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 Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL is $43,840/year ($21.08/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $29K at the entry level to $60K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 114.16), so that salary is closer to $38,402 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,436/month, about 77.2% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $44K 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 plating machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics
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What this looks like in Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach
Plating machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic pay in Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach tracks closely to the national median, $44K locally vs. $44K nationwide, a 0% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,436/month, which is 78.5% 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 plating machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics in metros near Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater | $48K | $47K |
| Jacksonville | $56K | $57K |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell | $39K | $39K |
| Birmingham | $33K | $36K |
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 plating machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics (10th percentile) start around $29K. Mid-career wages sit at $44K. 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 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 Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach 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 Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $44K, rent takes 78.5% 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 $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 Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach?
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 $1,744/month. At HUD’s $2,436/month FMR, rent would take 140% 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 Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $44K locally vs. $44K nationally, a 0% difference.
How does Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach compare to the national average for plating machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics?
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach pays $44K median vs. the U.S. average of $44K — that’s +0%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 114.16), the purchasing-power equivalent is $38K — below the national median.
How much do plating machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics make in Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL?
The median is $43,840 a year, that works out to about $21 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $29,060, and experienced plating machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics can clear $60,080. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $44K enough to live in Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,105/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,436/month, which eats 78.5% 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 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 plating machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic salary is worth about $38,402 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.