Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic Salary
Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastics in Reading, PA make a median of $70,310 a year, or about $33.8 an hour. The range runs from $51K at the entry level to $70K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 97.06), that's roughly $72,440 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,575/month, about 33.5% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $70K get you in Reading?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Reading’s Regional Price Parity (97.06). 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 rolling 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 rolling machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic, local pay runs about 40% higher than the U.S. median of $50K. Rent runs $1,575/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 33.9% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 97.06) 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.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for rolling machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics in metros near Reading, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Pittsburgh | $69K | $73K |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington | $61K | $60K |
| Scranton--Wilkes-Barre | $47K | $51K |
| Cleveland | $49K | $52K |
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 rolling machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics (10th percentile) start around $51K. Mid-career wages sit at $70K. Top earners bring in $70K or more, a $20K spread from bottom to top.
Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Iowa | $73K | +45% | 660 |
| Pennsylvania | $67K | +34% | 3,070 |
| Vermont | $66K | +32% | 40 |
| Washington | $64K | +27% | 350 |
| Maryland | $61K | +23% | 310 |
| New York | $61K | +21% | 420 |
| Minnesota | $61K | +21% | 50 |
| Connecticut | $61K | +21% | 150 |
| New Hampshire | $61K | +21% | 40 |
| Colorado | $58K | +15% | 110 |
| Illinois | $54K | +8% | 550 |
| Alabama | $53K | +6% | 1,710 |
| Wisconsin | $51K | +2% | 290 |
| Oregon | $50K | +1% | 140 |
| Kentucky | $50K | +1% | 1,120 |
| Ohio | $50K | -0% | 1,310 |
| Louisiana | $50K | -0% | 110 |
| Texas | $50K | -1% | 1,680 |
| Tennessee | $49K | -3% | 1,290 |
| North Carolina | $48K | -3% | 510 |
| Oklahoma | $48K | -4% | 290 |
| South Carolina | $48K | -4% | 820 |
| California | $48K | -4% | 1,150 |
| Massachusetts | $48K | -5% | 480 |
| Arizona | $48K | -5% | 110 |
| Utah | $48K | -5% | 60 |
| Missouri | $47K | -5% | 180 |
| New Jersey | $47K | -6% | 250 |
| Florida | $47K | -7% | 310 |
| Virginia | $46K | -7% | 450 |
| South Dakota | $46K | -8% | 70 |
| Arkansas | $46K | -8% | 420 |
| Nebraska | $46K | -9% | 230 |
| Indiana | $45K | -9% | 2,750 |
| Georgia | $45K | -10% | 1,070 |
| Michigan | $44K | -12% | 1,480 |
| North Dakota | $43K | -13% | 150 |
| Kansas | $40K | -20% | 170 |
| Mississippi | $39K | -22% | 230 |
Showing 1–10 of 39 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track rolling machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Reading numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a rolling machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic afford a 2BR apartment alone in Reading?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $70K, rent takes 33.9% 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 $1,400/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for rolling machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics in Reading?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new rolling machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics typically earn — is $51K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,047/month. At HUD’s $1,575/month FMR, rent would take 52% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is rolling machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic a high-paying job in Reading?
Local pay is 40% above the national median — $70K here vs. $50K nationally.
How does Reading compare to the national average for rolling machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics?
Reading pays $70K median vs. the U.S. average of $50K — that’s +40%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 97.06), the purchasing-power equivalent is $72K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do rolling machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics make in Reading, PA?
The median is $70,310 a year, that works out to about $34 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $50,790, and experienced rolling machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics can clear $70,310. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $70K enough to live in Reading?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,641/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,575/month, which eats 33.9% 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 rolling machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic salary go in Reading?
Reading has a Regional Price Parity of 97.06 (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 rolling machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic salary is worth about $72,440 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do rolling 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.