Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic Salary
Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastics in Rockford, IL make a median of $55,270 a year, or about $26.57 an hour. The range runs from $34K at the entry level to $63K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 92.15), which stretches that salary to about $59,978 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,175/month, about 32.4% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $55K get you in Rockford?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Rockford’s Regional Price Parity (92.15). 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 Rockford
Rolling machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic pay in Rockford tracks closely to the national median, $55K locally vs. $50K nationwide, a 10% difference. Rent runs $1,175/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 32.3% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 92.15 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 8% 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.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for rolling machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics in metros near Rockford, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin | $50K | $48K |
| Louisville/Jefferson County | $50K | $54K |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood | $44K | $46K |
| South Bend-Mishawaka | $46K | $50K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Rockford, IL
Entry-level rolling machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics (10th percentile) start around $34K. Mid-career wages sit at $55K. Top earners bring in $63K or more, a $28K 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 Rockford 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 Rockford?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $55K, rent takes 32.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,175/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 rolling machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics in Rockford?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new rolling machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics typically earn — is $34K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,065/month. At HUD’s $1,175/month FMR, rent would take 57% 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 Rockford?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $55K locally vs. $50K nationally, a 10% difference.
How does Rockford compare to the national average for rolling machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics?
Rockford pays $55K median vs. the U.S. average of $50K — that’s +10%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 92.15), the purchasing-power equivalent is $60K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do rolling machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics make in Rockford, IL?
The median is $55,270 a year, that works out to about $27 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $34,410, and experienced rolling machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics can clear $62,540. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $55K enough to live in Rockford?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,643/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,175/month, which eats 32.3% 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 rolling machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic salary go in Rockford?
Rockford has a Regional Price Parity of 92.15 (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 $59,978 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.