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 Kentucky is $54,960/year ($26.42/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $39K at the entry level to $80K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 90.23), which stretches that salary to about $60,911 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,110/month, about 30.7% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Kentucky. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $55K get you in Kentucky?
About multiple machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics
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What this looks like in Kentucky
Kentucky sits well above the national pay line for multiple machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic, local pay runs about 16% higher than the U.S. median of $47K. Rent runs $1,110/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 30.3% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 90.23 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 10% 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, Kentucky
Entry-level multiple machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics (10th percentile) start around $39K. Mid-career wages sit at $55K. Top earners bring in $80K or more, a $42K spread from bottom to top.
Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic salary by metro in Kentucky
2 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Louisville/Jefferson County | $49K | -11% | 1,170 |
| Lexington-Fayette | $49K | -11% | 380 |
Compare to other states
Track multiple machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Kentucky 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 Kentucky?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $55K, rent takes 30.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,110/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 Kentucky?
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 $2,327/month. At HUD’s $1,110/month FMR, rent would take 48% 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 Kentucky?
Local pay is 16% above the national median — $55K here vs. $47K nationally.
How does Kentucky compare to the national average for multiple machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics?
Kentucky pays $55K median vs. the U.S. average of $47K — that’s +16%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 90.23), the purchasing-power equivalent is $61K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do multiple machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics make in Kentucky?
The median is $54,960 a year, that works out to about $26 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $38,790, and experienced multiple machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics can clear $80,330. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $55K enough to live in Kentucky?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,667/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,110/month, which eats 30.3% 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 Kentucky?
Kentucky has a Regional Price Parity of 90.23 (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 $60,911 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.