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 Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA is $39,190/year ($18.84/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $35K at the entry level to $106K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 100.06), that's roughly $39,167 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,820/month, about 68.1% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $39K get you in Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell’s Regional Price Parity (100.06). 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 plating machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics
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What this looks like in Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell
Pay for plating machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic in Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell runs about 11% below the U.S. median of $44K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,820/month, which is 68.6% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 100.06) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for plating machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for plating machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics in metros near Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin | $48K | $49K |
| Knoxville | $39K | $43K |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach | $44K | $38K |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia | $45K | $46K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA
Entry-level plating machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics (10th percentile) start around $35K. Mid-career wages sit at $39K. Top earners bring in $106K or more, a $71K 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 with published data
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 Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell numbers change.
Related careers in Production & Manufacturing
Frequently asked questions
Can a plating machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic afford a 2BR apartment alone in Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $39K, rent takes 68.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,820/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $800/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 Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new plating machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics typically earn — is $35K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,077/month. At HUD’s $1,820/month FMR, rent would take 88% 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 Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell?
Local pay runs 11% below the national median — $39K here vs. $44K nationally.
How does Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell compare to the national average for plating machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics?
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell pays $39K median vs. the U.S. average of $44K — that’s -11%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 100.06), the purchasing-power equivalent is $39K — below the national median.
How much do plating machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics make in Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA?
The median is $39,190 a year, that works out to about $19 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $34,610, and experienced plating machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics can clear $106,010. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $39K enough to live in Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,652/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,820/month, which eats 68.6% 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 Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell?
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell has a Regional Price Parity of 100.06 (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 plating machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic salary is worth about $39,167 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.