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Drilling and Boring Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic Salary in Arizona: Cost of Living Adjusted (2025)

Last updated: 2025 BLS data · Page refreshed:

What does a Drilling and Boring Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic salary really buy you in Arizona?

Arizona is near the US average cost of living

Data: BLS OEWS 2025 + BEA Regional Price Parities 2022 • Updated 2026-05-19

Nominal Salary
$48,140
Median annual (2025)
+0.1%
Real Purchasing Power
$48,188
COL-adjusted (RPP=99.9)

Arizona Cost of Living Index

Arizona's Regional Price Parity (RPP) is 99.9, meaning prices are 0.1% lower the national average. A Drilling and Boring Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic earning $48,140 in Arizona has the equivalent purchasing power of $48,188 in an average-cost US state.

AZ: 99.9
Cheapest (~85) US Avg (100) Priciest (~115)

Salary Breakdown: Nominal vs. COL-Adjusted

Every dollar goes further in low-cost states. Here is how each salary percentile compares after adjusting for Arizona's cost of living.

Percentile Nominal Salary COL-Adjusted Difference
10th Percentile (P10) $38,890 $38,928 +$38
25th Percentile (P25) $44,270 $44,314 +$44
Median (P50) $48,140 $48,188 +$48
75th Percentile (P75) $48,140 $48,188 +$48
90th Percentile (P90) $48,140 $48,188 +$48
Key Insight

Arizona's cost of living is close to the national average, so $48,140 keeps most of its value at $48,188 in real terms. Location choice here is more about career opportunities than cost arbitrage.

What the Cost-of-Living Data Says

Arizona Sits Near the National Cost Benchmark

RPP 99.9

With an RPP of 99.9, Arizona is within a few percent of the national cost-of-living baseline. Salary adjustment for Drilling and Boring Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic is therefore minor — what you earn is close to what you'd keep in real purchasing power.

Minor COL Adjustment for This Salary

+0.1%

After adjusting for Arizona's cost of living, $48,140 nominal nets out to $48,188 in real purchasing power — a small 0.1% gain. The state's cost profile is close enough to average that COL alone shouldn't drive location decisions for this Drilling and Boring Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic.

Bottom-Quartile COL-Adjusted Pay

#25 / 31

Arizona ranks #25 of 31 — bottom quartile for Drilling and Boring Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic real purchasing power. Relocation, employer negotiation, or remote roles at higher-paying markets tend to generate the biggest ROI.

Best States for Drilling and Boring Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic (After Cost of Living)

Where does Drilling and Boring Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic salary stretch the furthest? Top 10 states ranked by COL-adjusted median salary.

$88,530
RPP 102.1
2. Idaho
$75,806
RPP 91.8
$71,096
RPP 109.4
4. Florida
$64,975
RPP 102.1
$64,678
RPP 93.4
$62,195
RPP 88.8
7. Alabama
$60,489
RPP 87.8
$57,874
RPP 89.4
$57,193
RPP 87.3
10. Ohio
$56,469
RPP 91.5

Arizona ranks #25 out of 31 states for Drilling and Boring Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic after cost-of-living adjustment.

How much do you actually take home? See Drilling and Boring Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic take-home pay in Arizona after taxes →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the real salary for a Drilling and Boring Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic in Arizona after cost of living?

A Drilling and Boring Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic in Arizona earns a median salary of $48,140 per year. After adjusting for Arizona's cost of living (RPP=99.9), the real purchasing power is $48,188 — a +0.1% difference.

Is Arizona expensive to live in?

Arizona's cost of living is 0.1% lower than the national average according to the BEA Regional Price Parities (2022). The RPP index for Arizona is 99.9 (US average = 100).

What are Regional Price Parities (RPP)?

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.

How is the cost-of-living adjusted salary calculated?

The adjusted salary is calculated as: Nominal Salary x (100 / RPP). For a Drilling and Boring Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic in Arizona: $48,140 x (100 / 99.9) = $48,188. This represents what the salary would be worth in a state with average living costs.

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