Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders Salary
The median pay for a paper goods machine setters, operators, and tenders in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD is $55,810/year ($26.83/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $37K at the entry level to $65K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 102.55), that's roughly $54,422 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,810/month, about 48.4% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $56K get you in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington’s Regional Price Parity (102.55). 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 Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington sits well above the national pay line for paper goods machine setters, operators, and tenders, local pay runs about 11% 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 $1,810/month, which is 48.1% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 102.55) 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 Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| York-Hanover | $52K | $54K |
| Pittsburgh | $47K | $50K |
| Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton | $51K | $51K |
| Harrisburg-Carlisle | $38K | $39K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD
Entry-level paper goods machine setters, operators, and tenders (10th percentile) start around $37K. Mid-career wages sit at $56K. Top earners bring in $65K or more, a $27K 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 Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a paper goods machine setters, operators, and tender afford a 2BR apartment alone in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $56K, rent takes 48.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,810/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 paper goods machine setters, operators, and tenders in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington?
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 $2,246/month. At HUD’s $1,810/month FMR, rent would take 81% 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 Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington?
Local pay is 11% above the national median — $56K here vs. $50K nationally.
How does Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington compare to the national average for paper goods machine setters, operators, and tenders?
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington pays $56K median vs. the U.S. average of $50K — that’s +11%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 102.55), the purchasing-power equivalent is $54K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do paper goods machine setters, operators, and tenders make in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD?
The median is $55,810 a year, that works out to about $27 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $37,430, and experienced paper goods machine setters, operators, and tenders can clear $64,900. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $56K enough to live in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,764/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,810/month, which eats 48.1% 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 Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington?
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington has a Regional Price Parity of 102.55 (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 $54,422 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.