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 Nebraska is $48,010/year ($23.08/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $37K at the entry level to $64K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 90.05), which stretches that salary to about $53,315 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,113/month, about 34% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Nebraska. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $48K get you in Nebraska?
About plating machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics
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What this looks like in Nebraska
Plating machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic pay in Nebraska tracks closely to the national median, $48K locally vs. $44K nationwide, a 9% difference. Rent runs $1,113/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 34.3% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 90.05 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 10% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Nebraska
Entry-level plating machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics (10th percentile) start around $37K. Mid-career wages sit at $48K. Top earners bring in $64K or more, a $27K spread from bottom to top.
Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic salary by metro in Nebraska
2 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Omaha | $62K | +29% | 40 |
| Lincoln | $48K | +0% | 200 |
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 Nebraska 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 Nebraska?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $48K, rent takes 34.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,113/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,000/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 Nebraska?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new plating machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics typically earn — is $37K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,220/month. At HUD’s $1,113/month FMR, rent would take 50% 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 Nebraska?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $48K locally vs. $44K nationally, a 9% difference.
How does Nebraska compare to the national average for plating machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics?
Nebraska pays $48K median vs. the U.S. average of $44K — that’s +9%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 90.05), the purchasing-power equivalent is $53K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do plating machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics make in Nebraska?
The median is $48,010 a year, that works out to about $23 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $37,000, and experienced plating machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics can clear $63,950. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $48K enough to live in Nebraska?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,245/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,113/month, which eats 34.3% 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 Nebraska?
Nebraska has a Regional Price Parity of 90.05 (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 $53,315 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.