Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders Salary
The median pay for a paper goods machine setters, operators, and tenders in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN is $59,020/year ($28.38/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $40K at the entry level to $63K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 103.59), that's roughly $56,975 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,781/month, about 45.9% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $59K get you in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Chicago-Naperville-Elgin’s Regional Price Parity (103.59). 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 paper goods machine setters, operators, and tenders
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What this looks like in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin sits well above the national pay line for paper goods machine setters, operators, and tenders, local pay runs about 17% higher than the U.S. median of $50K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,781/month, which is 45.9% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 103.59) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for paper goods machine setters, operators, and tenders in metros near Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Rockford | $57K | $62K |
| Green Bay | $59K | $64K |
| Oshkosh-Neenah | $59K | $63K |
| Milwaukee-Waukesha | $54K | $56K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN
Entry-level paper goods machine setters, operators, and tenders (10th percentile) start around $40K. Mid-career wages sit at $59K. Top earners bring in $63K or more, a $24K spread from bottom to top.
Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oklahoma | $64K | +27% | 1,390 |
| Maine | $62K | +23% | 740 |
| Utah | $61K | +21% | 1,350 |
| Washington | $59K | +18% | 2,170 |
| Louisiana | $58K | +16% | 1,150 |
| Minnesota | $58K | +16% | 1,960 |
| Wisconsin | $58K | +15% | 8,510 |
| Kentucky | $58K | +15% | 2,670 |
| Idaho | $58K | +15% | 480 |
| Oregon | $57K | +13% | 680 |
| Illinois | $56K | +12% | 5,360 |
| New Mexico | $54K | +7% | 100 |
| New York | $53K | +5% | 3,280 |
| Alabama | $52K | +4% | 3,800 |
| Pennsylvania | $52K | +3% | 7,410 |
| Michigan | $51K | +1% | 3,000 |
| New Hampshire | $50K | -0% | 230 |
| Georgia | $50K | -0% | 5,650 |
| South Carolina | $50K | -0% | 2,460 |
| Virginia | $50K | -1% | 2,370 |
| Arizona | $49K | -2% | 1,190 |
| Colorado | $49K | -3% | 240 |
| Florida | $49K | -3% | 1,360 |
| Massachusetts | $49K | -3% | 1,920 |
| Indiana | $49K | -3% | 2,580 |
| California | $49K | -3% | 5,570 |
| Rhode Island | $49K | -3% | 240 |
| Arkansas | $49K | -3% | 2,060 |
| Connecticut | $49K | -3% | 650 |
| Delaware | $48K | -4% | 160 |
| Nebraska | $48K | -5% | 300 |
| North Carolina | $48K | -5% | 4,800 |
| Texas | $48K | -5% | 3,740 |
| Maryland | $48K | -5% | 480 |
| Nevada | $48K | -5% | 380 |
| Missouri | $48K | -5% | 1,540 |
| Ohio | $47K | -6% | 4,640 |
| Mississippi | $47K | -6% | 960 |
| Tennessee | $47K | -7% | 3,490 |
| South Dakota | $47K | -7% | 130 |
| Iowa | $46K | -8% | 1,010 |
| New Jersey | $46K | -9% | 3,210 |
| Kansas | $46K | -9% | 420 |
Showing 1–10 of 43 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track paper goods machine setters, operators, and tenders salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Chicago-Naperville-Elgin numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a paper goods machine setters, operators, and tender afford a 2BR apartment alone in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $59K, rent takes 45.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,781/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,200/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for paper goods machine setters, operators, and tenders in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new paper goods machine setters, operators, and tenders typically earn — is $40K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,388/month. At HUD’s $1,781/month FMR, rent would take 75% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is paper goods machine setters, operators, and tender a high-paying job in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin?
Local pay is 17% above the national median — $59K here vs. $50K nationally.
How does Chicago-Naperville-Elgin compare to the national average for paper goods machine setters, operators, and tenders?
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin pays $59K median vs. the U.S. average of $50K — that’s +17%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 103.59), the purchasing-power equivalent is $57K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do paper goods machine setters, operators, and tenders make in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN?
The median is $59,020 a year, that works out to about $28 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $39,800, and experienced paper goods machine setters, operators, and tenders can clear $63,330. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $59K enough to live in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,878/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,781/month, which eats 45.9% 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 paper goods machine setters, operators, and tenders salary go in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin?
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin has a Regional Price Parity of 103.59 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median paper goods machine setters, operators, and tenders salary is worth about $56,975 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do paper goods machine setters, operators, and tenders 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.