Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic Salary
The median pay for a plating machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic in Appleton, WI is $42,340/year ($20.36/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $29K at the entry level to $60K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 92.42), which stretches that salary to about $45,813 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,236/month, about 42.8% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $42K get you in Appleton?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Appleton’s Regional Price Parity (92.42). 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.
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What this looks like in Appleton
Plating machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic pay in Appleton tracks closely to the national median, $42K locally vs. $44K nationwide, a 4% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,236/month, which is 42.5% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 92.42 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 8% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for plating machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics in metros near Appleton, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Milwaukee-Waukesha | $47K | $48K |
| Green Bay | $39K | $42K |
| Kenosha | $29K | $29K |
| Oshkosh-Neenah | $60K | $64K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Appleton, WI
Entry-level plating machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics (10th percentile) start around $29K. Mid-career wages sit at $42K. Top earners bring in $60K or more, a $31K spread from bottom to top.
Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Iowa | $71K | +61% | 440 |
| Washington | $58K | +32% | 410 |
| Mississippi | $52K | +18% | 60 |
| Arkansas | $51K | +16% | 230 |
| Oklahoma | $49K | +12% | 180 |
| Oregon | $48K | +9% | 310 |
| Nebraska | $48K | +9% | 400 |
| Colorado | $48K | +9% | 190 |
| Arizona | $47K | +7% | 640 |
| Utah | $47K | +7% | 180 |
| Ohio | $47K | +6% | 1,810 |
| California | $47K | +6% | 5,600 |
| Minnesota | $47K | +6% | 560 |
| Florida | $46K | +6% | 530 |
| New Hampshire | $46K | +5% | 60 |
| Massachusetts | $46K | +5% | 860 |
| Maine | $46K | +4% | 170 |
| Pennsylvania | $46K | +4% | 1,740 |
| New York | $46K | +4% | 830 |
| South Carolina | $45K | +1% | 470 |
| Idaho | $44K | +1% | 60 |
| Wisconsin | $44K | +1% | 940 |
| Missouri | $44K | +0% | 150 |
| North Carolina | $44K | -1% | 710 |
| Virginia | $43K | -1% | 270 |
| Maryland | $42K | -4% | 60 |
| New Jersey | $41K | -7% | 380 |
| Tennessee | $40K | -10% | 1,660 |
| Georgia | $39K | -11% | 660 |
| Texas | $39K | -11% | 2,090 |
| Kansas | $39K | -12% | 360 |
| Indiana | $39K | -12% | 1,250 |
| Illinois | $39K | -12% | 2,380 |
| Rhode Island | $39K | -12% | 450 |
| Michigan | $38K | -14% | 3,330 |
| Nevada | $37K | -15% | 60 |
| Connecticut | $37K | -15% | 620 |
| Kentucky | $35K | -21% | 630 |
| Louisiana | $34K | -23% | 100 |
| Alabama | $34K | -23% | 400 |
Showing 1–10 of 40 states
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track plating machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Appleton numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a plating machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic afford a 2BR apartment alone in Appleton?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $42K, rent takes 42.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,236/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 plating machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics in Appleton?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new plating machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics typically earn — is $29K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,735/month. At HUD’s $1,236/month FMR, rent would take 71% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is plating machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic a high-paying job in Appleton?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $42K locally vs. $44K nationally, a 4% difference.
How does Appleton compare to the national average for plating machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics?
Appleton pays $42K median vs. the U.S. average of $44K — that’s -4%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 92.42), the purchasing-power equivalent is $46K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do plating machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics make in Appleton, WI?
The median is $42,340 a year, that works out to about $20 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $28,920, and experienced plating machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics can clear $59,740. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $42K enough to live in Appleton?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,905/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,236/month, which eats 42.5% 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 plating machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic salary go in Appleton?
Appleton has a Regional Price Parity of 92.42 (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 plating machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic salary is worth about $45,813 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do plating machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics 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.