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 Reading, PA is $55,230/year ($26.55/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $37K at the entry level to $56K for experienced workers.
So what does $55K get you in Reading?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Reading’s Regional Price Parity (97.1). 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 Reading
Reading sits well above the national pay line for plating machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic, local pay runs about 26% higher than the U.S. median of $44K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,575/month, which is 42.3% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 97.1) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for plating machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics in metros near Reading, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Pittsburgh | $45K | , |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington | $49K | , |
| Erie | $37K | , |
| York-Hanover | $42K | , |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Reading, PA
Entry-level plating machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics (10th percentile) start around $37K. Mid-career wages sit at $55K. Top earners bring in $56K or more, a $18K 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 Reading 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 Reading?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $55K, rent takes 42.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,575/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,100/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 Reading?
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 $2,244/month. At HUD’s $1,575/month FMR, rent would take 70% 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 Reading?
Local pay is 26% above the national median — $55K here vs. $44K nationally.
How does Reading compare to the national average for plating machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics?
Reading pays $55K median vs. the U.S. average of $44K — that’s +26%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 97.1), the purchasing-power equivalent is $57K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do plating machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics make in Reading, PA?
The median is $55,230 a year, that works out to about $27 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $37,400, and experienced plating machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics can clear $55,600. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $55K enough to live in Reading?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,727/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,575/month, which eats 42.3% 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 Reading?
Reading has a Regional Price Parity of 100 (100 is the national average). That's right at the national average. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median plating machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic salary is worth about $56,880 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.