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What does a Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic salary really buy you in Rhode Island?
Rhode Island is 4.7% pricier than the US averageData: BLS OEWS 2025 + BEA Regional Price Parities 2022 • Updated 2026-05-19
Rhode Island's Regional Price Parity (RPP) is 104.7, meaning prices are 4.7% higher the national average. A Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic earning $48,170 in Rhode Island has the equivalent purchasing power of $46,007 in an average-cost US state.
Every dollar goes further in low-cost states. Here is how each salary percentile compares after adjusting for Rhode Island's cost of living.
| Percentile | Nominal Salary | COL-Adjusted | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th Percentile (P10) | $37,850 | $36,150 | $-1,699 |
| 25th Percentile (P25) | $43,550 | $41,595 | $-1,954 |
| Median (P50) | $48,170 | $46,007 | $-2,162 |
| 75th Percentile (P75) | $59,780 | $57,096 | $-2,683 |
| 90th Percentile (P90) | $62,280 | $59,484 | $-2,795 |
While $48,170 sounds high, Rhode Island's elevated cost of living erases 4% of that salary's purchasing power. Your real buying power is $46,007. Consider whether the higher pay offsets the higher costs.
Rhode Island's RPP of 104.7 puts it 4.7% above the national baseline cost of living. A Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic needs that premium in nominal pay just to maintain the same purchasing power as an average-cost state.
After applying Rhode Island's RPP, the $48,170 median salary translates to $46,008 in real terms — a 4.5% loss. That difference can cover several months of expenses over a year for a Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic.
Rhode Island's rank of #35 of 49 states means real purchasing power for Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic trails the national half-way line.
Where does Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic salary stretch the furthest? Top 10 states ranked by COL-adjusted median salary.
Rhode Island ranks #35 out of 49 states for Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic after cost-of-living adjustment.
How much do you actually take home? See Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic take-home pay in Rhode Island after taxes →
A Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic in Rhode Island earns a median salary of $48,170 per year. After adjusting for Rhode Island's cost of living (RPP=104.7), the real purchasing power is $46,007 — a -4.5% difference.
Rhode Island's cost of living is 4.7% higher than the national average according to the BEA Regional Price Parities (2022). The RPP index for Rhode Island is 104.7 (US average = 100).
Regional Price Parities (RPPs) are price indexes published by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) that measure differences in price levels across states. They are expressed as a percentage of the national average (US = 100). Higher RPP means higher cost of living.
The adjusted salary is calculated as: Nominal Salary x (100 / RPP). For a Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic in Rhode Island: $48,170 x (100 / 104.7) = $46,007. This represents what the salary would be worth in a state with average living costs.
Partially — a Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic's nominal salary of $48,170 in Rhode Island has 4.5% less purchasing power due to higher living costs. The real value is $46,007. However, Rhode Island may offer better career opportunities, networking, and industry access.
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