Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders Salary
The median pay for a paper goods machine setters, operators, and tenders in Elkhart-Goshen, IN is $43,420/year ($20.88/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $37K at the entry level to $56K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 90.33), which stretches that salary to about $48,068 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,183/month, about 39.2% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $43K get you in Elkhart-Goshen?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Elkhart-Goshen’s Regional Price Parity (90.33). 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 Elkhart-Goshen
Pay for paper goods machine setters, operators, and tenders in Elkhart-Goshen runs about 14% below the U.S. median of $50K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,183/month, which is 39.9% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 90.33 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 10% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for paper goods machine setters, operators, and tenderss.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for paper goods machine setters, operators, and tenders in metros near Elkhart-Goshen, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood | $49K | $51K |
| Fort Wayne | $48K | $52K |
| Terre Haute | $65K | $74K |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin | $59K | $57K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Elkhart-Goshen, IN
Entry-level paper goods machine setters, operators, and tenders (10th percentile) start around $37K. Mid-career wages sit at $43K. Top earners bring in $56K or more, a $19K 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
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track paper goods machine setters, operators, and tenders salary changes
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Frequently asked questions
Can a paper goods machine setters, operators, and tender afford a 2BR apartment alone in Elkhart-Goshen?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $43K, rent takes 39.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,183/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 paper goods machine setters, operators, and tenders in Elkhart-Goshen?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new paper goods machine setters, operators, and tenders typically earn — is $37K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,193/month. At HUD’s $1,183/month FMR, rent would take 54% 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 Elkhart-Goshen?
Local pay runs 14% below the national median — $43K here vs. $50K nationally. Cost of living is 10% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Elkhart-Goshen compare to the national average for paper goods machine setters, operators, and tenders?
Elkhart-Goshen pays $43K median vs. the U.S. average of $50K — that’s -14%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 90.33), the purchasing-power equivalent is $48K — below the national median.
How much do paper goods machine setters, operators, and tenders make in Elkhart-Goshen, IN?
The median is $43,420 a year, that works out to about $21 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $36,550, and experienced paper goods machine setters, operators, and tenders can clear $55,990. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $43K enough to live in Elkhart-Goshen?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,967/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,183/month, which eats 39.9% 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 Elkhart-Goshen?
Elkhart-Goshen has a Regional Price Parity of 90.33 (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 paper goods machine setters, operators, and tenders salary is worth about $48,068 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.