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 Utah is $46,940/year ($22.57/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $35K at the entry level to $73K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 98.54), that's roughly $47,635 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,350/month, about 42.2% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Utah. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $47K get you in Utah?
About plating machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics
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What this looks like in Utah
Plating machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic pay in Utah tracks closely to the national median, $47K locally vs. $44K nationwide, a 7% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,350/month, which is 43.1% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 98.54) 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, Utah
Entry-level plating machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics (10th percentile) start around $35K. Mid-career wages sit at $47K. Top earners bring in $73K or more, a $38K spread from bottom to top.
Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic salary by metro in Utah
3 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ogden | $70K | +50% | 60 |
| Salt Lake City-Murray | $43K | -9% | 60 |
| Provo-Orem-Lehi | $42K | -11% | 30 |
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 Utah 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 Utah?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $47K, rent takes 43.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,350/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 Utah?
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 $2,112/month. At HUD’s $1,350/month FMR, rent would take 64% 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 Utah?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $47K locally vs. $44K nationally, a 7% difference.
How does Utah compare to the national average for plating machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics?
Utah pays $47K median vs. the U.S. average of $44K — that’s +7%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 98.54), the purchasing-power equivalent is $48K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do plating machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics make in Utah?
The median is $46,940 a year, that works out to about $23 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $35,200, and experienced plating machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics can clear $73,090. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $47K enough to live in Utah?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,131/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,350/month, which eats 43.1% 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 Utah?
Utah has a Regional Price Parity of 98.54 (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 $47,635 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.