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 Maine is $45,720/year ($21.98/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $40K at the entry level to $56K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 97.7), that's roughly $46,796 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,281/month, about 40.6% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Maine. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $46K get you in Maine?
About plating machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Maine
Plating machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic pay in Maine tracks closely to the national median, $46K locally vs. $44K nationwide, a 4% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,281/month, which is 41.6% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 97.7) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Maine
Entry-level plating machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics (10th percentile) start around $40K. Mid-career wages sit at $46K. Top earners bring in $56K or more, a $16K spread from bottom to top.
Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic salary by metro in Maine
1 metro area with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portland-South Portland | $46K | +0% | 140 |
Compare to other states
Track plating machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Maine 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 Maine?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $46K, rent takes 41.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,281/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 Maine?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new plating machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics typically earn — is $40K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,373/month. At HUD’s $1,281/month FMR, rent would take 54% 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 Maine?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $46K locally vs. $44K nationally, a 4% difference.
How does Maine compare to the national average for plating machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics?
Maine pays $46K median vs. the U.S. average of $44K — that’s +4%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 97.7), the purchasing-power equivalent is $47K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do plating machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics make in Maine?
The median is $45,720 a year, that works out to about $22 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $39,550, and experienced plating machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics can clear $55,550. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $46K enough to live in Maine?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,076/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,281/month, which eats 41.6% 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 Maine?
Maine has a Regional Price Parity of 97.7 (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 $46,796 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.