Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic Salary
The median pay for a multiple machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic in Alabama is $43,800/year ($21.06/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $31K at the entry level to $71K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.36), which stretches that salary to about $49,570 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,085/month, about 36.3% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Alabama. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $44K get you in Alabama?
About multiple machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics
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What this looks like in Alabama
Multiple machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic pay in Alabama tracks closely to the national median, $44K locally vs. $47K nationwide, a 7% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,085/month, which is 37% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 88.36 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 12% 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, Alabama
Entry-level multiple machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics (10th percentile) start around $31K. Mid-career wages sit at $44K. Top earners bring in $71K or more, a $40K spread from bottom to top.
Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic salary by metro in Alabama
7 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Decatur | $52K | +18% | 150 |
| Birmingham | $51K | +15% | 280 |
| Mobile | $49K | +12% | 90 |
| Tuscaloosa | $49K | +11% | 30 |
| Dothan | $48K | +10% | 70 |
| Montgomery | $44K | +0% | 140 |
| Auburn-Opelika | $33K | -25% | 90 |
Compare to other states
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BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Alabama numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a multiple machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic afford a 2BR apartment alone in Alabama?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $44K, rent takes 37% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,085/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $900/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for multiple machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics in Alabama?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new multiple machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics typically earn — is $31K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,861/month. At HUD’s $1,085/month FMR, rent would take 58% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is multiple machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic a high-paying job in Alabama?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $44K locally vs. $47K nationally, a 7% difference.
How does Alabama compare to the national average for multiple machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics?
Alabama pays $44K median vs. the U.S. average of $47K — that’s -7%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.36), the purchasing-power equivalent is $50K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do multiple machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics make in Alabama?
The median is $43,800 a year, that works out to about $21 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $31,020, and experienced multiple machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics can clear $70,880. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $44K enough to live in Alabama?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,934/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,085/month, which eats 37% 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 multiple machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic salary go in Alabama?
Alabama has a Regional Price Parity of 88.36 (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 multiple machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic salary is worth about $49,570 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do multiple machine tool 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.