61,360. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $47K enough to live in Chattanooga?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,338/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,390/month, which eats 41.6% 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 molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic salary go in Chattanooga?
Chattanooga has a Regional Price Parity of 91.46 (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 molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic salary is worth about $51,738 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do molding, coremaking, and casting 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.