Textile Cutting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders Salary
In Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC, textile cutting machine setters, operators, and tenders earn $48,640 at the median, or about $23.39 an hour. The range runs from $37K at the entry level to $59K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.49), which stretches that salary to about $54,967 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,095/month, about 32.4% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $49K get you in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton’s Regional Price Parity (88.49). 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 textile cutting machine setters, operators, and tenders
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What this looks like in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton
Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton sits well above the national pay line for textile cutting machine setters, operators, and tenders, local pay runs about 25% higher than the U.S. median of $39K. Rent runs $1,095/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 33.8% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 88.49 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 12% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for textile cutting machine setters, operators, and tenders in metros near Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Greensboro-High Point | $39K | $42K |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia | $39K | $40K |
| Winston-Salem | $39K | $42K |
| Dalton | $38K | $42K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC
Entry-level textile cutting machine setters, operators, and tenders (10th percentile) start around $37K. Mid-career wages sit at $49K. Top earners bring in $59K or more, a $22K spread from bottom to top.
Textile Cutting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Textile Cutting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Connecticut | $47K | +22% | 50 |
| New York | $47K | +21% | 170 |
| New Hampshire | $46K | +18% | 80 |
| Hawaii | $46K | +18% | N/A |
| Washington | $45K | +17% | 140 |
| Massachusetts | $44K | +13% | 380 |
| North Carolina | $43K | +12% | 840 |
| Indiana | $42K | +8% | 70 |
| South Carolina | $42K | +8% | 480 |
| Ohio | $42K | +7% | 370 |
| Minnesota | $41K | +7% | 100 |
| New Jersey | $41K | +5% | 120 |
| Rhode Island | $40K | +3% | 30 |
| Georgia | $40K | +3% | 1,560 |
| Wisconsin | $40K | +2% | 130 |
| California | $39K | +0% | 750 |
| Illinois | $39K | -0% | 230 |
| Oregon | $38K | -1% | 90 |
| Mississippi | $38K | -3% | 400 |
| Louisiana | $37K | -3% | N/A |
| Arizona | $37K | -3% | 100 |
| Michigan | $37K | -4% | 100 |
| Oklahoma | $37K | -4% | 50 |
| Colorado | $37K | -5% | 30 |
| Tennessee | $37K | -5% | 320 |
| Pennsylvania | $37K | -5% | 230 |
| Kansas | $36K | -7% | 40 |
| Florida | $36K | -8% | 450 |
| Alabama | $35K | -10% | 160 |
| Maryland | $35K | -10% | 50 |
| Virginia | $34K | -11% | 50 |
| Kentucky | $31K | -20% | 50 |
| Missouri | $31K | -21% | 170 |
| Texas | $30K | -22% | 680 |
| Iowa | $30K | -22% | 70 |
| Arkansas | $29K | -25% | 40 |
| Nevada | $29K | -26% | 70 |
Showing 1–10 of 37 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track textile cutting machine setters, operators, and tenders salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton numbers change.
Related careers in Production & Manufacturing
Frequently asked questions
Can a textile cutting machine setters, operators, and tender afford a 2BR apartment alone in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $49K, rent takes 33.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,095/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 textile cutting machine setters, operators, and tenders in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new textile cutting machine setters, operators, and tenders typically earn — is $37K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,215/month. At HUD’s $1,095/month FMR, rent would take 49% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is textile cutting machine setters, operators, and tender a high-paying job in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton?
Local pay is 25% above the national median — $49K here vs. $39K nationally.
How does Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton compare to the national average for textile cutting machine setters, operators, and tenders?
Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton pays $49K median vs. the U.S. average of $39K — that’s +25%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.49), the purchasing-power equivalent is $55K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do textile cutting machine setters, operators, and tenders make in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC?
The median is $48,640 a year, that works out to about $23 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $36,920, and experienced textile cutting machine setters, operators, and tenders can clear $59,340. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $49K enough to live in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,244/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,095/month, which eats 33.8% 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 textile cutting machine setters, operators, and tenders salary go in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton?
Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton has a Regional Price Parity of 88.49 (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 textile cutting machine setters, operators, and tenders salary is worth about $54,967 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do textile cutting machine setters, operators, and tenders 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.