Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders Salary
The median pay for a paper goods machine setters, operators, and tenders in Kansas is $45,840/year ($22.04/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $36K at the entry level to $55K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 89.54), which stretches that salary to about $51,195 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,066/month, about 34.1% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. This is an aggregate across all of Kansas. BLS does not publish metro-level data for this occupation in this state.
So what does $46K get you in Kansas?
About paper goods machine setters, operators, and tenders
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What this looks like in Kansas
Paper goods machine setters, operators, and tenders pay in Kansas tracks closely to the national median, $46K locally vs. $50K nationwide, a 9% difference. Rent runs $1,066/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 34.7% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 89.54 (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.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Kansas
Entry-level paper goods machine setters, operators, and tenders (10th percentile) start around $36K. Mid-career wages sit at $46K. Top earners bring in $55K or more, a $19K spread from bottom to top.
Compare to other states
Track paper goods machine setters, operators, and tenders salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Kansas numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a paper goods machine setters, operators, and tender afford a 2BR apartment alone in Kansas?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $46K, rent takes 34.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,066/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 Kansas?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new paper goods machine setters, operators, and tenders typically earn — is $36K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,155/month. At HUD’s $1,066/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 paper goods machine setters, operators, and tender a high-paying job in Kansas?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $46K locally vs. $50K nationally, a 9% difference.
How does Kansas compare to the national average for paper goods machine setters, operators, and tenders?
Kansas pays $46K median vs. the U.S. average of $50K — that’s -9%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 89.54), the purchasing-power equivalent is $51K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do paper goods machine setters, operators, and tenders make in Kansas?
The median is $45,840 a year, that works out to about $22 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $35,920, and experienced paper goods machine setters, operators, and tenders can clear $55,360. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $46K enough to live in Kansas?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,076/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,066/month, which eats 34.7% 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 Kansas?
Kansas has a Regional Price Parity of 89.54 (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 $51,195 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.