Last updated: 2025 BLS data · Page refreshed:
What does a Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic salary really buy you in Massachusetts?
Massachusetts is 9.4% pricier than the US averageData: BLS OEWS 2025 + BEA Regional Price Parities 2022 • Updated 2026-05-19
Massachusetts's Regional Price Parity (RPP) is 109.4, meaning prices are 9.4% higher the national average. A Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic earning $50,910 in Massachusetts has the equivalent purchasing power of $46,535 in an average-cost US state.
Every dollar goes further in low-cost states. Here is how each salary percentile compares after adjusting for Massachusetts's cost of living.
| Percentile | Nominal Salary | COL-Adjusted | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th Percentile (P10) | $39,610 | $36,206 | $-3,403 |
| 25th Percentile (P25) | $45,440 | $41,535 | $-3,904 |
| Median (P50) | $50,910 | $46,535 | $-4,374 |
| 75th Percentile (P75) | $60,380 | $55,191 | $-5,188 |
| 90th Percentile (P90) | $75,340 | $68,866 | $-6,473 |
While $50,910 sounds high, Massachusetts's elevated cost of living erases 9% of that salary's purchasing power. Your real buying power is $46,535. Consider whether the higher pay offsets the higher costs.
Massachusetts's RPP of 109.4 puts it 9.4% above the national baseline cost of living. A Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool 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 Massachusetts's RPP, the $50,910 median salary translates to $46,536 in real terms — a 8.6% loss. That difference can cover several months of expenses over a year for a Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic.
Massachusetts's rank of #26 of 48 states means real purchasing power for Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic trails the national half-way line.
Where does Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic salary stretch the furthest? Top 10 states ranked by COL-adjusted median salary.
Massachusetts ranks #26 out of 48 states for Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic after cost-of-living adjustment.
How much do you actually take home? See Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic take-home pay in Massachusetts after taxes →
A Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic in Massachusetts earns a median salary of $50,910 per year. After adjusting for Massachusetts's cost of living (RPP=109.4), the real purchasing power is $46,535 — a -8.6% difference.
Massachusetts's cost of living is 9.4% higher than the national average according to the BEA Regional Price Parities (2022). The RPP index for Massachusetts is 109.4 (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 Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic in Massachusetts: $50,910 x (100 / 109.4) = $46,535. This represents what the salary would be worth in a state with average living costs.
Partially — a Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic's nominal salary of $50,910 in Massachusetts has 8.6% less purchasing power due to higher living costs. The real value is $46,535. However, Massachusetts may offer better career opportunities, networking, and industry access.
Some links are affiliate links. See our disclosure.