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 Altoona, PA is $52,080/year ($25.04/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $39K at the entry level to $52K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 89.51), which stretches that salary to about $58,183 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,138/month, about 32.6% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $52K get you in Altoona?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Altoona’s Regional Price Parity (89.51). 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 multiple machine tool 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 Altoona
Multiple machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic pay in Altoona tracks closely to the national median, $52K locally vs. $47K nationwide, a 10% difference. Rent runs $1,138/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 32.3% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 89.51 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 10% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for multiple machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics in metros near Altoona, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington | $48K | $47K |
| Pittsburgh | $46K | $48K |
| Scranton--Wilkes-Barre | $48K | $51K |
| Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton | $48K | $48K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Altoona, PA
Entry-level multiple machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics (10th percentile) start around $39K. Mid-career wages sit at $52K. Top earners bring in $52K or more, a $13K spread from bottom to top.
Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| West Virginia | $76K | +61% | 1,920 |
| Kentucky | $55K | +16% | 5,510 |
| Missouri | $53K | +13% | 7,220 |
| Maryland | $52K | +10% | 400 |
| Nebraska | $51K | +8% | 1,250 |
| Virginia | $51K | +7% | 1,030 |
| Washington | $51K | +7% | 830 |
| Vermont | $50K | +7% | 110 |
| Idaho | $50K | +7% | 480 |
| New York | $50K | +6% | 3,660 |
| North Dakota | $49K | +4% | 490 |
| Texas | $49K | +4% | 10,540 |
| Minnesota | $49K | +4% | 2,540 |
| Iowa | $49K | +4% | 4,460 |
| Kansas | $48K | +3% | 290 |
| Massachusetts | $48K | +2% | 1,390 |
| Pennsylvania | $48K | +2% | 7,960 |
| Wisconsin | $48K | +1% | 3,570 |
| Oregon | $47K | +1% | 1,120 |
| North Carolina | $47K | +0% | 3,200 |
| California | $47K | -1% | 3,190 |
| Maine | $47K | -1% | 300 |
| Oklahoma | $46K | -2% | 2,180 |
| Ohio | $46K | -2% | 11,170 |
| Louisiana | $46K | -2% | 900 |
| Colorado | $46K | -2% | 220 |
| Michigan | $46K | -3% | 9,350 |
| South Carolina | $46K | -3% | 4,520 |
| New Hampshire | $46K | -3% | 600 |
| Indiana | $45K | -4% | 7,480 |
| South Dakota | $45K | -5% | 120 |
| Illinois | $44K | -6% | 6,090 |
| Arkansas | $44K | -7% | 1,570 |
| Alabama | $44K | -7% | 1,680 |
| Tennessee | $44K | -8% | 930 |
| Utah | $44K | -8% | 1,340 |
| Arizona | $43K | -9% | 1,760 |
| Connecticut | $43K | -10% | 2,150 |
| New Jersey | $41K | -12% | 3,090 |
| Florida | $41K | -13% | 2,530 |
| Nevada | $40K | -15% | N/A |
| Wyoming | $40K | -15% | 110 |
| Georgia | $39K | -18% | 2,980 |
| Rhode Island | $39K | -18% | 680 |
| Mississippi | $36K | -23% | 1,070 |
Showing 1–10 of 45 states
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track multiple machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Altoona numbers change.
Related careers in Production & Manufacturing
Frequently asked questions
Can a multiple machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic afford a 2BR apartment alone in Altoona?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $52K, rent takes 32.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,138/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 multiple machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics in Altoona?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new multiple machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics typically earn — is $39K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,319/month. At HUD’s $1,138/month FMR, rent would take 49% 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 Altoona?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $52K locally vs. $47K nationally, a 10% difference.
How does Altoona compare to the national average for multiple machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics?
Altoona pays $52K median vs. the U.S. average of $47K — that’s +10%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 89.51), the purchasing-power equivalent is $58K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do multiple machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics make in Altoona, PA?
The median is $52,080 a year, that works out to about $25 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $38,650, and experienced multiple machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics can clear $52,080. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $52K enough to live in Altoona?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,524/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,138/month, which eats 32.3% 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 Altoona?
Altoona has a Regional Price Parity of 89.51 (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 $58,183 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.