Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders Salary
The median pay for a paper goods machine setters, operators, and tenders in Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL is $47,510/year ($22.84/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $37K at the entry level to $63K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 114.16), so that salary is closer to $41,617 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,436/month, about 71.3% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $48K get you in Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach’s Regional Price Parity (114.16). 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 Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach
Paper goods machine setters, operators, and tenders pay in Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach tracks closely to the national median, $48K locally vs. $50K nationwide, a 5% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,436/month, which is 72.7% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost-of-living overall is 14% above the national average (BEA RPP 114.16), so groceries and services cost more too. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for paper goods machine setters, operators, and tenders in metros near Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Jacksonville | $58K | $59K |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater | $46K | $46K |
| Lakeland-Winter Haven | $52K | $54K |
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford | $48K | $47K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL
Entry-level paper goods machine setters, operators, and tenders (10th percentile) start around $37K. Mid-career wages sit at $48K. Top earners bring in $63K or more, a $26K 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 Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a paper goods machine setters, operators, and tender afford a 2BR apartment alone in Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $48K, rent takes 72.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,436/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,000/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 Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach?
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 $2,248/month. At HUD’s $2,436/month FMR, rent would take 108% 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 Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $48K locally vs. $50K nationally, a 5% difference.
How does Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach compare to the national average for paper goods machine setters, operators, and tenders?
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach pays $48K median vs. the U.S. average of $50K — that’s -5%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 114.16), the purchasing-power equivalent is $42K — below the national median.
How much do paper goods machine setters, operators, and tenders make in Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL?
The median is $47,510 a year, that works out to about $23 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $37,460, and experienced paper goods machine setters, operators, and tenders can clear $63,370. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $48K enough to live in Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,351/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,436/month, which eats 72.7% 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 Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach?
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach has a Regional Price Parity of 114.16 (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 $41,617 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.