Sort by any column. Employment is the number of cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic OEWS estimates in that state; blank cells are estimates BLS suppressed because the sample was too small.
Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setter, Operator, and Tender, Metal and Plastic Salary by State (2026)
Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic earn the most in Oregon at $53,680 a year and the least in Puerto Rico at $24,090 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The national median is $46,330. All 50 states and territories with reported data are ranked below, with a cost-of-living adjusted column.
- Highest median
- $53,680
- National median
- $46,330
- Lowest median
- $24,090
- States reporting
- 50
Oregon
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Puerto Rico
of 54 OEWS areas
Top 5 states for Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
- 1. Oregon$53,680 median · $51,934 adjusted · 1,180 employed
- 2. Maine$51,820 median · $53,395 adjusted · 180 employed
- 3. Washington$51,160 median · $47,807 adjusted · 1,750 employed
- 4. Colorado$50,790 median · $49,286 adjusted · 1,400 employed
- 5. Minnesota$49,770 median · $50,466 adjusted · 6,130 employed
Lowest-paying states for Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
- 50. Puerto Rico$24,090 median · no price parity · 240 employed
- 49. New Mexico$39,430 median · $42,760 adjusted · 220 employed
- 48. Florida$39,440 median · $38,138 adjusted · 2,740 employed
- 47. Idaho$39,580 median · $41,448 adjusted · 720 employed
- 46. Mississippi$40,650 median · $46,749 adjusted · 1,700 employed
Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setter, Operator, and Tender, Metal and Plastic salary in every state
| # | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oregon | $53,680 | $48,070 | $59,550 | 1,180 | $51,934 |
| 2 | Maine | $51,820 | $47,130 | $60,440 | 180 | $53,395 |
| 3 | Washington | $51,160 | $46,280 | $60,890 | 1,750 | $47,807 |
| 4 | Colorado | $50,790 | $45,840 | $59,830 | 1,400 | $49,286 |
| 5 | Minnesota | $49,770 | $42,850 | $60,130 | 6,130 | $50,466 |
| 6 | Wisconsin | $49,270 | $43,930 | $58,560 | 7,960 | $52,362 |
| 7 | Alaska | $49,010 | $45,160 | $58,320 | 80 | $47,880 |
| 8 | Illinois | $48,990 | $41,670 | $59,030 | 8,060 | $49,011 |
| 9 | Nebraska | $48,690 | $39,520 | $58,020 | 1,320 | $54,038 |
| 10 | Montana | $48,490 | $45,280 | $51,680 | 130 | $51,234 |
| 11 | California | $48,450 | $43,710 | $58,450 | 7,710 | $43,759 |
| 12 | North Dakota | $48,400 | $47,230 | $56,670 | 230 | $54,407 |
| 13 | Missouri | $48,310 | $39,500 | $60,170 | 3,240 | $53,195 |
| 14 | Iowa | $48,240 | $40,120 | $52,730 | 2,030 | $54,967 |
| 15 | Rhode Island | $48,170 | $43,550 | $59,780 | 470 | $47,096 |
| 16 | New Hampshire | $48,110 | $41,950 | $52,430 | 600 | $46,186 |
| 17 | Pennsylvania | $47,860 | $40,710 | $58,780 | 8,890 | $49,051 |
| 18 | Nevada | $47,690 | $40,540 | $50,420 | 580 | $47,700 |
| 19 | Maryland | $47,320 | $39,420 | $50,780 | 270 | $45,084 |
| 20 | Virginia | $47,300 | $41,380 | $52,890 | 1,790 | $46,784 |
| 21 | Indiana | $46,980 | $40,630 | $56,350 | 9,680 | $50,338 |
| 22 | New York | $46,930 | $39,800 | $57,070 | 3,340 | $43,486 |
| 23 | Wyoming | $46,890 | $45,520 | $51,870 | 60 | $50,587 |
| 24 | Kansas | $46,840 | $39,520 | $53,670 | 1,900 | $52,005 |
| 25 | Utah | $46,670 | $44,030 | $50,960 | 1,050 | $47,206 |
| 26 | Arizona | $46,610 | $39,780 | $51,240 | 1,100 | $46,297 |
| 27 | Connecticut | $46,280 | $38,440 | $53,920 | 2,030 | $44,668 |
| 28 | Michigan | $46,120 | $38,580 | $66,130 | 22,060 | $47,933 |
| 29 | South Dakota | $46,060 | $41,900 | $53,330 | 490 | $51,995 |
| 30 | Kentucky | $45,760 | $39,300 | $60,230 | 7,290 | $50,755 |
| 31 | Massachusetts | $45,760 | $39,570 | $57,460 | 2,590 | $43,269 |
| 32 | New Jersey | $45,680 | $40,130 | $51,800 | 1,950 | $41,983 |
| 33 | Arkansas | $45,580 | $37,140 | $51,160 | 3,020 | $52,429 |
| 34 | Ohio | $45,230 | $38,360 | $50,640 | 13,350 | $48,753 |
| 35 | Georgia | $45,080 | $38,690 | $50,730 | 5,260 | $46,815 |
| 36 | Tennessee | $44,780 | $37,580 | $48,310 | 5,380 | $48,743 |
| 37 | South Carolina | $44,420 | $39,230 | $49,290 | 4,100 | $47,382 |
| 38 | Alabama | $43,830 | $37,850 | $48,000 | 6,000 | $49,345 |
| 39 | Vermont | $43,560 | $39,640 | $51,950 | 70 | $44,468 |
| 40 | North Carolina | $43,400 | $37,390 | $50,090 | 3,940 | $46,011 |
| 41 | West Virginia | $43,070 | $35,410 | $57,570 | 290 | $48,125 |
| 42 | Texas | $42,720 | $36,940 | $47,460 | 13,290 | $44,015 |
| 43 | Delaware | $41,640 | $39,860 | $48,380 | 240 | $41,720 |
| 44 | Oklahoma | $40,930 | $36,260 | $49,870 | 2,480 | $46,594 |
| 45 | Louisiana | $40,870 | $37,660 | $48,900 | 760 | $46,334 |
| 46 | Mississippi | $40,650 | $36,220 | $48,990 | 1,700 | $46,749 |
| 47 | Idaho | $39,580 | $37,650 | $46,200 | 720 | $41,448 |
| 48 | Florida | $39,440 | $36,180 | $46,670 | 2,740 | $38,138 |
| 49 | New Mexico | $39,430 | $36,400 | $45,580 | 220 | $42,760 |
| 50 | Puerto Rico | $24,090 | $21,840 | $28,670 | 240 | N/A |
How the cost-of-living adjustment works
The adjusted column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity (RPP) and multiplies by 100. RPPs measure how much a fixed basket of goods, services and rents costs in one state relative to the national average, so the result restates local pay in national-average dollars.
For Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic, that changes the ranking: Oregon leads on raw pay at $53,680, while Iowa leads once prices are taken into account at $54,967.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities by State, 2024 (public domain). The adjustment is NueCareer's calculation, not a BLS or BEA published statistic.
Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setter, Operator, and Tender, Metal and Plastic pay by state: FAQ
Which state pays Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic the most?
Oregon reports the highest median wage for Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic at $53,680 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025), followed by Maine ($51,820) and Washington ($51,160).
Which state pays Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic the least?
Puerto Rico reports the lowest median for Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic at $24,090 a year, $29,590 below the highest-paying state (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Where do Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic earn the most after cost of living?
Dividing each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity puts Iowa first at $54,967 in national-average dollars, from a raw median of $48,240. BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
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